Gabrielle Russel

Thesis

Thesis

Towards a feminist mythography: a practice based enquiry exploring female archetypes in native folklore and how these might play as source material in contemporary film narratives

Supervisors: Dr Edward Braman and Andrew Vickers

My investigation involves some of the earliest stories ever recorded in the British Isles. Female characters of great power - leaders, warriors, queens - who seem to have narrative roots in even earlier stories that were never written down, but passed down through the ages and learned by heart. Formidable females, with supernatural powers to shapeshift, make prophesy, who are immortal - traits that correspond with what is known about certain pagan goddesses. But these powerful women are often humiliated, denigrated and punished. I’m interested in why our stories have for so long represented powerful female characters negatively. Taking three of these characters, I’ve taken it upon myself to reimagine them with their powers restored, existing as real women in the present day. Perhaps the restoration might reinstate something of their awesomeness. Perhaps even illuminate some of that forgotten female potency that has been repressed so harshly for so long. I’m writing these stories to find out what happens when these archetypes are invited to inhabit characters living in the present day. I sometimes wonder what would happen if these archetypes somehow got inside women in real life...

Biography

Biography

As a child growing up in Yorkshire, I spent a lot of time in nature and my imagination, I loved reading fairy-tales and writing long-forgotten stories and drawing. As a teenager, I went to art school and studied Fine Art, film theory and feminism at the University of Leeds. I began to make short films about women and after several years of independent filmmaking I was accepted to study an MA in Fiction Directing at the National Film and Television School UK. Afterwards, I made a short drama for Channel 4's Coming UP series and wrote and directed more independent short films. I began teaching filmmaking at Norwich University of the Arts and currently at the Northern Film School Leeds. Recently I've been making two films based on female archetypes in native folklore "Deer Woman Child" (2022) and "The Reckoning of Erin Morrigan" currently in post-production. These films were supported by awards from York/WRoCAH and Leeds Beckett University.

Research

Research interests

As a writer and director I’ve often found myself exploring female characters in my filmmaking. These days I take inspiration from female archetypes in native folklore. I'm interested in finding new ways to represent women in film that empower and inspire future generations to challenge and breakdown oppression.

External research activity

My films have screened at festivals and where possible I have given a talk/Q&A.

• The Red Wardrobe - Ten festivals worldwide 1998 - 2000 Broadcast on Channel 4
• Highrise - Thirty Festivals worldwide + Award Silver Hugo at Chicago Film Festival 2002
• Wide Sky - British Short Film Festival NAHEMI award for best cinematography 2004
• Scapegoat - Coming Up - Channel 4 broadcast November 2007
• Like Father - Broadcast Virgin Airlines 2008
• Falling - London Short Film Festival 2013
• Deer Woman Child - Liverpool Film Festival 6 November 2022
• Deer Woman Child - Worldwide Women's Film Festival in Arizona in February 2023