Women’s Film Institute Shorts Tour 2011
93 minutes
Out of 300 inspiring entries, 8 films were selected and set to premiere. The diverse selection of shorts at the tour celebrates the exceptional contributions of women in the world of cinema and represents a convergence of films from around the globe, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom and India.
The tour includes a cross section of socially conscious films that are a catalyst for connecting communities and fostering discussion through the power of independent filmmaking. The films serve as a quilt of stories meant to invoke and inspire audience-goers long after they leave the screening.
About the Women’s Film Institute
‘Amplifying the Voices of Women and Girls through Film and New Media’
The San Francisco Women’s Film Institute was conceived and founded in 2005 by filmmaker, media arts activist and community educator Scarlett Shepard. Shepard’s goal was to build upon the success of the San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival and it’s mission of supporting, promoting and celebrating films directed by women as art and education and expanding its programming year-round.
The institute supports its mission by presenting the annual San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival, Women’s Film Institute Shorts Tour, Generation HERstory filmmaking training program for young women (ages 12-19), and a variety of film screenings and educational programs.
www.womensfilminstitute.com
The Acorn Penny (USA, 14:14, Narrative) Directed by Tiffany Ann Laufer Kinasha dreamed of simple things…a Mom and Dad, food on the table…but when her dreams fade she finds a reality not her own. Alone in a world that forgot about children and their dreams, she has to find the courage to discover her own destiny.
Witness to Hiroshima (USA, 16:00, Documentary) Directed by Kathy Sloane Through the use of animated still photographs and the narrative and watercolors of Japanese soldier and atom bomb survivor Keiji Tsuchiya, ‘Witness to Hiroshima’ depicts the horrors Tsuchiya witnessed hours after the bomb blast, and the aid he and others offered the burned and dying victims they encountered. Out of such tragedy the film segues into the beautiful story of how and why Mr. Tsuchiya came to devote himself to preserving the life of the horseshoe crab.
Lejos Del Mar (Far From the Sea) (Mexico/USA, 15:00, Narrative Fiction) Directed by Josefina Mata When a mother’s pain touches borders, it becomes madness.
Hidden Truth (United Kingdom, 9:00, Documentary) Directed by Penelope Machipi, and created by the first team of women trained in filmmaking in rural Zambia–The Samfya Women Filmmakers–”Hidden Truth” is a candid and intimate portrayal of the effects of domestic violence on women and children in Samfya, a remote town in Northern Zambia.
Baiana (Canada, 6:00, Experimental/Dance/Performance) Directed by Mariya Prokopenko A transformational dance film that tells the story of a young woman, who becomes possessed by spirits and, through this experience, finds her history, her ‘self’, and her power.
Sold in America (USA, 10:00, Documentary) Directed by Chelo Alvarez-Stehle This film is a glimpse into the world of sex trafficking in the USA through the stories of three women sold at an early age, whom we now meet as empowered survivors. After conquering their tragic past, our characters offer voices of hope for those still in captivity today, and a call to action for us all to create awareness and prevent modern-day slavery.
An Indefinite Meandering of Words Left Unsaid (USA, 3:00, Experimental/Documentary) Directed by Lexi Lefkowitz An Indefinite Meandering of Words Left Unsaid is a thoughtful personal non-fiction/experimental film that examines Lexi’s relationship with her father. Made with love, Lexi reflects on the lack of closure between them. She speaks to him even though he is no longer there.
Kunjo (India, 19:00, Narrative Fiction) Directed by Terrie Samundra Kunjo, a 12-year-old Rajasthani refugee, spends her days begging in the streets of a rural village in North India. When an unlikely friendship blossoms between Kunjo and Preeta, an educated schoolgirl from a higher caste, Kunjo reveals her secret passion for storytelling. Betrayed by her new friend, and caught in the complexity of an unconventional friendship, Kunjo faces a crossroads between standing up for herself or submitting to her place of silence in society.