Aftershock puts a spotlight on the crisis of Black maternal deaths in the United States by focusing on the cases of two New York City mothers, Shamony Gibson and Amber Isaac, who died during childbirth-related complications in recent years. We watch how their bereaved families become activists on this issue. “Aftershock is a moving ode […]
NYC PREMIERE A drum master from Japan and a Korean adoptee from Minnesota boldly convene an all-female troupe to perform Taiko, the Japanese drumming art that has been off-limits to women for centuries. As the early menace of Covid rumbles in the background, the group faces down hurdles to prepare for a historic performance in […]
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE A Ghanaian mother of five survives the perilous journey to Europe in search of a better life, only to return to her village to reunite with her children, much to the disdain of family and neighbors. Steadfast in her convictions of what’s best, first-time filmmaker Fatimah Dadzie tells her own unique story […]
WORLD PREMIERE Far from the unfavorable images often espoused in pop culture, today’s teens are some of the most engaged, thoughtful, creative, courageous, and self-aware of any era. Filmmaker and middle-school educator Alexis Neophytides gifts us this survey of thirteen-year-olds from across the globe as they navigate the joys and complexities of that seminal age. […]
During the 19 months before the Taliban retook Afghanistan, filmmaker Tamana Ayazi and Oscar-nominated director Marcel Mettelsiefen gained unique access to Zarifa Ghafari, the youngest female Afghan mayor. IN HER HANDS follows the 26-year-old Ghafari as she navigates multiple layers of political and personal turmoil, including a tense relationship with her father (a leader in […]
NYC PREMIERE In the counterculture world of skateboarding, gender bias still looms over professional female skaters. In spite of systemic barriers, legends Mimi Knoop and Cara-Beth Burnside blazed a trail for a new crop of stars like Nora Vascocellos, Nicole Hause, Tin Kouv and Jessyka Bailey. The decades-long fight for gender equity and respect encouraged […]
NYC PREMIERE Lydia Emily is a mural artist, teacher, single mother, and one of the innumerable Americans who are navigating an unforgiving healthcare system, as she lives with advancing multiple sclerosis, which threatens to put an end to her career. This inspiring film records Emily’s dedication to create amidst mounting debt and an ever-present sense […]
WORLD PREMIERE Alice is a descendant of Martha Carrier, a woman hanged for witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Her research for an upcoming book leads her to work with Brooklyn-based feminist guru Silvia Federici and to trace the history of the great witch hunts to today’s continuing patriarchal power grabs. A captivating story at […]
WORLD PREMIERE After the death of her mother 18-year-old Sahar is left in charge of her poor, mentally disabled father in an isolated village in Iran. Sahar dreams of attending university and becoming a doctor, but extended family insist she play the role of caretaker unless her father remarries. This warm and intimate observational portrait […]
US PREMIERE Leonie is a rising teen influencer living on the outskirts of Berlin. As her fame grows, her parents see the economic opportunity of social media and become her managers. The pressure to create content and appease brands soon blurs the lines of their relationship, however, as it begins to dominate all of Leonie’s […]