Searching for Debra Winger
| Searching for Debra Winger | |
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| Directed by | Rosanna Arquette |
| Cinematography | Jean-Marc Barr |
| Edited by | Gail Yasunaga |
| Distributed by | Lions Gate Entertainment |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Searching for Debra Winger is a 2002 American documentary film conceived and directed by Rosanna Arquette. It presents a series of interviews with leading actresses who discuss the various pressures they face as women working in the film industry while trying to juggle their professional commitments with their personal responsibilities to their families and themselves.
Arquette's inspiration for the project was twofold. The first film she ever saw was The Red Shoes, the story of a woman unable to choose between her dedication to her art and the prospect of lifelong love. The character's emotional struggle left an indelible impact on Arquette. She also was dismayed by Debra Winger's self-imposed retirement from the Hollywood scene. Curious as to how many other female performers felt pressured to abandon their careers and for what reasons they might opt to do so, Arquette engaged in a lively discussion with many of her peers, either one-on-one or in small groups, and their edited comments resulted in this film.
Winger herself explains her decision to quit acting was not so much a matter of running away from something as it was embracing a personal life she felt she had been missing. She says she's open to the possibility of returning to the screen for the right roles, and since the documentary's release she has worked in a few films, notably Rachel Getting Married which earned her critical acclaim.
Roger Ebert is the sole male to be interviewed by Arquette. He expresses his belief that studio executives greenlight projects based on the tastes of adolescent boys and young men, who tend to favor light comedies, laced with bathroom humor, and action films. Neither of these genres offers substantial roles for women, especially older women.
Arquette's other subjects include her sister Patricia Arquette, Emmanuelle Béart, Katrin Cartlidge, Laura Dern, Jane Fonda, Teri Garr, Whoopi Goldberg, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, Salma Hayek, Holly Hunter, Diane Lane, Kelly Lynch, Julianna Margulies, Chiara Mastroianni, Samantha Mathis, Frances McDormand, Catherine O'Hara, Julia Ormond, Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Plimpton, Charlotte Rampling, Vanessa Redgrave, Theresa Russell, Meg Ryan, Ally Sheedy, Adrienne Shelly, Sharon Stone, Tracey Ullman, JoBeth Williams, Alfre Woodard, and Robin Wright Penn.
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