REFRAMING STREISAND is a Birds’ Eye View: Reclaim the Frame film tour celebrating Barbra Streisand’s contribution to cinema through her ever-popular musicals and exploring her status as a misunderstood superstar, powerhouse producer/director and cultural icon. Reclaim The Frame is a UK-wide, 10 city mission bringing ever-greater audiences to films by women through events, celebration and conversation.
At the beginning of her career Streisand was considered by casting directors to be ‘too Jewish looking.’ However, her charisma and singing voice saw Barbra land the lead in Funny Girl on Broadway and she was called to reprise her role for the musical film in 1968, her tour-de-force performance of song, dance, comedy and drama earned her an Oscar for Best Actress a Grammy.
Many said Barbra was born to play Fanny Brice in Funny Girl as she shared many similarities with the fictional star. In this bittersweet, classic musical drama, the vibrant and beautiful young Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) starts out as a bit player on the New York City vaudeville stage, but works her way up to stardom on Broadway. Valued for her vocal and comedic talents by the renowned theater impresario Florenz Ziegfeld (Walter Pidgeon), Fanny thrives, but her relationship with her suave, imprisoned businessman husband, Nick Arnstein (Omar Sharif), is another story.
Streisand’s career has been marked by fierce criticism yet, Streisand has always been determined to do what she loves and be in charge of it – Even as a newcomer she insisted on doing her own hair and make-up for Funny Girl.
In spirit of this join Birds’ Eye View for a special screening of Funny Girl. Get into character with a pre-film beehive and winged eyeliner workshop and stick around after the film for a Barbra themed drag act – and don’t be afraid to sing along. Manchester Streisand fans, you don’t want to miss this!
Reframing Streisand is part of BFI Musicals! The Greatest Show on Screen, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery, BFI Film Audience Network and ICO. bfimusicals.co.uk
Written by Isobel Lennart
Directed by William Wyler
Runtime: 155 minutes
