A month-long celebration of female filmmakers.
Sophia Coppola. Ava Duvernay. Mira Nair. Katherine Bigelow. Dee Rees. And on and
on. Across genres and generations, female filmmakers have been breaking ground and glass ceilings, telling
stories that demand and deserve to be told.
FilmScene, Iowa City's nonprofit cinema, has a long tradition of programming films made by women. In
March 2018, we take it a step further by presenting “Women's March”. Every day, every screen and
every program, FilmScene will present films made exclusively by women.
In order to celebrate talented local, national and international female artists, “Women's March” will
showcase female directed new releases alongside classic cinema, films with local roots, and dialogues
about the female perspective in the industry. FilmScene's popular family and children's series “The Picture
Show” presented by MidWestOne Bank and “Late Shift at the Grindhouse”, as well as programming in
partnership with the University of Iowa's Bijou Film Board will all yield the screens to female artists.
“FilmScene takes our responsibility to present diverse and inclusive films seriously, and when we looked at
the current landscape of cinema, we knew we wanted to speak loudly and proudly in support of female
filmmakers, from the trailblazers who changed the industry to the new voices who are shaping the future,”
says Programming Director Rebecca Fons. “FilmScene is thrilled to be showcasing this month-long
program that will be intersectional, stimulating and, of course, entertaining.”
Women's March includes the
following highlights:
- Homegrown – Films made by Iowa women or women with Iowa roots
- Pioneers – Historically significant films directed by pioneers in the industry
- Vanguard – Contemporary films from new voices and emerging talents
The WOMEN’S MARCH program is led by FilmScene Programming Director Rebecca Fons and
counseled by an advisory board which includes Laura Bergus (FilmScene Board Chair), Jamie Ellis (United
Action For Youth), Liz Gilman (Produce Iowa), Leah Vonderheide (University of Iowa Visiting Assistant
Professor; Little Village Magazine), P. Sam Kessie (Filmmaker), Connie White (Balcony Booking), and Spencer
Williams (Filmmaker, FilmScene staff).