UNC Asheville will hold the eighth annual
"F-Word Film Festival: A Celebration of Images By and About Women
(But for All Audiences)" at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, and Friday,
March 14, at UNC Asheville's Humanities Lecture Hall. Five feminist
documentaries will be screened in conjunction with UNC Asheville's
Women's History Month events. Panel discussions with UNC Asheville
faculty and students will follow the screenings both nights. Films
are free and open to the public.
"Heart of the Sea: Kapolioka'ehukai" and "My Home-Your War" will be
shown on March 13.
"Heart of the Sea" is the portrait of surf legend Rell "Kapolioka'ehukai"
Sunn, founding member of the Women's Professional Surfing
Association and one of Hawaii's most beloved community leaders.
While known for her physical power and beauty, Sunn's work as a
youth, environmental and breast cancer activist made her an icon in
Hawaii. Despite being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 32, Rell
continued surfing and promoting breast cancer awareness among native
Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women until her final days. The
57-minute film was produced by Lisa Denker and Charlotte Lagarde.
"My Home-Your War" looks at the Iraq war through the eyes of Layla
Hassan, an ordinary Iraqi woman. Shot in Baghdad over three years
that span the time before, during and after the invasion of Iraq,
the 52-minute documentary by Kylie Grey brings a perspective that
has rarely been available to United States audiences. "My Home-Your
War" combines interviews with Hassan, self-shot footage, and scenes
of Baghdad.
"In the Name of Love," "The Women's Kingdom" and "Black and White"
will be shown on March 14.
"In the Name of Love" investigates the practice of thousands of
Russian women who sign up with agencies to meet and marry American
men. From St. Petersburg to California, the film shows the financial
and emotional pros and cons of exporting love and grapples with the
tremendous economic challenges and difficult decisions facing
Russian women today. The 58-minute documentary was produced by
Shannon O'Rourke.
"The Women's Kingdom," examines one of the last matriarchal
societies in the world. The Mosuo women of China live beyond the
strictures of mainstream Chinese culture and enjoy great freedoms
while also carrying heavy responsibilities. The 22-minute film,
produced by Xiaoli Zhou, features intimate interviews and glimpses
into a society virtually unheard of 10 years ago and now often
misrepresented in the media.
"Black and White," examines the experiences of intersex people. The
film introduces viewers to notions of fluid gender identity,
challenging the categories of "male" and "female" through the story
of Mani Bruce Mitchell, who was medically assigned the gender "male"
at birth. Later, investigative surgery revealed the presence of
ovaries, and doctors reassigned Mitchell as a "female." The
17-minute film was produced by Kristy MacDonald.
For more information, call Lori Horvitz, UNC Asheville associate
professor of literature and language, at 828/251-6590.
