Science fiction has long been looked upon in our society as being a ‘boys club.’ While that is changing, the perception that women are ‘fake geek girls’ or ‘latecomers’ to the world of galaxies, aliens, lightsabers, and space operas still holds. A new film from documentary filmmaker Annelise Ophelian, Looking for Leia, looks to change all that. The upcoming documentary gives female Star Wars fans a chance to prove that not only are they present in fandom spaces now; they’ve always been there.
The initial news about the documentary and the trailer dropped at Star Wars Celebration in May of this year. At New York City Comic Con (NYCC) this week, Ophelian released an eleven-minute preview. Featuring diverse women, both old and young, the preview gives us a taste of just how moving, and awesome; the final film will be when it’s released.
As of right now, the film is still in production. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty damn excited to watch this when it comes out. I teared up watching the preview, so I’ll probably be a mess watching the full documentary if the summary is anything to go by.
According to the website, “LOOKING FOR LEIA features interviews with an intergenerational and culturally diverse group of female fans who discuss their entry point into the Star Wars universe (original trilogy, prequels, animated series, comics, Extended Universe/Legends, video games, new trilogy, and stand-alone films), as well as film buffs and cultural critics, cosplayers and gamers, artists and authors. The film reaches beyond Princess Leia to discuss how female characters and fans have shaped and expanded the Star Wars universe, and how these stories speak to experiences of gender resilience and resistance.”
As they’re still in production, there are several ways that you can be involved, including being a potential interviewee, post-production, and financial support. So, check out their website and make sure to follow them on Twitter if you want to stay up to date on the news. I know I do!