Visionary Voices – Details, episodes & analysis

Diana Means interviews British-Turkish-Iranian documentary filmmaker and musician Sheida Kiran to talk about her documentary film 'Harvesting Our Tea' screening in the online Women Voices Now documentary film festival  March 1st - March 31st. 

ABOUT SHEIDA KIRAN
Sheida is a British-Turkish-Iranian documentary filmmaker and musician based in London. She conducted research on women and migration during her BSc Social Sciences studies at UCL. This led to her MA in Documentary Film at LCC and position as a production coordinator at award-winning charity Medical Aid Films, where she supports the production of health films for vulnerable women and children. Driven by her passion for ethnographic storytelling, her most recent work focuses on documenting women in agriculture and their rights to land ownership.

ABOUT HARVESTING OUR TEA
For centuries, women have picked tea on the steep slopes of Turkey's Black Sea region. It is grueling work, and much of what they earn has traditionally been handed to their husbands. ‘Harvesting Our Tea’ follows a new generation of women who are turning their backs on tea picking and the overall submissive culture. As these young women hope for change the older women fear for their way of life.

ABOUT THE WOMEN’S VOICES NOW (WVN) FILM FESTIVAL AND HOW TO ATTEND
The Women’s Voices Now Film Festival is an international women’s rights documentary film festival supporting emerging women filmmakers. Since 2011, we have received 1070+ film submissions from 85+ countries. See link below to purchase tickets through Eventbright.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2023-womens-voices-now-film-festival-holding-ground-under-siege-tickets-529692373147
Discounted tickets can be requested by emailing: events@womensvoicesnow.org. 

Alliance of Women Filmmakers is proud to partner with Women Voices Now to present this podcast. 

Editing by Otaku Media

Diana Means interviews Executive Director of Women Voices Now Heidi Basch-Harod about their documentary film festival that takes place online March 1st - March 31st. 

ABOUT THE WOMEN’S VOICES NOW (WVN) FILM FESTIVAL
The Women’s Voices Now Film Festival is an international women’s rights documentary film festival supporting emerging women filmmakers. Since 2011, we have received 1070+ film submissions from 85+ countries and awarded $118k in cash prizes to filmmakers.

THIS YEAR’S THEME: Holding Ground Under Siege
Around the world we see backlash against the progress made in the global women's rights movement. Women face new challenges precisely because of the advances made toward realizing their full human rights. Instead of pushing forward, is now a time to maintain our gains? Looking through the lenses of our filmmakers: Where should we focus our efforts in the coming years?

HOW TO ATTEND
Anyone with access to the internet can purchase a ticket for the Festival on Eventbrite for $36 here. Users will gain access to the competing films once they’ve purchased a ticket to the festival via Eventbrite. No one is turned away for lack of funds.  Discounted tickets can be requested by emailing: events@womensvoicesnow.org
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2023-womens-voices-now-film-festival-holding-ground-under-siege-tickets-529692373147

Alliance of Women Filmmakers is proud to partner with Women Voices Now to present this podcast.
Editing by Otaku Media

"The Least We Can Do" chronicles the journey of a small group of women in British Columbia, Canada, who are relieved when the Canadian Government votes to bring Yazidi women and girls to Canada as refugees and provide them with comprehensive trauma care for their ‘unimaginable suffering’.

The women are horrified to later discover that the government has not followed through on all its promises. The Yazidi were brought to Canada and then neglected. Trauma services are inadequate, unplanned, and failing. As the group urges the government to keep its promise, they encounter unexpected support along the way.

"The Least We Can Do" screens at The Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival Sunday, March 27 at 11:30 am/PST

For tickets visit: https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/the-least-we-can-do/occurrences/4ed1b7bd-e5a5-4e80-8d95-39a5de5afd46
For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

For more information on Moira Simpson and WRAP:
https://womenrefugeesadvocacyproject.ca/

Editing by Otaku Media

In "Lessons" audiences see a heart-wrenching snapshot of Summer's lived experience of domestic abuse through the eyes of children.

"Lessons"  screens in the virtual presentation of The Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival Saturday, March 26 at 5:00 pm/PST

For tickets visit:  https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/lessons--2/occurrences/aeb16f57-3e2b-4c81-bfea-b56f5e216dbf
For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media

In "Finding Courage," a former journalist for the Chinese Communist Party (YIFEI WANG), living in exile in San Francisco, struggles to settle into life in America while working to heal her family’s wounds from their tragic past. She is seeking justice for the murder of her sister at the hands of the Chinese authorities. 

"Finding Courage" screens in the virtual presentation of The Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival Sunday, March 27 at 1:00 pm/PST

To tickets visit: https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/finding-courage/occurrences/f07a3890-89b9-46d3-9495-3622974aaaac

For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media

In " Lost Vegas Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow In Our Gender Diverse Community" director Bella Castellarin leads an all LGBTQI+ team, to document the history of Las Vegas' diverse community and give voice to those who are rarely heard.

This feature documentary screens Saturday, March 27 at 5:00 pm/PST

For tickets visit: https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/lost-vegas-yesterday-today-and-tomorrow-in-our-gender-diverse-community/occurrences/6bd4cf9a-5b95-4bac-acd1-e7b65443853d

For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media

In "The Burden" 18-year-old Bianca must take care of her two younger siblings when their parents are unexpectedly deported back to Columbia.

"The Burden" screens  Saturday March 26 at 3:00 pm/PST

For tickets visit:  https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/the-burden--2/occurrences/474cd71c-60c2-46b1-840d-56790c664e63

For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media

In "Tell Me About Orange," when Elliot’s best girlfriend expresses her romantic feelings for him, Elliot a blind teenage boy struggles to express his, but soon realizes that sometimes love really is blind. 

"Tell Me About Orange" screens  Saturday, March 26 at 4:00 pm/PST

For tickets visit: https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/tell-me-about-orange--2/occurrences/439d6b6e-9ff7-49d6-ba9a-7cca2815390b

For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media

In April 2021, India made headlines all around the world as the second wave of COVID brought the country to its knees. “Critical Juncture” starts at this dramatic time but focuses on a different point of view: through the eyes of Priyanka, a 30-year-old filmmaker, audiences see how women stepped up to the frontlines, to help their country in need. India is a complex country based on a patriarchal society. The key question of this documentary is: could COVID impact gender norms in India?

Storyteller and digital creative producer Alessia Barbiero is based in Amsterdam, with over eight years of international experience in documentary filmmaking. and fifteen years of experience in journalism experience  

"Critical Juncture" screens Sunday, March 27 at 10:00 am/PST
For tickets visit: https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/critical-juncture/occurrences/368e7e50-7370-4635-92b0-696d0e733b29
For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media

In "Lioness" a mother's primal instincts kick in to protect her child's innocence when both are barricaded in a motel room. 

"Lioness" screens Saturday, March 26 at 4:00 pm/PST

For tickets visit: https://www.stellartickets.com/o/alliance-of-women-filmmakers/events/lioness--2/occurrences/ac0f4fcd-e5b9-4e73-aeac-b0b001e652f5

For more information about the Los Angeles Women's International Film Festival and complete feature line up visit http://www.lawomensfest.com

Editing by Otaku Media