New Feminist Studies in Audiovisual Industries| Ageing and the Creative Spirit of Women in the Audiovisual Market: The Case of Olive Kitteridge (2014)

Abstract

Audiovisual production continues to be a challenging profession for women, especially older women. This article uses the four-episode miniseries Olive Kitteridge (2014), directed by Lisa Cholodenko and based on the novel of the same name by Elizabeth Strout, to explore the strategies used by women to carve a niche for themselves in a market that is so limited for them. This exploration is followed by a content analysis of the series starring and produced by Frances McDormand, which tells the story of a middle-class teacher in her senior years. Through the application of a gender perspective, contributions from ageing studies or age studies, and an examination of the professional context in which the series was made, this study offers a critical reading both of the process of portraying older women in film and television productions and of their role in the industry; this series is particularly interesting for the dialogue it establishes between the actor/producer’s biography and the story of the character she portrays.