Meet Eleanor Gwynne, founder of Lazy Girls Film Club. Founded via Instagram, the club is now branching out into its own cinema screenings - at our very own Electric Palace!
Its first ever screening is Jennifer's Body showing on Wednesday 1 November, so book now and find out more about the inspiration behind Lazy Girls...
Can you share what inspired you to start up Lazy Girls Film Club?
I have always been interested in unconventional female characters in film. As someone who has felt lost and directionless at various points in my own life, I am often drawn to stories about aimlessness and alienation. The more time I spent talking to other women, the more I began to sense that this was a very common experience.
"I started Lazy Girls as a way of bringing attention to representations of women who don’t fit in"
I started Lazy Girls as a way of bringing attention to representations of women who don’t fit in, who may be struggling with loneliness or boredom, who are reacting against societal expectations. My hope was to provide a space for film lovers of all genders to celebrate these often-overlooked women.
What's the response you've had since starting it up?
The response to Lazy Girls so far has been incredibly positive! I have had many people tell me that the theme resonates with them, which is really heartening to hear. Making connections with other film watchers through shared experiences is something that means a lot to me, so I try to create content that is personal and honest.
I’m excited to have more opportunities to interact with members of the Lazy Girls community in person.
Why is it called 'Lazy Girls'?
The name ‘Lazy Girls’ is definitely a bit tongue in cheek. While there is a special place in my heart for the true slackers of the world, many of the characters I highlight are not really lazy at all.
It is partly about reclaiming a phrase that is used to describe women in a derogatory way when they don’t meet our standard expectations of womanhood.
Who are the archetypal 'lazy girls' the club celebrates and spotlights?
I’m a big fan of Parker Posey, especially her film roles from the '90s. When I started the club, I had her in mind as a prime example of someone who has built a career playing loveable, unconventional women. She is perhaps less well-known in the UK, but films like Party Girl have a unique cult following.
Characters such as Rebecca and Enid in Ghost World, Delphine in The Green Ray, Frances in Frances Ha, and Vicky in Millennium Mambo all stand out as archetypal ‘lazy girls’.
Can you share some niche or little known background information about Jennifer's Body?
Jennifer’s Body had a famously misleading marketing campaign upon its original release.
The primary advertising and publicity focused on pushing this female-centric movie to male horror audiences. In 2016, director Karyn Kusama told The New York Times that the all-male marketing department had wanted Megan Fox to do live chats on amateur porn sites to promote the film. Kusama, knowing how much this would dispirit Fox, begged them to rethink.It’s baffling that something like this was ever considered, and helps explain why audiences had such a confused reaction to the movie back in 2009.
To those who are unfamiliar with the film, what is it about it that made it your choice for the first Lazy Girls Film Club screening?
I chose Jennifer’s Body for the first screening because it is an incredibly fun movie written and directed by women, that centres around a complicated relationship between two teenage girls. It is a film that many people have a strong affection for, but that they may not have had a chance to see in a cinema with an audience. It was also ripped to shreds by critics on release, only to find a second life as a cult horror favourite.
Revisiting misunderstood or underappreciated films is very much in-keeping with the Lazy Girls ethos! Jennifer’s Body feels like a film that is pushing back against what people wanted it to be at the time of release, and it subverts Megan Fox’s sex-symbol status in an interesting way. It allows women to be angry and powerful, rather than positioning them as straightforward victims.
"I’ve had a couple of requests for a pyjama party so perhaps I can make that happen in 2024!"
What other screenings are on the cards?
I’m hoping to show Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby next. It’s sadly taking a long time for her latest movie Bottoms to make its way to the UK, so I’d love the chance to celebrate her first feature, which is a really funny, tense film about a young woman trying to navigate an excruciating social situation.
I’m also very open to talking to audiences about what they would like to see from Lazy Girls – I’ve had a couple of requests for a pyjama party so perhaps I can make that happen in 2024!
Book now for Jennifer's Body >>
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