Let's Play Prisoners

Let's Play Prisoners

Julie Zando
1988, 22 min, b&w, sound

Description

A provocative examination of the relationship between power and love, Let's Play Prisoners explores how power is exchanged between females — how the dynamic of mother and child is transferred onto friends and lovers. Zando presents two reconstructions of a short story in which a young girl is manipulative and cruel towards her girlfriend. In one, the author of the story and the videomaker assume the roles of the young girls. While the author rereads the story of victimization, the director controls the scene. In the other, a young girl retells the story, this time with prompting from her mother. The girl's search for love and approval is transferred from her friend to her mother. The short story operates as a model for power relations between mother and daughter, and lovers; Zando's compelling reconstructions make explicit the dynamic of domination and control, submission and dependency.