Join us for a film series this spring that honors the capacity of women to burn down the world in various justifiable ways. Ever since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements erupted, public figures such as Matt Lauer, Bill Cosby and Jeffrey Epstein have been exposed for their exploitation of women and girls. Many people—women especially—feel as though they are trapped in a continual state of rage and trauma. This film series is designed to remind us—and in many cases, celebrate—the myriad ways that women fight back against the hostile climate in which they live and work. The selected films represent different genres, elevating marginalized voices (race, nationality, gender, sexuality, and class) with both female and male directors. Talkback sessions will follow each screening. Screenings are free of charge but we ask that you make reservations at Eventbrite at this link. Sponsored by the Maxine Platzer Lynn Women’s Center, Light House Studio at Vinegar Hill Theater, UVA Arts & the Office of the Provost and the Vice Provost for the Arts, and UVA Department of Media Studies. Be sure to check back on our Facebook page for additional films in March and April as we confirm them!
January 29: Fast Color (2018) | Discussant: Nzingha Kendall, Woodson Institute [MLK Observance]
Set in a world where water is a scarce commodity, this low-budget superhero film tells the story of Ruth, a young woman on the run from white government agents because she has special “gifts.” She makes her way to the home of her mother, Bo, who lives with Ruth’s estranged daughter, Lila. Ruth and Bo embark on a mission to teach Lila how to survive in a world that is indifferent and even hostile to their identities as Black women.
February 5: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) | Discussant: Samhita Sunya, Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies
In the Iranian ghost town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Tagged as the "first Iranian vampire Western", A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was chosen to screen in the "Next" program at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
February 19: Pariah (2011) | Discussant: Charlene Green, Director, Charlottesville Human Rights Commission
A coming of age/coming out film, Pariah tells the story of Alike, a 17-year-old African American teen who lives with her parents and younger sister in Brooklyn. The tension in the home from her parents' strained marriage increases whenever Alike's sexual identity becomes a topic of discussion. Alike strives to get through adolescence with grace, humor, and tenacity - sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, but always moving forward.