ABSTRACT
Variously described as "a National Treasure" and "a kind of ghetto for women at the NFB/' Studio D has received both praise for its '"tradition of passionate, provocative filmmaking''' and criticism for being "out of touch ... with the feminist film community."1 These conflicting assessments reflect the chal lenges that confront the process of measuring the achievements of the wom en's studio, which combined the seemingly contradictory goals of creating a separate space for women filmmakers and increasing the participation of creative talent within the National Film Board's (NFB's) overall institutional structure. Established in 1974, Studio D became the first government-funded feminist film unit in the world and, over the course of two decades, "pro duced over 125 films and won more than 100 international awards, includ ing three Academy Awards."2 Encompassing a variety of forms and formats, such as documentary, multimedia, and short films, the studio's repertoire focuses on the expression of women's perspectives. In 1986, a restructuring program sought to integrate members of the permanent staff into other departments while, at the same time, opening up space for the articulation of a more diverse range of women's voices. Despite its achievements, Studio D was closed in 1996 as part of a move towards a leaner, more streamlined, NFB.
