‘Her Cities’ Movie Night and Collaborative Workshop

The launch of the Gender-Inclusive City Design Project took place at the Star and Shadow Cinema in Newcastle on 29th April. Earlier in the afternoon, the research team, together with cinema volunteers, set up the screening room and displayed movie posters. Five additional posters in the hallway highlighted potential gendered issues in Newcastle’s city design, including accessibility, reliability, convenience, comfort, safety, social life, and experiences of violence and harassment.

Over 40 participants attended the event. Each received a consent form and a short survey upon check-in. Before the screening, Jennifer introduced the event’s aim: to gather knowledge and opinions from local citizens on gender-related challenges in urban life, as reflected in the cinematic experiences of women. The program featured clips from Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Run Lola Run (1998), Frances Ha (2012), Wadjda (2012), and Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (2019), each approximately 20 minutes long. During intervals, Dr. Jiayi Jin provided brief introductions to each film’s themes.

After the screening, Dr. Nadia Bertolino guided participants through a survey exploring which films resonated most, the feelings they evoked, and whether participants had experienced similar situations in their own cities. A total of 34 completed surveys were collected. Wadjda was the most frequently selected clip, eliciting emotions such as empathy, sadness, and empowerment. Interestingly, most female participants were triggered by Kim Ji-young: Born 1982, while only one male participant responded to this film. Participants also provided insightful comments on the other clips.

The workshop received positive feedback from attendees. The knowledge and perspectives gathered on gendered urban experiences will inform further research and contribute to developing a practical framework that integrates local needs into the design and planning of an inclusive city.