The program is being sponsored by several impressive partnering organizations, including CARE, the Geena Davis Institute for Gender Equality in the Media, International Rescue Committee, Women's World Banking and the Girl Scouts of America, among others.
Showing Documentaries to Make A Difference
In each of the documentaries selected for the "Women and Girls Lead" program, filmmakers follow proactive women and girls in situations where they challenge gender bias, protest human rights violations and take action to change egregious social and political situations in countries wracked by civil war, famine and corruption -- including the United States.
The "Women And Girls Lead" Program
The core of the "Women and Girls Lead" program is the scheduling of fifty woman-centric and female-empowering documentaries for broadcast on Public Television stations across the nation, with a rich variety of interactive online opportunities for audience members to learn more about the issues covered in the films, and to become proactive. The schedule is not yet entirely set, but thus far, the list of films includes Bhutto, about the life, career, courage and assassination of the great Pakistani leader, Benazir Bhutto, and Lioness, following women serving in the US military and what happens to them during their deployment to Iraq, among other films.
"Women, War and Peace"
Additionally, throughout September 2011, and during ensuing months, "Women and Girls Lead" is organizing community screenings films that investigate the role of women in conflict zones and the effects of war on women and children. Created by filmmakers Abigail Disney, Gini Reticker and Pamela Hogan, the "Women, War & Peace" program includes their films Pray The Devil Back To Hell, about Liberian women who stopped the civil war and helped to form a new government under the first woman ever elected as a head of state in Africa, and Peace Unveiled, about the determination of Afghan women to overcome rampant gender bias in their country, play a role in peace negotiations among rival warlords and other political factions and participate in governing their country. Films in the "Women, War & Peace" series will be presented at community-sponsored screenings in cities and towns across the USA. Most will have post-screening panel discussions and/or Q&As with the filmmakers and eyewitnesses or other experts for the specific subjects and situations covered in the films. The September, 2011 screening schedule is posted. (Disclosure: I am scheduled to moderate panel discussions at several events.) If you can't find a screening near you, you can investigate the possibility of setting one up through a local community organization and the ITVS outreach team.
