Wednesday, April 1, 2009: 7:00 PM at Women's Building

2009 SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL TO PREMIER AND HOST INDIE FILMS FROM FEMALE FILMMAKERS WORLDWIDE THIS APRIL
The San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival (SFWFF) will host its fifth annual film festival-celebrating women in all areas of film from April 1 through 5 in select theaters and community centers across the Bay Area. Join us for our Opening Night, Networking Reception and Festivities on April Fools Day! Here is the line up.

Bay Area Cypher directed By Idris Hassan (USA, 2007, 27 min, Documentary) A performance documentary that blends live freestyle presentations with short interviews that document the unique evolution of Hip Hop in the San Francisco Bay Area. Film screening and performance starts at 7:00 PM. Join us for our Networking Reception from 8:00-9:00 PM.

Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority directed by Kimberlee Bassford (USA, 2008, 56 min, Documentary) Patsy Takemoto Mink made headline news in 1965 when she became the first woman of color to serve in the U.S Congress. An outspoken liberal, Mink stood out for her opposition to the Vietnam War and her fierce advocacy for equality and justice in America. Award-winning filmmaker Kimberlee Bassford chronicles the fascinating life of this pioneering politician who co-authored Title IX, the 1972 landmark decision prohibiting sex discrimination in schools, whether in education or athletics. Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority is the story of this dynamic trailblazer who, battling racism and sexism, redefined American politics. Film screening starts 9:15 PM.

Admission: $20 Advance, $25 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

To learn more about the film:
CLICK HERE

Co-presented by

Thursday, April 2, 2009: 6:00 PM at 9th Street Independent Film Center

Local Filmmaker Spotlight: Documentary and Activism Panel at 6:00 PM
We live in an age where documentary films have the power to inform the masses on hot topic issues from global warming, preserving freedom of speech to genetically modified food debate. SFWFF will host a panel dedicated to “Filmmaking and Activism.” Local Filmmakers, Shani Heckman (America's Most Unwanted), Sheila Ganz (Moms Living Clean), Windy Borman (The Eyes of Thailand), and Tamara Perkins (The Trust).

America's Most Unwanted, is a project that reveals tales of hope and survival from former foster youth and group home kids. Moms Living Clean reveals the trans-formative effect an innovative residential substance abuse treatment program has on six mothers and their young children interwoven with drug policies that impact pregnant and parenting mothers.
The Eyes of Thailand raises awareness about the endangered Thai Asian Elephant. In 1993, Thailand boasted 40,000 Thai Asian Elephants. By November 2007, a mere 14 years later, there were less than 2,600 left in captivity. The Trust is shot inside San Quentin State Prison and in surrounding Bay Area communities. The Trust program is to transform the incarcerated from social liabilities into assets for themselves, their families and their communities.

Indie Spotlight: Short Film Showcase at 7:30 PM
Palm Trees on Third Street directed by Maria Judice (USA, 2007, 19 min, Narrative/Fiction) Half-sisters, Nikki and Winter, meet for the first time among the palm trees in San Francisco. Winter helps Nikki search for a father she's never met. The journey takes a turn as they abandon the search for their father and develop a relationship of their own. Around the Way directed by Ruby Flores (USA, 2008, 11 min, Narrative/Fiction) A slice-of-life tale about a girl, a lovestruck boy, a very special Filipino dish and how they all come together on a summer day in Jamaica, Queens.
A Summer Rain directed by Ela Thier (USA, 2008, 17 min, Narrative/Fiction) When an 11-year-old Israeli girl immigrates to the US, she expresses her humorous and innocent interpretations of American culture in the letter she writes back home to her best friend. As she navigates culture shock, homesickness, and the beginnings of puberty, she finds solace with a Vietnamese girl who shares in her experience.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Co-presented by Ninth Street Independent Film Center

Friday, April 3, 2009: 5:00 PM at 9th Street Independent Film Center

Making Herstory: Young Women in the Director's Chair. Young women are full of creative insight, allowing for various perspectives through a multitude of genres. SF Women’s Film Festival honors the upcoming generation of women filmmakers, with the support of Ninth Street Independent Film Center’s youth media program, TILT. Please join us for a fun filled, impressive program of young women who make media.

Films include: & All That Jazz directed by Marie Benedetto, Allyson Laquian, Ida VSW Red, Erika Sokolower-Shain (USA, 2008, 6 min) Two urban lesbians, one young, one old - find themselves in competition for scarce housing. Their generational styles, needs, and approaches clash, but there is a hint of common ground in search for home, community. Generation of Consolidation directed by Brooke Noel and Sami Muilenburg (USA, 2008, 12 min, Documentary) A documentary exploring the impact of media consolidation on news content and how this affects youth, both as viewers and media makers. Sound Affects directed by Fifer Garbesi (USA, 2008, 2 min) What happens when you wake up one morning to discover all the sounds in your life have been scrambled? Still Life directed by Michaela Creedon (USA, 2008, 2 min) A multi-layered short that shows us the view of the city through the eyes of a young artist as she transitions through on public transportation. Klaira's Story, Part I of As Old as Our Eyes directed by Klaira Markenzon (USA, 2004, 13 min) Klaira lives in that foggy middle space between Old and New World. This Unkrainian-Jewish Teenager immigrated to San Francisco as a young child with her extended family. Now on the brink of adulthood, she interviews her grandparents about their new American lives, yearning to see her adopted world through older generations' eyes. Klaira understands that life in the United States has changed her profoundly. Thicker Than Water directed by Camille Kolodziejski and Sami Kubo (USA, 2008, 16 min) Abby is going through something that will transform her life forever. Can she keep her identity and be happy in a harshly judgmental society?

