BREAKING THE LENS

An Exploration by the Women in Horror Collaborative

Women in Horror is a collaborative team of intersectional emerging artists from the Fountain School of Performing Arts. Since 2020 we have been creating a design-driven production called Breaking the Lens, which visually explores the realities of female characters in the horror movie genre and broader film industry. Breaking the Lens challenges audiences to re-examine traditional caricatures and the patriarchal treatment of women, embracing the intersectional realities of female horror characters. This production satirizes and reflects on the films Jaws (1975), The Fly (1958), Rear Window (1954), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Through design, we hope to educate audiences on intersectional perspectives, and on how the film industry and horror genre can change to better support women. Through visual storytelling, we hope to spread a message of unity, empowerment, and support for women in the film and theatre industries.

This project was built in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship,” which Mi’kmaq Wəlastəkwiyik (Maliseet) and Passamaquoddy Peoples signed with the British Crown in 1726. The treaties did not deal with the surrender of lands and resources but recognized Mi’kmaq and Wəlastəkwiyik (Maliseet) title and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations. We are grateful for the land on which we live, work and play.