Don’t Shoot Darling! Women’s Independent Filmmaking in Australia (1988) is a sharp and essential collection edited by Annette Blonski, Barbara Creed, and Freda Freiberg. It brings together essays, filmmaker statements, and feminist critique to spotlight the contributions of women working outside the mainstream of Australian cinema.
At a time when women behind the camera were rarely taken seriously, Don’t Shoot Darling! documents the rise of independent women filmmakers and the social, political, and artistic battles they faced. The book looks closely at key works like For Love or Money, My Life Without Steve, Serious Undertakings, and Behind Closed Doors, while also unpacking the systems—funding bodies, press coverage, training schemes—that shaped (and sometimes sidelined) their careers.
Part history, part manifesto, this 1988 release remains a foundational read for anyone interested in feminist film, cultural criticism, or Australia’s independent film scene.