Time to get off your couch, grab your popcorn at Film.ca cinemas, and settle in your seats for the Canadian premiere of Misbehaviour. This timely British feel-good comedy/drama was inspired by Miss World 1970 Jennifer Hosten’s recently published book, Miss World 1970: How I Entered a Pageant and Wound Up Making History.
Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe (The Crown, Three Girls) Misbehaviour is based on a true story, from a screenplay by Gaby Chiappe and Rebecca Frayn. The film stars Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Manville, Rhys Ifans and Greg Kinnear.
The film is based on the true story of a group of women who disrupted the 1970 Miss World competition in London, England, hosted by comedian Bob Hope. With over 100 million viewers, Miss World was the most-watched TV show in the world at that time. Arguing that beauty competitions objectify women, the newly formed women’s liberation movement achieved overnight fame by invading the stage and disrupting the live broadcast of the competition.
When the show resumed, the result caused an uproar: the winner was not the Swedish favourite but Miss Grenada, the first black woman to be crowned Miss World. The film highlights important themes so relevant today: a global audience confronting the patriarchal ideals of the pageant, the subversion of the Western ideal of beauty, and also issues of Racism faced by contestants. Misbehaviour is a film for our times with a message of liberation for women everywhere!
The evening includes a question and answer session with Jennifer Hosten (Miss World 1970), as well as Director Philippa Lowthorpe and other cast TBC. The premier takes place on Wednesday, September 23rd at Film.ca Cinemas. Due to COVID-19, the screening will use two theatres with staggered starting times of 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM. There are only 100 seats available.
Jennifer Hosten will also be present to sign her book before and after the screenings. Tickets are $25 each and include a $10 donation to Because I am a Girl Canada.