Women’s Happy Time Commune (dir. Sheila Page)
Director: Sheila Paige
(42 minutes) 16mm, color, sound
Grant awarded to: Sheila Paige
Archive: Anthology Film Archives, New York City
Women’s Happy Time Commune was billed as an improvised comedy/western. The Old West becomes the stomping ground for a motley crew of young and middle-aged women who are considering banding together to form a commune. During the course of the film, women discuss a number of subjects, their fantasies, and the idea of a future “happy time” without men. The film offers a lively immersion into the feminist ferment of the early 1970’s.
Sheila Paige, Director, In partnership with Ariel Dougherty, she was co-founder of Women Make Movies, Inc., and co-director from 1972-1975. In addition to Women’s Happy Time Commune, she has produced and directed films and videos and also interactive online theater productions for the Upstage Festivals 2008 and 2009. As a script supervisor, she has worked in the film industry on many major motion pictures, including the notable features King of Comedy and Good Fellas, and on TV movies and series such as Orange is the New Black and Gossip Girl. Currently, she is pursuing a new video project and writing and illustrating children’s books.
