Jan Lisa Huttner

Jan Lisa Huttner

Huttner in 'Jane Addams' costume, September 2010
Born December 10, 1951
Newark, New Jersey, USA
Occupation Film Critic/Feminist Activist
Parent(s)

Edwin Huttner

Helen Hecht Huttner
Awards AAUW-Illinois 2012 Agent of Change

Jan Lisa Huttner (born December 10, 1951) is an award-winning American film critic, journalist and activist. Huttner has authored numerous columns for both independent and prominent publications that include: The Huffington Post, JUF News, World Jewish Digest, Reel Chicago, and WomenArts.[1] In addition to both the Empire State Virtual and Chicago Branches of the American Association of University Women, Huttner belongs to the National Federation of Press Women, New York Film Critics Online, and the Women Film Critics Circle.

An outspoken advocate for women artists, particularly in cinema, Huttner conducts interviews with prominent female screenwriters and directors with the goal to heighten the exposure of female filmmakers. She is also known for her role in the inception of the WITASWAN (Women In The Audience Supporting Women Artists Now) initiative, a grassroots movement designed to bring attention to women artists all over the world. Additionally Huttner was also one of the main proponents of Jane Addams Day, which was officially adopted by the State of Illinois on December 10, 2007.

Huttner also serves as managing editor of Films42.com, a website that she and her husband, Richard Miller, created in 2000. Her blog, “The Hot Pink Pen” (AKA: Penny) is devoted entirely to reviewing films by women filmmakers, and Huttner’s book, “Penny’s Picks: 50 Movies by Women Filmmakers 2002-2011”, is considered a “must read” by serious movie buffs – regardless of gender.

Early life and career

Jan Lisa Huttner was born on December 10, 1951 at the Beth Israel Hospital in Newark, NJ to parents Eddie Huttner and Helene [Hecht] Huttner. The family moved to Livingston, NJ, in 1960, where Huttner had her Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth Shalom in 1964, and graduated from Livingston High School in 1969.[2]

Eddie Huttner's lifelong involvement with the Painters District Council 10 led to Huttner's first job as a pension/welfare clerk throughout her high school and early college years, which helped to shape her passionate political views.

After receiving her B.A. from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland (aka the "Great Books School") in 1973, Huttner subsequently earned two master's degrees in Psychology: one from Harvard University and another from the University of Chicago.[3]

While working on her Ph.D. at University of Chicago (where she was a member of the Committee on the Conceptual Foundations of Science), Huttner took a part-time job at the University of Chicago Medical Center where she was eventually asked to serve as Coordinator of Training for one of UCMC's first large computer conversions. For nearly 20 years after this, Huttner traveled the U.S.A. working as a healthcare computer system consultant (first at Coopers & Lybrand, then KPMG Peat Marwick, then Superior Consultant Company) before turning the page to her new careers as a film critic/feminist activist in 2002.

Film criticism

Huttner has said her topics of study in her education would shape her interest in and approach to cinema.

“How does a self develop? How do we grow? How do we learn? Those are the things I look for in movies – things that I find personally and intellectually satisfying”.[4]

Huttner most extensively looks at films from a feminist point of view, often breaking films down into a political perspective. In 2000, Huttner, along with husband Richard Miller, established Films For Two: The Online Guide For Busy Couples, a website themed on directing couples to good movies in a busy world, so they can avoid wasting time and money on bad films.[5] The site features “movie haikus” – short summaries of Huttner and Miller’s opinions on each film, accompanied by each of their ratings. The site also features contributions from both professional guest critics and FF2 student interns.

WITASWAN and International SWAN Day

Huttner also played a key role in the creation of the grassroots Internet movement known as WITASWAN ("wit-uh-swan") = Women In The Audience Supporting Women Artists Now. It all started when a June 2002 piece in the New York Times[6] caught Huttner’s attention. The article, authored by Dana Kennedy, focused on the “The Celluloid Ceiling” – a term coined to describe the disproportionately smaller percentage of women in the film industry compared to men. In her article Kennedy implied that women were fewer in numbers in the film industry due to sidetracking themselves with things like motherhood and domestic life.[6] The piece both outraged and inspired Huttner, who began by writing a letter to the New York Times.[7][8] Huttner then collaborated with other AAUW-IL members to create an initiative to push more female filmmakers to the forefront, by energizing female moviegoers and alerting them to the presence of many female filmmakers throughout the world. After presenting a workshop at the 2003 AAUW-IL convention, Huttner gained the support of other AAUW-IL members; thus, WITASWAN was born. The initiative also spawned a holiday organized by WomenArts, International SWAN Day (Support Women Artists Now), which has been annually celebrated worldwide since March 30, 2008.[9]

