First Time Female Filmmaker, written and directed by Chelsea Peretti, premiered at the Tribeca Festival in Spotlight Narrative. The film is a comically honest portrayal of the obstacles women face in the entertainment industry, specifically in the theater business. The protagonist, Sam, is a woman who takes over as director at the Regis Theater in Glendale, California, after the previous director was ousted for being a sexual predator. Sam’s dream is to stage her production, a rural drama set in the South. However, she faces numerous challenges, including a cast that does not respect her authority.
The Cast and Crew
First Time Female Filmmaker boasts a hefty cast, including Chelsea Peretti, Amy Poehler, Andy Richter, Benito Skinner, Blake Anderson, Megan Stalter, Megan Mullally, Jak Knight, and Xosha Roquemore, Kate Berlant, and many more. Peretti, with her impeccable comedic instincts, carries the film with her natural ability to generate laughter. Her comedic range is on full display here, with her line delivery and expressive faces providing consistent knee-slapping moments. She gathers a supporting ensemble of talents, each playing their characters with the dedication of seasoned professionals, helping to move the occasionally disjointed narrative forward.
The Obstacles Women Face in the Entertainment Industry
First Time Female Filmmaker broaches the obstacles that female directors in the entertainment industry face, displaying the systemic imbalances that are set up for them to fail. Peretti’s protagonist, Sam, is a woman initially presented as wide-eyed and vibrant. But as the narrative progresses, she is pushed further and further to the edges of the industry she loves. This is a harsh reality for many women across the entertainment spectrum, leading to a bitter-sweet revelation in the film’s conclusion. Within that same framework, the film hints that even as an unsuccessful white woman, Sam still has an advantage over her peers of color. This revelation of these blindspots presents the character with the hard-hitting truth: you aren’t the center of the universe, girl!
The Challenges of Directing in the Theater Business
Sam’s struggles to gain the respect of her cast highlight the challenges of directing in the theater business. The cast consists of Rudy, Davina, Marjory, Simon, Kara, and Corden, who are used to having a man direct them. Sam is struggling to gain their respect through different methods of direction that aren’t working. The group is rather harsh to her, but instead of sticking up for herself and demanding better, she just changes protocol that further damages her authority. When the cast gets fed up and quits, she has to figure out how to salvage the show and her reputation.
The Chaotic Charm of the Film
Stylistically, First Time Female Filmmaker sometimes feels like a long episode of the hit show Community. It works for the series, but for a film, that often works to its detriment. Its 97-minute runtime occasionally feels as if it’s stretched beyond that, probably because of the amount of ideas Peretti’s story tries to balance. To the film’s credit, it captures the manic nature of the theater world atmosphere, and has an undeniable level of self-awareness, which adds another layer to the film’s chaotic charm. While the story could benefit from a tighter focus, the personal reflections and multiple streams of thought ultimately serve to create a portrait of a woman striving for success in a challenging industry.
First Time Female Filmmaker is a good debut from this first time female director. Although it may sometimes stumble under its ambitions, it provides a messy, challenging, insightful, bleak and painfully funny examination of women in entertainment. It serves as a significant addition to the comedy genre and sets the stage for what is likely to be a promising directorial career for Peretti. The film highlights the challenges that women face in the entertainment industry and the systemic imbalances that are set up for them to fail. It is a comically honest portrayal of what women must endure if they want to get ahead in any career, let alone the theater business.