Crones: A Celebration

This film addresses ageism towards women, and combats the notion that older women are invisible. Many older women today are more independent than before and have begun to question the dogmas related to ageing.
Crones adds to this current conversation by putting the spotlight on everyday women in their 60s and 70s, giving us an insight into their lives. These ladies embody the ethos of the empowered older women, representing impact, power and strength. Our film highlights what happens when we let go of internalised ageism, and have the courage to move towards our dreams. Crones embodies the joy, vitality and passion older women have and how their presence and wisdom can light up the world around them. It is life-affirming, wholesome and wrapped in joy.

Our impact vision is to give visibility to older women in this youth obsessed society and spark intergenerational conversations about age. It is also to elevate women who might have succumbed to internalised ageism, and inspire them to pursue self-fulfilment. The women in the film serve as role models, through their active commitment to physical and mental health, having a positive attitude, pushing boundaries and making the effort to connect with a like-minded community. We also hope to spark a change in the perception of words and labels surrounding women, such as Crone and Hag. These words originally symbolised wisdom, knowledge and power. However, they have now become derogatory words used to dismiss older women. We want to reclaim these words and have them used in a positive tone, affirming the knowledge that older women carry.

We hope to spark new conversations related to age in the work place, in the performance industries and communities. We hope people will self-reflect whether they themselves are ageist. Perhaps it could lead to different casting choices and employment opportunities for older women.
Plus, we anticipate that the film will spark intercultural conversations. In the film we have a group of Caucasian women attending a Bollywood dance class, and wearing Indian costumes. There is an ease of cultural exchange that is present in the film, which is reflective of the diversity present in Melbourne. It is an example of cultural appreciation and inclusion that is reflective of the respect and friendship between the participants.

Joshinder Chaggar, the director of this film is also the teacher of the Bollywood Seniors dance class, which is where this story began in 2018. The Seniors challenged Joshinder’s own stereotypical assumptions about age and compelled her to make this film. The research for this film began in 2020. Joshinder filmed the women on her phone for 2 years, slowly gaining their trust and building their confidence around a camera. As a first step, Chaggar directed and produced a short documentary in 2022, titled “More than Cute” – unpacking age through the seniors Bollywood dance class. This film screened at film festivals around the world, and won Best Short Doc at the Reel Sisters of the Diaspora film festival 2022. Chaggar and Natalie Gamsu are neighbours which is how their friendship began. They are also connected through the theatre world and their respective personal stories of migration and intergenerational trauma. Crones has organically developed as the next step in this journey.

The first call of action of the film is to self-reflect on our own attitudes towards age – to ourselves and others. This includes questions such as – Do we stereotype people of a certain age and dismiss them? Or have I fallen victim to internalised ageism and limiting beliefs?
The second call of action is to actively engage in intergenerational conversations. The purpose of this is to encourage a more inclusive society, and the sharing of knowledge. Plus, through conversations, we can uplift each other, keep the spark for living and learning alive, keep a check on our physical and mental health and shift our perspective on age.