Travelling to film sets in France and the US, Elena Avdija’s revelatory documentary follows Virginie, Petra and Estelle, female stunt professionals who are at different stages of their career: fearless in their commitment to their craft, they brave countless battles both on and off screen. There’s a feel of the spaghetti western to how their names are introduced in big, splattery red letters while a guitar riff reverberates through the frame. They are, indeed, fierce riders in an industry still dominated by men.
The physical demands of stunt work, which includes everything from being pushed down a staircase to jumping off a building, are colossal. Still attending training courses, Estelle has to practise getting hit by a car or being held in chokehold. A veteran in the field, Petra has flexed her skills in classics such as Minority Report, but her past injuries have also taken an irreversible toll on her body, to the point where a full hip placement might be needed. For these reasons, the older Virginie now prefers to work as a stunt coordinator, itself a difficult transition as these positions are largely taken up by men.
Injuries aside, the constant exposure to physical danger also carries psychological impact. Having experienced abuse from an ex-partner, one aspiring stuntwoman reveals that she is now unable to engage with scenes involving domestic violence.
In addition to highlighting the lack of opportunities faced by stuntwomen, Avdija’s film also brilliantly speaks to larger issues concerning women’s representation in film and television. With few action roles written for female actors, their doubles can only perform as victims to be battered and stepped on, while their male counterparts have more opportunities to play active roles. As stuntwomen, they wanna have fun, if only the industry would allow it.
• Stuntwomen is on True Story from 8 March.
