Blood in the Frame – a project about watching rape revenge films

Application summary

I am a visual artist with a multidisciplinary practice that spans moving image, writing, installation and organising. During the grant period I am finishing a long-term video project on ‘Rape Revenge’ cinema which will culminate in a solo exhibition at Titanik Gallery in January 2027. Rape Revenge films are a sub-genre of horror cinema that rose to prominence in the 1970s. Traditionally directed by men, the narrative arc shows a woman being abused who then exacts revenge on the perpetrators. Outside of pornography they are still perhaps the most extreme example of onscreen representations of sexual violence. Yet through a feminist lens, they could be viewed as ‘empowering’ works with strong on-screen heroines: vigilantes who take matters into their own hands to claw back their bodily autonomy. I have been watching the genre since my teenage years and have followed the critical reappraisal these films are beginning to undergo – one that I feel I can contribute to from the various perspectives of artist, survivor and fan. ‘Blood in the Frame’ seeks to explore the contradictions inherent in the material through a personal lens. I have been thinking about this project since 2019. I previously received funding to research and write it, and now that the development phase is over, I want to bring it into production. This grant will cover costs for my working team: a fee for the animator and sound designer (who will play a huge part in fleshing out the world of the project) and a smaller translator fee to work the subtitles into Finnish for a domestic audience. This project has existed alongside my work and life for a long time, being able to complete it would be a personal triumph, and allow me to move on from a project and an experience that defined so many years of my life.