Left on Pearl (2016) was directed by Susan Rivo.
This film is a documentary about a group of women who were marching in Boston's International Women's Day Parade on March 6th, 1971. Some of the marchers "turned left on Pearl Street" in Cambridge, and ultimately occupied a Harvard building at 888 Memorial Drive.
Their demands were mixed. Three major demands were acceptance of women's right to equal treatment in all aspects of life, the need for a women's center at Harvard, and an end to Harvard's encroachment on the neighborhood surrounding 888 Memorial Drive. The women organized themselves within the building, and operated in sisterhood and friendship.
The occupation at 888 Memorial Drive drew immense media attention-- most of it critical. Newspapers and TV stations couldn't understand why the women wouldn't go back to their homes or their classrooms and allow the status quo to continue. However, the women knew what they were doing, and they held out--in bitter cold--for ten days.
The strength of this documentary is manifest. Many of the women who participated are still alive, and still outspoken. Director Rivo has captured interviews with them that are both fascinating and powerful. Rivo used clips of TV news coverage very effectively.
The vacuum in the center of the film is that cameras weren't permitted inside 888 Memorial, so there's no actual footage of occupation itself. The women interviewed describe what went on inside the building very vividly. Director Rivo decided against using recreated scenes. That's an artistic decision with which I happen to agree, but a case could be made for giving us images--even recreated ones--of what was happening inside.
We saw Left on Pearl at Rochester's wonderful Little Theatre. It will work well on the small screen. The movie was shown as part of the excellent High Falls Film Festival: Celebrating Women in Film.
This film is a documentary about a group of women who were marching in Boston's International Women's Day Parade on March 6th, 1971. Some of the marchers "turned left on Pearl Street" in Cambridge, and ultimately occupied a Harvard building at 888 Memorial Drive.
Their demands were mixed. Three major demands were acceptance of women's right to equal treatment in all aspects of life, the need for a women's center at Harvard, and an end to Harvard's encroachment on the neighborhood surrounding 888 Memorial Drive. The women organized themselves within the building, and operated in sisterhood and friendship.
The occupation at 888 Memorial Drive drew immense media attention-- most of it critical. Newspapers and TV stations couldn't understand why the women wouldn't go back to their homes or their classrooms and allow the status quo to continue. However, the women knew what they were doing, and they held out--in bitter cold--for ten days.
The strength of this documentary is manifest. Many of the women who participated are still alive, and still outspoken. Director Rivo has captured interviews with them that are both fascinating and powerful. Rivo used clips of TV news coverage very effectively.
The vacuum in the center of the film is that cameras weren't permitted inside 888 Memorial, so there's no actual footage of occupation itself. The women interviewed describe what went on inside the building very vividly. Director Rivo decided against using recreated scenes. That's an artistic decision with which I happen to agree, but a case could be made for giving us images--even recreated ones--of what was happening inside.
We saw Left on Pearl at Rochester's wonderful Little Theatre. It will work well on the small screen. The movie was shown as part of the excellent High Falls Film Festival: Celebrating Women in Film.
