Femen (Alain Margot, 2014): Switzerland

Reviewed by Erik Johansson at Metro 4. Viewed at Santa Barbara Film Festival 2015.

Femen is a Ukrainian feminist protest group created by Alexandra Shevchenko, Oksana Shachko and Anna Hutsol in 2008. What started as a group of likeminded friends protesting against what they consider to be corrupt justice systems and women’s rights, is now an organization that has expanded across the Ukrainian borders. The members describe themselves as a group fighting patriarchy in 3 different branches. Dictatorship, religious leaders and sexual abuse of women. They protest in everything from low punishments in the legal system to lack of toilets in Kiev. After Oksana Shachko demonstrated topless on the Ukrainian independence day in 2009, Femen recieved a lot of publicity. This soon became the reason to why the female protest group would start using this as their hallmark.

Anna Hutson moved from Russia to Ukraine with her family in 1991. After receiving her economics degree she started working as an assistant for the famous Ukrainian singer Tina Karol. She soon realized the lack of female protesters in the country while she saw a tendency in women’s suppressed position in society. For this reason, a initiative was created for the organization to be born.

This observational documentary let us follow the most dedicated women of the group fight for what they think is right. It’s an insight in their sacrificial and dedication which not only tells, but also shows people around the world how to fight for what you want. To be active, not passive. To be a doer rather than a sayer. Through creative costumes, body paintings and messages, posters, chains, other types of art and with a radically prominent approach the girls try to reach as much attention and publicity as they possibly can. We get to see Oksana Shachko as a very independent and dedicated leader role in the group who’s always on the move and never settles down. Even though she has a boyfriend, he get’s a very small part of the documentary and in one of the few footages we get of him it’s with Oksana walking in front of him and him almost trying to catch up afterwards.

The cinematographer has used a lot of mid-shots in the interviews followed by wide shots of the protests. Most of the documentary is filmed in a interview-followed-by-action kind of way but we also get to see some other shots. Such as when the girls are traveling, to give an impression of “spreading the word”, but also other symbolic footage such as filming birds flying to symbolize freedom. The documentary is filmed in a observational way and we get to see the girls do what they do pretending the camera is not there.

The music in the movie matches with the theme and message in my opinion. In one of the Ukrainian songs played in the movie the lyrics was translated: “Are you willing to give your life to save others”. A line that made me reflect about how important this documentary together with the people in it are, for EVERYONE! Not necessarily because of their opinions, but because of their passion to fight for what they want. Because they are ready to fight to the end. And because of the wake-up call they send out to all of the non-participants in democratic and corrupt societies. Who by their passivity makes an active choice of supporting something that is ethically and morally wrong!