Her Head in Films

Released in 1970, Barbara Loden's "Wanda" is a monumental achievement of American independent cinema. It tells the story of a woman living on the margins of society, rejected by almost everyone, a failure in just about everything she does. Loden was inspired to make the film after reading about a woman who was sentenced to 20 years in prison and thanked the judge. "Wanda" was Loden's first and only film. For me, "Wanda" is personal. It is about the many lost, forgotten, erased, and silenced women in the world, including myself.

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Original artwork by Dhiyanah Hassan

Full show notes

• Biographical information about Barbara Loden was gleaned from Karina Longworth's excellent episode on Loden for her podcast, You Must Remember This
• Quotes from Marguerite Duras are taken from her interview with Elia Kazan for Cahiers du Cinema in 1980
• "Suite For Barbara Loden" by Nathalie Léger
• The essay I read at the end of the podcast was written by me for Burning House Press. Read the essay.