Fatal Reaction Moscow
‘Fatal Reaction Moscow’ is the final episode of a four-part personal investigating documentary series by director Marijke Jongbloed about carreer women and their longing for a suitable mate. Women from Moscow talk about the prevailing stereotypes and about the harrowing shortage of men as a result of wars and alcoholism. The film contains several provocative scenes of avantgarde strip clubs for women only.
About the series
‘Fatal Reaction’ is a four-part documentary series about highly educated career women and their problems finding a husband who is their equal. Director Jongbloed’s series explores the choices of professional women in relation to marriage and family in New York, Moscow, Bombay & Singapore. Central dramatic question: Why are so many career women unable to find a compatible partner?
Social interest
‘Fatal Reaction Moscow’ focuses on 40-yearold Larisa, exploring the complex and affectionate relationships with her mother, teenage daughter, current boyfriend, and ex-husband. As she knows, todays Moscow includes thriving matchmaking businesses whose views suggest women should coddle their husbands and most men are more interested in beauty than brains. FATAL REACTION: MOSCOW portrays the changing gender roles in the new Russia with wit humor and sympathy.
Historic Interest
In the last century, the modern woman struggling to break out of the confinements of her traditional fate had a lonely path to clear. Starting with western feminism in the 60’s and 70s women began to demand social positions equal to man. Yet, paternal society reacted reluctantly at first, fuelling often near militant political discussions throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. Despite the fact that in the 90s women’s rights were no longer a true political issue in the west, carreer women still had a hard time finding a suitable mate because on a personal level their financial dominance wasn’t generally accepted.
Director’s statement
In 1994 I began to notice that the majority of successful career women I knew were single. I looked questioningly around me: was it just in my own town Amsterdam, or was this a worldwide phenomenon? My quest was at first not an easy one: for most high profile women in my own country, the issue of remaining single, was the one aspect of their lives they didnt want to talk about. In New York the women were more open to talk and after my first episode (Fatal Reaction-New York) was released, the discussion caught fire. Newspaper, glosses and talk shows brought the topic out into the open. The more I researched and branched out into the world, the more I realized that this topic is one of the most burning issues of the modern era. Screenings at other film festivals from New York to Sydney have all turned into memorably heated and powerful discussions. My choice to include Bombay into the series was confirmed by the following quote from the controversial Indian writer Shobha De: For most Indian women marriage is a life-long lie. They are in it because their options (if any) are limited. Its marriage or wasteland
Festival screenings & awards
This popular documentary series has been aired frequently by numerous broadcasters worldwide. In addition, each part has had a succesful international cinema release with prominent screening at many leading film festivals, all turning into heated discussions.
Credits
- Director: Marijke Jongbloed
- Producer: Marijke Jongbloed, Martin Lagestee, Lagestee Film BV
- Scenario: Marijke Jongbloed
- Camera: Peter Brugman
- Editor: Denise Janzée
- Sound: Gertjan Miedema
- Music: Harry de Wit