Role in Jane Addams Day

Huttner has cited the Nobel Prize-winning activist Jane Addams as one of her key influences. When five 8th grade students from Dongola, IL sought to give Jane Addams an official holiday in 2005, AAUW-Carbondale president Leila Marvin encouraged them to lobby for the holiday to be officially recognized by the state.[10] Huttner and other AAUW-IL Members quickly threw their support behind the students. Huttner’s admiration for Addams and avid support for the holiday came easily because, among many other achievements, Addams was one of the founding members of two organizations Huttner formerly belonged to: AAUW-Chicago Branch and IWPA (the Illinois Woman's Press Association).

In May 2006, then-governor Rod Blagojevich signed legislation officially declaring December 10 “Jane Addams Day”,[10] making her one of the first women to have a commemorative day in the entire United States.[10] Subsequently, since 2007, Huttner herself “becomes” Jane Addams on December 10, donning early 20th century attire to deliver (in Addams’ dialect) AAUW & IWPA-sponsored presentations to a new audiences each year.[11]

Huttner also successfully campaigned for the Louise Bourgeois’ commemorative Addams sculpture series “Helping Hands” to be removed from storage. Badly damaged since their original 1993 unveiling, the Helping Hands were re-created and are now on display near the Clarke House Museum. On September 2011, Huttner appeared in her Addams persona in honor of the newly relocated statue.[11]

Slumdog Millionaire campaign

In late 2008, Huttner made international headlines when she launched an online campaign questioning the Golden Globe Nominations for the sleeper hit Slumdog Millionaire. Though widely recognized as a Danny Boyle film, Indian casting director Loveleen Tandan had been asked by Boyle to step up from her casting director duties, ultimately ensuring authenticity of the film’s India-set sequences. For her efforts she received the highly unique credit of “Co-Director: India”. However the film’s Best Director Golden Globe nomination (and all subsequent nominations including DGA and Academy-Award nominations) solely recognized Boyle, which Huttner felt was unfair. In a Wall Street Journal article, Huttner elaborated:

"If she's co-director during the filmmaking and marketing process, why isn't she co-nominee when the awards are passed out?".[12]

Tandan herself responded by distancing herself from the campaign and claimed she had no interest in sharing the nomination with Danny Boyle. However, Huttner would subsequently state that while she respected Tandan's opinion, the campaign was important in itself because it exposed the rarity of female directors being recognized for their contributions by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[12] The very next year, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman in history to receive a Best Director Oscar when she won for The Hurt Locker.

Penny’s Picks

In late 2011, Huttner published her first book. “Penny’s Picks: 50 Films by Women Filmmakers 2002-2011”, a compilation of 50 of Huttner’s reviews from various publications. The book focuses on her top-rated films that involve female screenwriters and directors. The book’s chapters are arranged in according to rating, with the highest rated films coming first. The book also contains a foreword by Martha Richards (co-creator of International SWAN Day) providing an overview of WITASWAN and International SWAN Day, plus Huttner's timeline called "10 Years in the Pond.".[13]

Tevye's Daughters

In September 2014, Huttner published her first eBook Tevye's Daughters: No Laughing Matter[14] to honor the 50th anniversary of Fiddler on the Roofs' Broadway debut. Huttner’s eBook examines the “synergies” that account for Fiddler on the Roofs' extraordinary longevity, from its phenomenal—and unexpected—success in 1964 to its continued resonance today.

Huttner uses her lively but serious writing style to discuss how the creators of Fiddler on the Roof were participants in a Great Conversation about women’s rights conducted over a span of two thousand years from the original compilation of the Hebrew Bible right up to the present day.

The books chapters are arranged in order of famous fictional daughters: Sholem Aleichem’s daughters (“Yiddish Tevye”), Joseph Stein’s daughters (“Broadway Tevye”), Mr. Bennet’s daughters (Pride & Prejudice), Zelophehad’s daughters (Biblical Book of Numbers), Solomon Rabinowitz’s daughters (The family who once lived in Kiev), and the Earl of Grantham’s daughters (The family who lives at Downton Abbey).[15]

Huttner concludes with the complexities of Jewish “tradition” and how the creators of Fiddler on the Roof—all of whom were Jewish—dramatized traditions having grown up in a syncretic American world. From the history of Marc Chagall to the portrayal of Solomon Rabinowitz and Yente-the-Matchmaker, Huttner reflects on tradition; what it means to viewers and what it means to Tevye and his daughters.

