Films with feminists – UI Women’s Center presents its spring 2016 Women’s Film Series

A century ago, women fought for basic human rights and their ability to sustain a voice in society. Today, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in history ­–   Malala Yousafzai – is a young woman globally advocating for girls” rights to an education.

In the span of one hundred years, women have experienced tremendous progress and countless struggles – experiences which the University of Idaho Women”s Center aims to illustrate in their upcoming Spring 2016 Women”s Film Series.

Lysa Salsbury, director of the Women”s Center, said the series is the result of a collaborative effort between the Women”s Center and the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre.

“The Kenworthy and the Women”s Center have enjoyed a long collaborative relationship,” Salsbury said. “Their film programming committee approached me and asked if we”d be interested in sponsoring an international women in film series.”

Following the proposition, Salsbury said she turned to fundraising at local businesses and applying for grants to fund the event. Local businesses Wild@Art and The Moscow Food Co-Op will help fund the event, as well as a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council.

Salsbury said the series consists of four films, each will be shown the last Monday of every month, and is a mix between more well-known films and independent documentaries.

“We picked films that we felt highlighted important issues to women, like women”s suffrage, LGBT rights, sexual violence and education,” Salsbury said. “All of the films that we chose have tremendous reviews – there are a couple of blockbustery-type films and a couple of documentary-type films.”

Salsbury said the first film of the series, “Suffragette,” which stars Meryl Streep and Helena Bonham Carter, is similar to the American film, “Iron Jawed Angels.”

“It”s like a British version of “Iron Jawed Angels,”” Salsbury said. “It tells the story of the British women”s suffrage movement, of the humiliation and suffering those women endured to gain the right to vote.”

Salsbury said “Suffragette” is the only film that people will be charged for because of the Kenworthy”s licensing agreement.

Jamie Hill, operations director of the Kenworthy, said the theater will also show the film throughout the weekend.

“The first film, “Suffragette,” we”re basing it off of our current booking,” Hill said. “We”re showing it this weekend and will show an extra one for the Women”s Center.”

In addition to providing a movie-screening venue, Hill said the Kenworthy also helped acquire the independent films in the series.

“For the Women”s Center, some independent films, especially Women”s Center films, can be kind of hard to get your hands on,” Hill said. “We stepped in and got them, so they wouldn”t have to.”

In February, Salsbury said the Kenworthy will show the feature-length documentary, “In The Turn,” about a young transgender girl who finds acceptance in an international collective queer roller derby team.

Salsbury said the films for March and April include “India”s Daughter,” a film that examines the sociocultural values of India following the gang rape of a young medical student, and “He Named Me Malala,” about the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in history, Yousafzai.

The first film, “Suffragette,” will be screened at 7 p.m. Monday at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are $6 for general admission and $3 for children 12 and under. Admission to the following three films in the series is free.

Although three of the four films are free of charge, Salsbury said they are also accepting donations for the Women”s Center throughout the course of the series.

Corrin Bond  can be reached at  [email protected]  or on Twitter @CorrBond

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