I Am Femen (Je Suis Femen) (Alain Margot, 2014): Switzerland

Reviewed by Magali Vautrin. Viewed at SBIFF 2015.

 The director Alain Margot, also known for his documentary La Méchanique des Anges ( Angel’s Mechanic), chronicles the activities of FEMEN, the provocative Ukrainian feminist group known for their topless protests against sexism, religions, homophobia and fights for justice … Margot is exploring FEMEN’s history through the voice of the main leaders of this feminist movement.

Je Suis Femen is a poignant documentary that follows Oxana Sachko, Alexandra ‘Shacha’ Shevchenko (pictured), Inna Shevchenko and Anna Hutsol in their fight for freedom of speech. Throughout the film we are able to understand why did those four Ukrainian girls created this movement. Their personal history, their childhood,  made them what they are today. “Finally people understand where they come from” said Margot. He follows them from Kiev to Paris. The audience assist to the planning of their actions, the preparation of their protests but also the harassment, the beating and arrests by the police.

The editing was really good; a lot of footages, and a lot or achieves from FEMEN , the Ukrainian parlement and the TV NEWS; which really gives credibility to the documentary. I really liked the shots the director took the time to shoot. I remember the train sequences, the colors seemed so realistic. One of the biggest contrast I noticed are the shots of such strong and beautiful girls in a country that is more and more ruined and poor day after day, I think Margot did a verry beautiful job on that.

I was glad to see this documentary which taught me so much about the FEMEN history. I remember having heard a lot about them in the news while I was in Paris, and now I am able, thanks to this documentary, to understand why. I support them because I support the Freedom of Expression by all  means (artistically speaking), even more after what happen in France, in Paris the 7th of January 2015: the attack of Charlie Hebdo. Since then I really support Freedom of Expression, which is less and less free. What the FEMEN did was the beginning of the revolution that followed and continue today in Ukraine.

#JeSuisCharlie

“My only weapon is my body”- FEMEN