SB11_page

english version SIGNÉ BARRIÈRE N°11
For this new trilogy, things are
considerably different. And women
very clearly hold positions of power
in the Star Wars universe. The most
symbolic female figure, however,
plays her part behind the scenes.
Kathleen Kennedy was handpicked
by George Lucas in 2012 to take
over from him at the helm of
Lucasfilm (an empire run outside of
Hollywood that created Star Wars
and Indiana Jones, and whose ILM
studio provides special effects for
US blockbusters). Little-known
to the general public, Kennedy
is nonetheless one of the most
sought-after women in Hollywood.
She made her career with Steven
Spielberg, producing all of his films
since E.T., and worked alongside
the Spielberg/Lucas duo to craft
the five films in the Indiana Jones
saga. She sits on the board of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences, has presided over the
highly influential Producers Guild of
America, and is credited as producer
in her own right – alongside her
husband Frank Marshall – of The
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
Although low-key, Kennedy openly
fought for more diversity in the
saga. And she got it, with female
protagonists now at the heart of the
action.
Although at the time of writing we
don't yet know the details of the
script, we do have some clues to how
The Force Awakens will look. Finn
could after all be the son of Lando
Calrissian from the first trilogy.
Rey the rebel heads the billing on
the film poster, although her true
identity as yet remains elusive.
Finally, and significantly, Gwendoline
Christie (known for her roles in
Hunger Games and especially the
Game of Thrones series) stars as
Stormtrooper Captain Phasma,
a character not afraid to show
the femininity beneath her metal
armour. Kathleen Kennedy has yet
to make the leap of naming a female
director for a future Star Wars
episode. Directors have already
been named for episodes 8 and 9,
which are already in production. But
the saga doesn't look set to wind up
any time soon... Meanwhile, watch
this space.
THE PUFFA
GENERATION
IT'S TAKING OVER...
A wearable duvet that checks
the chic box. Downy soft, but
overbearing. The puffa jacket is a
hot topic of debate. Will it stand the
test of time?
The name's Jacket. Puffa Jacket.
Even James Bond (the actor Daniel
Craig in "Spectre", the latest opus
to date of the 00 series, model 7)
dabbles in elegantly sporting the
bulging softness of this shapeless
item (with or without sleeves),
cutting all of the marketing for the
ugliest jeans on the planet down
to size with a dash of effortless
British style. Anyway, a quick spin
in the Aston Martin (a 1965 model,
still acceptable), a collusive wink
in the rear-view mirror, and all this
should disappear in a puff of smoke.
Shouldn't it?
No. Because the planet, north and
south, has morphed into Puffa
Land. The warm downy softness
is supposed to keep out the chill
in these tough times, buffering
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