NSB Film School: Monstrous Women [at Skin and Bones]

**This course is in-person only. There is no virtual component. Participants must be age 21+

Full Tuition: $225 — Sliding-scale tuition options are available in the drop-down enrollment menu for you to self-select. To pay in installments, choose PayPal or Klarna at check out.

Instructor: Nicole Berland | 3-Weeks | Wednesdays | October 14-28 | 6:00-9:30 PM @ Skin & Bones

Gorgons, witches, sirens, and succubi—the monstrous women of folklore, fiction, and film have long haunted the cultural imagination. From Freud forward, scholars have argued that these figures serve as projections of patriarchal anxiety, embodying fears surrounding women’s sexuality, autonomy, and reproductive power. Yet this category, which Barbara Creed labeled “the monstrous feminine,” is never so stable. Women in horror may occupy a fraught position as both objects of fear and agents of violence. But, as recent scholarship has established, feminine monstrosity can also be a site of expression or liberation, especially, but not exclusively, in films made by women.

This three-week course will meet in person to view and discuss three monstrously feminine films. Destabilizing and contradictory, the monstrous woman resists easy interpretation. She may be punished, desired, or feared, but what does she reveal about the structures that produce her? What does she reveal about changing cultural anxieties surrounding gender, labor, identity, and the body itself?

Each screening will be preceded by a brief introduction and followed by a group discussion of approximately one hour. Optional readings from Barbara Creed, Carol Clover, Patricia Pisters, and others will be available prior to the first week of class.

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The Fine Print:

Gift certificates may only be redeemed at the full tuition tier.

SLIDING SCALE TUITION

Full tuition is the cost per-student of running the class. If you choose a tier below full tuition, you are receiving a discount. If you choose to make a donation in addition to full tuition, you are helping to cover the cost for students who are not able to pay the full amount.

The mid-level tier is a discounted rate for people whose household income is at or above living wage but who have limited discretionary income. 

The low-level tier and the full-scholarship tier are for people whose household income is below living wage or who need extra assistance to meet their needs.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Through our fundraising efforts, we are able to offer three full scholarships per class. The full-scholarship tier is a nonrefundable offering. Each student may only take one full-scholarship class at a time. Because our scholarship funding is limited, if a student selects multiple overlapping classes at the full-scholarship level, they will be disenrolled from all classes. 

All sliding-scale and scholarship needs are self-assessed, and we will never request or require proof of need.

Please see our FAQ for more information, including installment plans, refund policy, and sick and inclement weather policy.