Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
- Director: Pamela B. Green
- Writer: Pamela B. Green; Joan Simon
- Producer: Pamela B. Green
CGiii Comment
A gross injustice has been done to film history [by cinematic charlatans]...and, to Alice Guy-Blaché - the [very] first female director and studio boss...practically forgotten but by a mere few.
Thankfully, Pamela B. Green is doing everything she can to rectify the situation...giving [back] the credit and recognition to a true cinematic pioneer. Madame Guy-Blaché was there...right at the very beginning, standing firm...not just witnessing but contributing to the dawn of the cinematic age. Who knows what the impact on cinema would have been without her!
The film itself is a frantic investigation...raking through archives, discovering lost relatives [and films], unearthing interviewed recordings of the woman herself...revealing her riches-to-rags story. It is as fascinating as it sounds...and, an obvious labour of love for the filmmaker. Pamela B. Green has done her subject proud.
Duplicitous men, fire and war all contributed to the undoing of Alice Guy-Blaché's cinematic empire...and, her legacy. The 11th edition of Film Art [the staple film studies book] does not even mention Madame Guy-Blaché...perhaps, in the 12 edition, they do! And, if not, the 13th edition has to! Universities and colleges offering film studies need to amend their syllabi to include the first female director and studio boss...reversing the injustice that Alice Guy-Blaché's memory has suffered. She deserves her rightful place in cinematic history. She deserves to be known.
Trailer...
Be Natural : The Untold Story Of Alice Guy-Blaché TRAILER#1 from Be Natural on Vimeo.
The(ir) Blurb...
Pamela B. Green's energetic film about pioneer filmmaker Alice Guy-Blaché is both a tribute and a detective story, tracing the circumstances by which this extraordinary artist faded from memory and the path toward her reclamation.
Cast & Characters
Alice Guy
Richard Abel
Marc Abraham
Stephanie Allain
Gillian Armstrong
John Bailey
Cari Beauchamp
Lake Bell Lake Bell
Peter Billingsley
James Bobin
Serge Bromberg
Kevin Brownlow
Jon M. Chu
Diablo Cody
Bobby Cohen