Affiliations and awards

Huttner has remarked that her father's union activism has certainly rubbed off on her, as she has had numerous affiliations throughout her career.

In addition to the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Huttner became a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, AWJ (Association of Women Journalists-Chicago), IWA (International Women Associates of Chicago) & IWPA (Illinois Woman's Press Association) and Women in Film Chicago after her move into film criticism. Huttner subsequently joined New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO),[16] New York Women in Film & Television (NYWOFT) and switched to the Empire State Virtual Branch of AAUW upon her 2012 move to Brooklyn, New York.

Additionally Huttner has belonged to JAWS (Journalism & Women Symposium), NFPW (National Federation of Press Women) & WFCC (Women Film Critics Circle) throughout her entire career.

Huttner s first award came from the LHS Home & School Association when she received the Social Studies Departmental Award at her Livingston High School graduation in 1969. In 1973, she received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship when she graduated from St. John's College. (She used it for a year of travel in Israel and Iran to study "the concept of Cultural Deprivation.) At the University of Chicago, she received a John D. Searle Foundation research grant in 1980. And at Superior Consultant Company, she won a "Hit the Ground Running" plaque for outstanding achievement in 1998.

In her role as an activist, Huttner was named one of "One Hundred Women Making a Difference in the 90s" by Today's Chicago Woman. She has received Silver Feather Awards (aka Writer of the Year) on three separate occasions from the Illinois Woman's Press Association, in 2005, 2006 and 2010.[17] In 2005, she also received a first place certificate for "Best News Writing for the Web" from the National Federation of Press Women (IWPA's parent organization).

In April 2012, to mark both the 5th Anniversary of International SWAN Day and the 5th anniversary of Jane Addams Day, Huttner received the Agent Of Change Award from AAUW-Illinois.[18] In October 2012, Huttner was honored with a day of programming by the Chicago Festival of Israeli Cinema commending her commitment to Israeli women filmmakers.

Personal life

For nearly 35 years, Huttner and husband Richard Miller resided in Chicago where they were active members of Congregation KAM Isaiah Israel in Hyde Park. Late in 2012, the couple (with their cat Pita) relocated to Brooklyn, NY, where Richard is now employed by SUNY Downstate Medical Center.[19] They now belong to Temple Beth Emeth in Flatbush.

References

  1. ↑ Gold, Marion. "Penny's Picks Press Release" (PDF). Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ Huttner, Jan. "LHS Class of 69". Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Jan Lisa Huttner". Shesource.org. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ Gold, Marion. "Jan Lisa Huttner A bio of an award–winning film critic, author and feminist activist whose goal is to mobilize audience support for creative women in all media" (PDF). films42.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  5. ↑ Huttner, Jan. "Website FILMS FOR TWO Targets "Busy Couples": Couple Learns that Men and Women Really Do Watch Movies Differently". films42.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Kennedy, Dana. "FILM A Frustrating Sisterhood". The New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  7. ↑ Isaacs, Deanna. "Chicks For Flicks/You Talk, We'll Pick". The Chicago Reader. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  8. ↑ Huttner, Jan. "What's WITASWAN". The Hot Pink Pen. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  9. ↑ Huttner, Jan. "SWAN". Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 Huttner, Jan. "AAUW-Illinois Applauds New State Day Honoring Jane Addams". Retrieved February 10, 2013.
  11. 1 2 McGrath, Bonnie. "Meet Jane Addams". Chicago Journal. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  12. 1 2 Jurgensen, John. "The Co-Pilot Of Slumdog Millionaire". The New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Amazon.com". Amazon.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  14. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Tevyes-Daughters-No-Laughing-Matter-ebook/dp/B00NQDQCTG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8 Tevye's Daughters: No Laughing Matter
  15. ↑ "Amazon.com". Amazon.com. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  16. ↑ 'harveycritic', moderator (November 23, 2008). "MEMBERS OF NEW YORK FILM CRITICS ONLINE". nyfco.proboards.com. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Feminist Film Critic Wins Top State Honor Plus National Recognition" (Press release). PRWeb. July 9, 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  18. ↑ Marden, Jeffrey. "Jan Lisa Huttner Named 2012 Agent Of Change by AAUW-Illinois" (pdf). Films42.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Amazon.com: Jan Lisa Huttner". Retrieved February 11, 2013.

External links


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