36
thearts
OCTOBER 21.201)
WWW.JUSTOUT.COM
Sing Loud, Sing Proud
Siren Nation gives voice to female artists
BY ERIN ROOK
In a time when men’s voices still dominate
Soviet pilot-turned-schoolmistress, the pro­
the arts and media, Portland’s Siren Nation
gram will feature a rare documentary by bet­
Festival provides a platform and a megaphone
ter-known filmmaker husband Elem Klimov.
lor female artists to share their work and get
“His documentary was never properly re­
paid for it.
leased,” Donovan says. “This is the best way
“I had been in booking lor 10 years and I
to see the film .”
think the music business as a whole is a very
Sunday’s lineup includes a diverse selec­
male-dominated business,” says Siren Nation
tion o f films made by women— among them
co-founder December Carson, pointing out
E v e a n d the F ire H orse, an “incredibly lovely
that most bookers and talent buyers for ven­
story” Donovan says “will be appealing to
ues and festivals are men. “It shows that
every single person in the world”— as well as
there’s a diminished women’s voice... I didn’t
a presentation by stop-motion animator Su ­
feel like they were being promoted in the way
zanne Twining ( C oraline).
I felt they should be promoted.”
“I’m really excited about [the film festival],”
Like Olympia’s Ladyfest and the Michigan
Carson says. “W e’ll have three days o f films
Womyn’s Music Festival, Siren Nation high­
about women artists who are really history­
lights female artists. But unlike some festivals,
Bamba, Laura G ibson, My Brightest D ia­
Siren Nation doesn’t exclude anyone based on
mond and more.
gender or sexual identity.
Rock Camp for Girls band Sassfest
performs at the all-ages show.
Music has been a part o f the fest since it
making that are also by women artists.”
The fine arts exhibit will display works
based on the theme “W hat comes after yes,”
“W hat I would sense are bigger sexuality
began in 2006, but new elements each year
of appointed myself the film programmer and
which Carson says was inspired by all the
issues involved in a lot o f the festivals is not
have added to Siren Nation’s steady crescendo.
just took over. They were really supportive.”
hard work that comes after an artist says “yes”
an issue for us. We really focus on women
The 2011 women’s art festival will feature a
The Siren Nation Film Festival, held at the
making art, ” Carson says. “Men are welcome.
film program in addition to music, visual art,
Mission Theater, is Donovan’s first as a cura­
“W hat I really like about the art show is it’s
We re trying to he as inclusive as possible.”
workshops, lectures and an art and craft sale.
tor, but she says her work as a film reviewer
a mix of really established artists and people
keeps her apprised of trends as well as gaps in
who have never shown before,” Carson says.
The festival's programming
to a project.
reflects the
“Every year we try to add something to the
pysh tor inclusiveness, offering a wide range
festival and something to the organization
of opportunities for new and established art­
we’ve never done before,” Carson says. “This
“I really just wanted to get a snapshot o f
ists and audiences alike.
year the festival has, for the first time, a really
what I think is happening right now with
highlighting
diverse film festival portion.”
filmmaking," Donovan says. “People are tell­
performance,
ing really interesting stories in ways people
opportunities.
For the event’s fifth anniversary, Carson
representation.
It all goes back to Siren Nation’s aim to
inspire and empower women to create art by
their
achievements
exhibition
and
through
educational
says she wanted to “bump up” the music por­
In the past, the event spotlighted a few
tion by bringing together festival alums with
individual selections, but will this year fea­
first-timers at the top o f their game, such as
ture three days o f film curated by Erin D on ­
For opening night Thursday, November 3,
with greater frequency by eventually offering
Kimya Dawson (The Moldy Peaches) and
ovan, who owns documentary distribution
Donovan chose H it So H ard: The L ife an d
year-round workshops, making inroads into
Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney).
company A M illion Movies a Minute. C ar-
N ear D eath o f Patty Scheme/, which offers a
schools and sponsoring artists in residency.
“I really pushed for the music to be wide
son first partnered with Donovan for a
candid look at the band Hole through the
“I think there is a lot o f interest in bringing
reaching,” Carson says. “I am really looking
screening of R ad ica l Act during January’s
experiences of its drummer. Schemel and pro­
marginalized voices to the center, but not
forward to the all-ages show with Kimya
Reel Music Film Festival and was so happy
ducer Christina Soletti will both attend the
enough events in Portland that really central­
Dawson, with S T L S and Rock Camp for
with the collaboration she asked Donovan to
screening.
ize it on an ongoing basis,” Donovan says. J#]
Girls [band SassfestJ,” Carson says.
join Siren Nation’s board.
haven’t seen done before.”
It’s a mission Carson hopes to promote
On Friday, Siren Nation pays tribute to
T he festival will also feature perform anc­
“I came to a meeting and realized there was
Russian filmmaker Larisa Shepitko, who died
Siren Nation Festival, Nov. 3 -6 ; various Portland
es by D J Safi, Led To Sea, Lem olo, T h e
a void in the film programming. No one was
in an auto accident in 1979 at age 40. In addi­
locations; $30 fo r access to a ll shows andfilm screen­
C orin Tucker Band, Kelli Schaefer, Y La
taking that on directly,” Donovan says. “I sort
tion to Shepitko’s film Wings, about a female
ings, individual ticket prices vary; sirennation.org.
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