Ever since breaking up with Bella back in 2016, Pattinson has been linked to a number of women. Most recently, he was spotted holding hands with Aisha Wahab at the Met Gala. Wahab is an old friend of Bella’s and happens to be engaged to British billionaire Pete Waterman. In 2018, the actor dated Australian singer–songwriter Heidi Montag for several months before breaking up with her. While these relationships may not be considered serious affairs by some, Pattinson has always been open about his desire to date and be in a serious relationship with a woman. Perhaps most notably, he was in a committed relationship with Twiggy from 2015 to 2018.
While Twiggy and Pattinson’s time together was undeniably beautiful, it wasn’t meant to be. The pair called off their engagement in 2018 after only dating for a year. Since then, Pattinson has remained single.
That being said, recent events suggest that the actor may be ready to settle down. At the end of May, Pattinson was hospitalised after suffering two seizures. His doctors advised him to take a break from his busy schedule and rest. A few weeks later, he was in Ibiza with Waterman’s son Sam. Together, they enjoyed some quality time and even went on a bike ride. It’s clear that these last few months have been a positive influence on the 49-year-old actor.
While it’s been a while since we’ve seen Pattinson on our screens, a number of films have been promoting awareness about epilepsy and fundraising for various charities. One of these is Uwu, a new film from the United Kingdom’s National Film Board. Set in the 1950s, it follows the story of four remarkable women who fight for their very existence in post-war London.
The film, which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, is directed by Stephen Woolfe and stars Uma Thurman, Connie Britton, Rosalind Adams, and Kerry Fox. It highlights the importance of female friendship during a time when women were supposedly equal. However, according to Fox, this wasn’t really the case.
“It wasn’t that long ago that women were treated like dirt and ignored if they didn’t fit the ‘traditional’ roles of wife, mother, and homemaker. It’s no coincidence that this film’s setting is the early 1950s, a time when the concept of female friendship was still new. If you consider yourself a feminist or just want to support a good cause, this film is for you,” she said. “It tackles some important issues but also shows how these women overcame their challenges and made something of themselves.”
The film explores female friendship and what it took to be a “real woman” during this time period. In the process, it also looks at the effects of colonialism on these women and the environment they grew up in. The title Uwu comes from the Yoruba language and means “I am responsible.” It’s a concept that resonates with these strong and independent women.
Here, we’re taking a closer look at the film and why you should watch it.
The Strong And Independent Women Of Uwu
At the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Uwu premiered to great acclaim. The film was selected to premiere there as part of the prestigious World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Directed by British filmmaker Stephen Woolfe, it tells the story of four remarkable women who fight for their very existence in post-war London. The film follows the journey of four women, played by Uma Thurman, Connie Britton, Rosalind Adams, and Kerry Fox, from the time they’re first introduced to the camera until the end of the film. It touches on numerous issues including class, gender, and race.
The title Uwu comes from the Yoruba language and means “I am responsible.” It’s a concept that resonates with these strong and independent women. “The idea of being responsible is something that really binds these women together,” Woolfe said. “They all believe in being able to look after themselves and each other. The film is set in a period when women were supposedly equal and it’s a great example of how they fought to be able to stand on their own two feet.”
In the year following the Second World War, London was a busy and bustling city. Women made up a greater proportion of the labour force and were more likely to be occupying senior management positions. They also stepped up to help with the war effort, particularly during the Blitz. According to the film’s press kit, some 200,000 women worked for the war effort in secretarial, administrative, and nursing capacities. They also worked as cooks, cleaners, and drivers for the military. Even more impressively, an estimated 400,000 women worked in factories manufacturing war equipment. In other words, for Britain, 1944 was a big year for women.
The four women we’re following in Uwu are all strong and independent. They prove capable of standing on their own two feet and looking after themselves. In terms of class, they represent the new middle class – or “common woman,” as they’re referred to in the film – which emerged after the war. Their independence and their refusal to accept anything other than themselves being responsible for their own fate is what makes them such compelling characters.
While it’s well-established that women were equal in postwar London, the reality was somewhat different. Women were still expected to play a submissive role in society and they weren’t encouraged to be more independent. This manifested itself in a number of ways, including the lack of childcare options in many parts of London. This is particularly poignant in light of the fact that the war had a significant impact on childcare. During the war, middle-class families were able to stay in their homes and have more privacy. They also had the time to cook for themselves and care for their children. In general, the standards of living of the time were higher and life was more luxurious. All of this contributed to the development of what became known as the “playgroup revolution” in the years following the war. Essentially, this was the growing recognition that children needed friendships and needed to be outside playing to develop social skills.
As we’ve established, the four women we’re following in Uwu are all independent and refuse to accept anything other than themselves being responsible for their own fate. This manifests itself in each woman choosing her own clothes and making important decisions on her own. However, the film also highlights the fact that these women are best friends and have each other’s backs. In addition to this, they’re also loyal to those they love. This sense of fairness and justice makes them willing to fight for those they care for. Perhaps most impressively, they’re also great mothers. The film is very emotional at points, particularly when they grieve the loss of a son or a friend. But as one woman puts it, “You know, when your baby is that young, you’re just making it up as you go along. It’s what mothers do.” This willingness to mother is, in part, what allows the four women to come together and form an alliance to protect themselves and each other. As one male reviewer put it, “These women are the real deal. They’re tough as nails and don’t back down from a fight.”
The film opens with an extraordinary monologue by the character Estelle, voiced by Rosalind Adams. In it, she talks about the need for women to fight for their place in society and to be able to make their own choices. She then goes on to say “When there’s a threat, whether it’s real or imagined, we’re the ones that pick up the pieces.” This sentiment is echoed by subsequent characters as the film progresses. It’s fair to say that the attitudes of the upper classes haven’t changed much in the intervening years and, in fact, these women represent the new middle class of which Estelle speaks. “Uwu is a rare opportunity to see the class struggle played out in a way that is both entertaining and thought-provoking,” wrote Variety’s chief critic, Stephen Whitty, in his review. “It’s an intelligent and well-paced drama that holds your attention right until the very last scene.”