“Lady Godiva was a freedom fighter, she didn’t care if the whole world looked” is how the song goes….Filmmaker Lina Esco rode into NYC to celebrate her first film FREE THE NIPPLE like Godiva herself to flanked by topless female activists in a ski masks who definitely didn’t care if the whole world looked. In fact, they INVITED them to. How else will laws get changed and attitudes adjusted about without witnesses? The fearless female crew were in the Big Apple to host an event to bring awareness to the film and start what they are calling “an evolution”. And New York came out in droves to toast the provocative campaign.
Guests viewed a short clip of the film which begs the question “What is more obscene violence or a nipple? “In a town where despite it being legal for women to go topless they still get harassed and arrested for dong what many males do every hot summer day- even when they are providing nourishment for their infants! In contrast, violence is routinely viewed in the media at an alarming rate among children who are censored from viewing a naked breast. The time to give equal rights for women, including the right to go topless in public has in the opinion of all involved in this film, finally come. The film has enjoyed public support from influential people such as Lena Dunham, Russell Simmons, Amanda de Cadenet , Lizzy Jagger, Suki Waterhouse, Adrien Grenier and Miley Cyrus who has it seems singlehandedly propelled the movement into main stream status via her very active twitter account.
The downtown crowd celebrated the females who directed, wrote and starred in this groundbreaking fiim about social equality, 21st century feminism and censorship . In attendance were Esco’s co-star Casey LaBow, Paul Haggis, Henry Lex Rubin, Adrian Grenier, Penn Badgley, Spencer Tunick, Maggie Grace, Julia Jones, Oliver Zahm, Natalie White, Michael Panes , Jamie Burke, Domine Kirke Shane Kidd and Lysa Cooper. Allison Rapson and Kassidy Brown of We Are The XX were also on hand as co-hosts of this invite only event in the imitate Rox Gallery on Delancey Street.
Still gathering funds via their kickstarter, the film promises to continue to fight for nipple freedom/female freedom/human freedom and their ride has just begun … and, yes, it’s ok to look.
PHOTO CREDIT: Billy Farrell/BFAnyc.com
