Woman in Media-Newark Hosts its 15th Annual International Film Festival In Celebration of Women

NEWARK, NJ, USA, July 14, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Woman in Media-Newark (WIM-N) will hold its 15th annual Women’s International Film Festival on two consecutive weekends, July 25 – 27th and August 1st – 3rd in celebration of global achievements of women. Five days of the festival will be in person, with one day virtual in order to accommodate those who are not able to attend in person. All screenings are free and open to the public.

Festival Highlights:
Opening Night - Thursday, July 25th at the Cranford Theater, 25 North Avenue West, Cranford, NJ 07016 with "Norma," a documentary feature that takes an intimate look at the case on Norma, one of hundreds of women missing in Juarez, Mexico.
Friday, July 26 at the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, 94 Drs James Parker Boulevard, Red Bank, NJ 07701 - "Women Belong", a documentary feature film on looks at challenges faced by women in STEM careers in Brazil.
Saturday, July 27th - Akwaaba Gallery, 509 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103 will feature "Respect My Crown: The Rise of African American Women in California Politics", a documentary film that reveals the sacrifices and contributions these women made to become leading voices in California politics, community activism, organized labor and the judicial system. A panel discussion with women New Jersey politicians, moderated by Marilyn Davis will follow the.

Second week features:
Thursday, August 1st – Virtual -"Saving Lives: Siskonke", a South African documentary film captures the remarkable journey of the largest and fastest vaccine study rollout in the world, saving the lives of half a million healthcare workers living in South Africa during COVID.

Friday, August 2nd – NJ Historical Society, 52 Park Place, Newark, NJ
- "Paint Me a Road Out of Here" is a wild tale of renowned artist Faith Ringgold’s painting’s whitewashed 50 year journey at Rikers Island, and the two artists who challenge the same powerful, oppressive, and persistent institutions, a half-century apart with their artwork, their voices, and their shared persistent goals.

Sat., August 3rd – Newark Public Library, 5 Washington St., Newark, NJ - "Apart", a film that traces the steps of three women as they return home from prison and reconstruct lives derailed by drugs and prison. Following the screening will be a panel moderated by reentry coordinator Dr. Pamela B. Jones with women who are living the reentry experience.

The 2024 Women’s International Film Festival offers a dynamic program that provides international, independent film representing stories of women from five continents to attendees throughout the state over the course of the 6-day festival. Although the feature films are the anchor of the festival, the film shorts are nuggets bringing brief, often profound insights on myriad topics. These films reflect contemporary issues facing women as seen on the news and in social media. Gender based violence evidences itself in various ways, as do societal issues facing migrant women, and health issues, including mental health and reproductive health. The plight of indigenous women, as well as that of women in the LGBTIQ community are also explored. Personal memoir is an interesting theme this year, with films using experimental effects. Themes of divorce, migration and nature round out the program. Now more than ever before the immense talent and expertise of the independent filmmakers who take part in this festival deserve a greater audience.

“The lineup for our 2024 Woman’s International Film Festival is epic! With 14 years under our belt, we decided to stretch out and present our most extensive film festival in our history for our 15th year,” offered festival director Pamela Morgan. She added, “I know that this year’s festival attendees will find that the topics of this years films are compelling . The integrity of the stories being told, the cinematography and the timely themes are all compelling and offer insights into the women’s world experience, as well as into our very souls.”

The festival will also honor significant community contributors with Community Service Awards including Zonta International District 3 Governor Prof. Dr. Dorothy Knauer; educator and comm unity activist Prof. Linda McDonald Carter, Esq.; Social Worker and author Anasa Ma’at; educator and community activist Kirsten Mider; artist, and activist Yvonne Onque; and scholar, activist, producer, and Pulitzer Prize winning author Dr. Salamishah Tillet.

For more information email [email protected] or call 973-996-8342.

About Woman In Media-Newark:
Woman In Media – Newark is a not for profit organization that advocates for and educates the public about issues affecting the lives of women using film, video and new media as our platform. Merging culture and academia, we rally behind our sisters who courageously struggle to assume leadership roles in the film industry with their conscious effort to present a balanced image of women, dispelling the stereotypes and changing public perception of their sisters worldwide.

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Pamela Morgan
Woman In Media - Newark
+1 9082421530
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