Strong Female Character
Hanna Flint
The leading film critic of her generation offers an eloquent, insightful and humorous reflection on the screen’s representation of women and ethnic minorities, revealing how cinema has been the key to understanding herself, her body image and her ambitions as well as the world we live in.
A staunch feminist of mixed-race heritage, Hanna has succeeded in an industry not designed for people like her. She interweaves anecdotes from familial and personal experiences – from episodes of messy sex and introspection to the time when actor Vincent D’Onofrio tweeted that Hanna Flint sounded ‘like a secret agent’ – to offer a critical eye on the screen’s representation of women and ethnic minorities. Divided into sections ‘Origin Story’, ‘Coming of Age’, ‘Adult Material’, ‘Workplace Drama’ and ‘Strong Female Character’, the book ponders how the creative industries could better reflect our multicultural society.
Warm, funny and engaging and full of film-infused lessons, Strong Female Character will appeal to readers of all backgrounds and seeks to help us better see ourselves in our own eyes rather than letting others decide who and what we can be.
Media Reviews
At a time when fluff and gossip reign supreme, Hanna Flint’s work is consistently insightful, informative and engaging all at once. I always finish reading it feeling just a tad bit smarter.’ Candice Frederick, Huffington Post
‘Unlike any film book I’ve read before, Strong Female Character is part-polemic, part-historical and social study of film, and part memoir. Hanna Flint deftly weaves these strands to tell a funny, angry and compelling story for right now: of how the cinematic world built this millennium girl’s life. Covering absent fathers, MeToo, first loves, eating disorders and masturbation, there’s little Hanna doesn’t tackle head on with her signature honesty and humour. The huge authority with which she writes about film is only matched by the emotional power in describing her own experiences. Truly original. A must for any film fan who has wondered how their own life intersects with the art that they love. – Terri White
A really gorgeous and thorough examination on films that have helped shape me into the woman I am today. Hanna’s writing is sharp and wholesome and shows not only a forensic knowledge on movies but a deep love and respect for film. This book is a real celebration and ode to women who hold up the art of cinema. – Mollie Goodfellow
A really gorgeous and thorough examination on films that have helped shape me into the woman I am today. Hanna’s writing is sharp and wholesome and shows not only a forensic knowledge on movies but a deep love and respect for film. This book is a real celebration and ode to women who hold up the art of cinema. – Megha Mohan, co-founder of The Second Source
A glorious coming-of-age memoir, Hanna Flint’s Strong Female Character is a tour through the pop culture that made her, from formative crushes on Edward in Twilight to making sense of sexual assault with some help from Gone With the Wind and Blade Runner. At turns witty and moving, it’s a breeze to read and left me with a stacked new list of films to enjoy. – Toby Moses, Guardian
Packed with enough film references to make any nerd heart sing but this book is so much more: this is bare-your-soul writing that tells us how important cinema is in not only how we understand the world but how we move through it – Kate Herron, director of Loki
Strong Female Character is a journey both through the writer’s life and the movies that made her. Bitter-sweet, funny and sharp, it’s for everyone that Disney never made a princess for – David Quantick
Hanna is a terrific writer, with an eye for a telling detail and a strong, unique, passionate voice. She’s put together some of the most revealing profiles to have run in Empire in recent years, vibrantly bringing her subjects’ stories to life. And her reviews, too, are highly insightful, while always keeping a light touch. A real force in film writing. – Nick De Semlyen, Editor, Empire
A brilliantly clever, sharp, witty writer who has the ultimate respect and love for story. – Rachel De-Lahay, BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and playwright
Hanna represents that rare thing in film criticism today – a funny and fearless soul, dedicated to the promise of cinema as a space where everyone’s voice can be heard. – Clarisse Loughrey, Chief Film Critic, The Independent
