Melbourne’s Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) has unveiled its latest exhibition, Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion, which celebrates 120 years of female representation in screen history. The exhibition features never-before-seen costumes, original sketches, interactive experiences, and cinematic treasures from across the decades, paying tribute to groundbreaking female screen icons and gender-transcending superstars.
Curated by ACMI, the exhibition runs from April 5 to October 1 and is part of Melbourne’s Winter Masterpieces series, presented by Visit Victoria. Goddess premiered last night with a red-carpet event attended by lead ambassador Geena Davis, the two-time Academy Award-winning sensation who also delivered an exclusive keynote speech today at ACMI’s Being Seen on Screen: The Importance of Representation conference.
Beyond the conference, the exhibition offers several exciting event programs, including exclusive monthly ACMI Curator Tours, the immersive Goddess Nights event series starting May 25, and two fantastic film programs: Divine Trailblazers, a cinematic tribute to contemporary actors at the height of their creative powers, and Goddess Sundays, which showcases formidable on-screen personas. ACMI will also screen Nina Menkes’ documentary Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power, starting April 13, examining the pervasiveness of the male gaze in film.
Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion is part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series, which is expected to boost local businesses such as cafes, bars, hotels, and retail shops. The exhibition is proudly supported by Creative Victoria, presenting partner Visit Victoria, lead exhibition partner Porsche Cars Australia, major technology partner Panasonic, major research partner RMIT University, major academic partner Swinburne University of Technology, and supporting partners City of Melbourne, Pixon Technology, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, and the US Consulate General Melbourne.
Tickets for the exhibition and accompanying events program are available for purchase at acmi.net.au. Visitors can also purchase the Goddess publication from the ACMI Shop and online.