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So, are men and women equal yet? And if not, when will we know? How do we get there? What would being equals, equal? Make no mistake, these questions are tricky. They re questions that women have been asking for hundreds of years; questions that have changed lives and the course of history, that have been both fought for and battled against. There s plenty to tell us that these questions still need answering; like the fact that in the UK, 30,000 women lose their job every year when they re pregnant; that women hold just 19% of the world s parliamentary seats and that 75% of civilians killed in war are women and children. Doesn t this tell us that we ve got a long way to go? So for this year s International Women s Day, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of a day created to demand greater equality between men and women, we need you to really think about these questions. Whether you re a feminist, a mumist, a friendist or a bloke-who-gives-a-damnist, we want everyone to share their vision of what an equal world could look like. We want you talking, debating and hopefully doing something about these questions, the ones that women around the world still desperately need answering. 2
Good Screenings Good Screenings, founded by the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, works with independent filmmakers and local community leaders to launch international grassroots screening campaigns for films with a purpose. The platform is a way for companies, community groups, charities, schools, churches and ordinary people to organise their own screenings of good films films that make you think about the world in a different way. EQUALS on Film is an initiative to use documentary films to explore issues that women face today. Throughout March 2011, and beyond communities will be screening films, which highlight these issues to start a debate around International Women s Day. The EQUALS on Film selection looks at many of the following key issues; Right to education for girls Female political empowerment Sexual abuse, rights and gratification The lives of elderly women Relationships and divorce Motherhood and reproduction You may wish to screen one film, or host a series of screenings to celebrate International Women s Day. To host your own screening from EQUALS on Film visit www.goodscreenings.org or email bookings@goodscreenings.org 3
Good Screenings is really useful for... Getting more members for your organisation - Film can be a great introduction session for news constituents Get people to take direct action around the films issues - Download the film s Take Action Guide Find new working allies to strengthen your campaign - Build bridges with other organisations in your area by co-hosting screenings Engage partners in your community who can share the workload of organising the event, and increase the audience attendance. If much of your activism is based online, then have a laptop to hand to guide audiences about where to find out more and what action can be done virtually. (Check that your venue has suitable wireless access!) Go to www.goodscreenings.org and choose the film from the homepage that you would like to screen, this will take you to the film s profile page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the Select for screening button. (Make sure you choose the correct format for your region) On the Calculate you license fee page, fill in the details of where and when you intend to screen the film, and an estimate of how many people will come. If you wish to make a block booking (5 or more screenings of the same film), or pay via a different method just email bookings@goodscreenings.org with your screening information. 4
Make sure you have: A screen or projector with a screen that s big enough for everyone to see Seating that is comfortable and allows everyone a good view of the screen Space for refreshments A DVD player or computer and powerful audio system (loudspeakers etc.), especially in larger venues An information table where you can place sign-in sheets and handouts for individuals who want to get involved with your campaign Choose a host for the evening who will lead an audience discussion or small panel session Identify what action you want your audience to engage with after the screening. Each film on Good Screenings has a Take Action guide that you can download and handout to the audience Make sure that you do a test run for both image and sound at your chosen venue once the DVD has arrived. Check the lights or windows to make sure that no light bleeds onto the screen Promote Your Screening! The goals for your event should inform whom you invite to attend. If you are looking to expand participation of support, be sure to reach out to people outside of your own group or organisation. Invite community leaders, campaigners, colleagues who may be interested in your issue. In advance of the screening, reach out through community calendars, organisational weekly bulletins and monthly newsletters, email lists, blogs and social networking sites. Also distribute printed flyers / e-flyers. Communicate your plans to local newspapers, radio and TV stations. 5
