Fatal Reaction New York
A personal investigation by film-maker Marijke Jongbloed to find out why career-woman are stranded in their search for a compatible partner. ‘Fatal Reaction – New York’ is a provocative documentary, set in Manhattan, featuring Laura Slutsky, an accomplished career woman whose path to succes knows no obstacles exept in her quest to find a compatible man. The film reveals the dillema’s faced by today’s independent woman. Key scenes feature a bewildering Bachelor Auction, searingly honest psychiatric sessions, a hot date and a sold-out seminar on ‘How to steal a man”.
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
Is it true? If you’re a woman, thirty-five or older, single, and living in New York, you have a greater chance of being killed by a terrorist than of finding a marriage partner. ‘Fatal reaction – New York’ is a vivid and honest portrayal of one woman’s struggle to find love.
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
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.
Festival screenings & awards
This popular documentary series has been aired frequently by numerous broadcasters worldwide. In addition, each part has had a successful international cinema release with prominent screenings at many leading film festivals.
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