Natalie Portman’s Cape and Pretense of Performative Feminism
Of all the political statements made at the 2020 Oscars, by far the most talked-about is Natalie Portman’s cape which she embroidered in gold the names of all the female directors the Oscars shunned this year.
Natalie Portman’s Dior cape featured the names of women who were overlooked this year in the directing category.
The gown featured eight names in total: Lorene Scafaria (“Hustlers”), Lulu Wang (“The Farewell”), Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”), Mati Diop (“Atlantics”), Marielle Heller (“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”), Melina Matsoukas (“Queen & Slim”), Alma Har’el (“Honeyboy”), and Céline Sciamma (“Portrait of a Lady On Fire”).
During her interview with the Los Angeles Times, Portman told the reporter that she “wanted to recognize the women who were not recognized for their incredible work this year in [her] subtle way.”
Check out the video below:
However, this gold-threaded gesture seems performative and cosmetic as Portman is not one to promote the careers of female filmmakers.
In fact, the Oscar winner owns her own production company, HandsomeCharlie Films. But her production company has hired only one female director, Natalie Portman herself.
Portman and her company have produced 11 films so far, most with white male directors.
This makes her complicit in the exclusion that she is trying to pay tribute to with a cape; as if names on a cape mean anything more than just names on a cape.
In my honest opinion, Natalie Portman is just trying to get props for meaningless actions under a principle that she does not follow. That makes her a hypocrite.
Nice try and nice cape, Natalie.