Below is an outline of the films available for the EQUALS on Film series, for further details and to view the trailers please visit www.goodscreenings.org Divorce Iranian Style Directed by Kim Longinotto, 80 mins Hilarious, tragic, stirring, this fly-on-the-wall look at several weeks in an Iranian divorce court provides a unique window into the intimate circumstances of Iranian women s lives. Fighting the Silence Directed by Ilse and Femke van Velzen During the Democratic Republic of the Congo s seven year war, more then 80.000 women and girls were raped. Fighting the Silence tells the story of ordinary women and men struggling to change their society. Made in India Directed by Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali, 97 mins Made in India is a feature length documentary film about the human experiences behind the phenomena of "outsourcing" surrogate mothers to India. Make Women Matter Directed by Lara Akeju and Lisa Fairbank, selection of short films A series of five short documentaries from the frontline of maternal health, offering a unique insight into the challenges and choices facing young women in Africa and Asia as they strive to improve their life chances and advance safe motherhood in their communities. 6
Orgasm Inc Directed by Liz Canner, 78 mins Extraordinary behind-the-scenes access reveals a drug company's fevered race to develop the first FDA approved Viagra for women - and offers a humorous but sobering look inside the cash-fuelled pharmaceutical industry. Pushing The Elephant Directed by Beth Davenport and Elizabeth Mandel, 84 mins An intimate family drama set against the backdrop of the 1998 conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pushing the Elephant tells the story of Rose Mapendo, who was separated during the conflict from her five-year-old daughter, Nangabire. The Day I Will Never Forget Directed by Kim Longinotto, 92 mins A gripping feature documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Kim Longinotto that examines the practice of female genital mutilation in Kenya and the pioneering African women who are bravely reversing the tradition. The Glass House Directed by Melissa Hibbard and Hamid Rahmanian, 92 mins The fringes of Iranian society can be a lonely place, especially if you are a teenage girl with few resources to fall back on. The Glass House follows four girls striving to pull themselves out of the margins by attending a one-of-kind rehabilitation center in uptown Tehran. Sisters in Law Directed by Kim Longinotto, 104 mins In the little town of Kumba, Cameroon, there have been no convictions in spousal abuse cases for 17 years. But two women determined to change their community are making progress that could change their country. The Time of Their Lives Directed by Jocelyn Cammack, 70 mins The ultimate coming-of-age movie. With a combined age of almost 300, Hetty, Rose and Alison love to share their concerns on everything from terrorism and global warming to sex, death and the meaning of life. 7
To support female creative talent you may also wish to screen one of these films directed or produced by women. Erasing David Directed by David Bond and Melinda McDougall Filmmaker David Bond decides to find out how much of our personal information is floating around, by disappearing for a month and setting two of the world s top private investigators the task of tracking him down, using only publicly available data. Moving To Mars Directed by Mat Whitecross, Produced by Karen Katz Moving to Mars follows two refugee families from Burma over the course of a year that will change their lives completely. A resettlement scheme offers them the chance of a new life, but their new home, in the British city of Sheffield The Age Of Stupid Directed by Franny Armstrong This climate blockbuster stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, watching archive footage from 2008 and asking: why didn t we stop climate change while we had the chance? The Battle For Barking Directed by Laura Fairie, The Battle for Barking is an observational, feature length documentary that chronicles the 2010 election campaigns of Labour and the BNP as they fight for political control of Barking, East London. 8
The Hunger Season Directed by Beadie Finzi Filmed on location in the US, Europe and Southern Africa, The Hunger Season tells the story of a young teacher called Justice and the children in his care living in the heart of rural Swaziland as they struggle to survive a year of drought and diminishing food handouts. The Reckoning Directed by Pamela Yates Late in the 20th century, in response to repeated mass atrocities around the world, more than 120 countries united to form the International Criminal Court (ICC) the first permanent court created to prosecute perpetrators (no matter how powerful) of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide. To find out more about any of the films available please visit www.goodscreenings.org Alternatively email bookings@goodscreenings.org including details of who you are, when you would like to screen the film and on which date. 9
BOND For International Development The EQUALS on Film series is supported by BOND For International Development. If you require assistance with license fees to hold your own event to celebrate International Women s Day please email bookings@goodscreenings.org with the following information to be considered for a complimentary screening; About you Name: Organisation: Organisational type (NGO/School/Business etc): Shipping Address: Country: Contact Email Address: Contact Phone Number: About your screening Film(s) Selected: Screening Venue and address: Capacity: Date of proposed screening(s): Time of screening: 10