Mutual Muses in American Independent Film: Catherine Keener and Nicole Holofcener, Michelle Williams and Kelly Reichardt

This chapter explores mutual inspiration and collaboration between female directors and actresses, singling out Nicole Holofcener and Catherine Keener and Kelly Reichardt and Michelle Williams. Holmlund applies the feminist ethics of Luce Irigaray’s later work to propose that the films of Holofcener/Keener and Reichardt/Williams concern relationships that acknowledge difference. Leaving an interval between partners that eliminates the objectification of the other rather than assuming positions of dominance and submission, their films, and their working partnerships as well, value an Irigarayan ‘difference for’ others, if in different ways, with Holofcener/Keener performing the subtle minutia of everyday encounters and Reichardt/Williams exploring relationships across class, race, species and the biosphere.