Admission: FREE. For more information about the film screening and panel:
CLICK HERE

Co-presented by

Friday, April 3, 2009: 6:30 PM at Women's Building

On this evening, SFWFF honors Lourdes Portillo with a festival Tribute Award for her many achievements and contributions to independent cinema. We will screen her film entitled Senorita Extraviada/Missing Young Woman. Senorita Extraviada/Missing Young Woman tells the haunting story of the more than 350 kidnapped, raped and murdered women of Juarez, Mexico. Visually poetic, yet unflinching in its gaze, this compelling investigation unravels the layers of complicity that has allowed for the brutal murders of women living along the Mexico-U.S. border. In the midst of Juarez's international mystique and high profile job market, there exists a murky history of grossly under-reported human rights abuses and violence against women. The climate of violence and impunity continues to grow, and the murders of women continue to this day. Relying on what Portillo comes to see as the most reliable of sources the testimonies of the families of the victims. The film documents a two-year search for the truth in the underbelly of the new global economy. Film screening with special guest Lourdes Portillo starts at 8:00 PM.

Join us at our networking reception and live performance by Lit by Lightning before film screening at 6:30 PM.

Admission: $15 Advance, $20 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Listen to Lit by Lightning:
CLICK HERE

Friday, April 3, 2009: 10:15 PM at Women's Building

Short Film Showcase. Films include: Discovering Composition in Art directed by Heidi Phillips (Canada, 2008, 2 min, Experimental) Discovering Composition in Art uses found footage as source material for various darkroom experiments. These failed attempts to capture "good composition" race before viewers' eyes like flashing lights. "By using some of these guides we can create exciting art from the world around us." Bottled directed by Jian Lee (USA, 2007, 4 min, Animation) 'Bottled' is about two people living in glass bottles. The bottles are located in an artist's studio and the characters are the creations of the artist. The hand, the artist, creates another male character for the woman to save her from loneliness. Resta directed by Anna Bucchetti (Netherlands/Italy, 2008, 24 min, Narrative/Fiction) Elena's mental illness dominates the lives of her husband and children, whose fears increasingly worsen as she goes missing every night. Mofetas directed by Ines Enciso (Spain, 2007, 10 min, Narrative/Fiction) In Tangiers, two boys hide inside the undercarriage of a truck, in order to smuggle themselves across the border. We see their joyful fantasies of getting a car, an education, and fame as such as a soccer player. In this beautifully surreal and yet down-to-earth short, the comical delight such of such dreams is interrupted when one of the stowaways is dragged away by police. But he cheers his friend on - as the truck leaves for a better world.
Dandelion Dharma directed by Veronica DiPippo (USA, 2008, 26 min, Narrative/Fiction) A magical tale of love, loss and letting go, we first meet Trudy, a distraught 20-something determined to rid herself of the final dredges of a failed romance. Brokenhearted, she stands in the community garden plot she shared with her fiance, once a reflection of their vibrant love for each other, now a barren weed-filled piece of land. Suddenly, Trudy is interrupted by three mysterious women who appear on the garden path; reluctantly she listens as the eccentric women eventually befriend and ultimately beguile her with their stories. The three women surprise her with their power of persuasion, as they become intimate sharing laced brownies and shots of vodka, as well as stories of failed romance and their own "Mr. Wrong." Savoring every detail of their touching and humorous accounts, Trudy continues to fall under the spell of these quirky wise women. Following their tales of love, where "beginnings" come from endings, endings from beginnings," Trudy's perception of life, love and reality changes, as she unexpectedly uncovers new meaning to "letting go."

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Saturday, April 4, 2009: 11:00 AM at Women's Building

Producing with Passion: Making Films That Change the World by Dorothy Fadiman and Tony Levelle

In Conversation with Dorothy Fadiman (Book discussion/workshop with filmmaker and author)
Dorothy Fadiman is an Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning filmmaker who has produced twenty documentaries focusing on issues of human rights and social justice. In this workshop and book discussion, you will learn how to sustain your intention throughout the production process, to build confidence in your ability to complete your piece, and you will develop tools for launching the final production. You will learn how to stay focused on your vision through challenges of going from idea to final product. Drawing from thirty years of experience in filmmaking, Fadiman shows how building community with a supportive team as you work is essential to turning your vision into reality that will inspire others. The workshop/book discussion combines Fadiman sharing her knowledge of three decades of producing independent media; screening of selections from her gallery of films; and an opportunity for each attendee to examine and move forward with a personal project. Books will be available at the event for purchase.

Admission: $15 Advance, $20 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Learn more about the book:
CLICK HERE

Saturday, April 4, 2009: 2:00 PM at Women's Building

The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang directed by Stacie Hawkins (USA, 2007, 89 min, Narrative/Fiction)
Starring Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards, an internationally renowned tap dancer who was the first female performer in the Tony Award Winning Bring In Da' Noise, Bring In Da' Funk, The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang tells a story of Dee Miller, a former tap dance prodigy. Dee now spends her time ruling the dance floor at the local nightclub. Living with her Mother, Dee uses the money she earns working part-time in her mother's home hair salon to finance her lifestyle. She refuses to grow up - until the day she learns of her mother's dark secret - a gambling habit that has thrown the family into financial ruin and threatens to divide them forever. In the midst of turmoil, Dee's only comfort is a new friend who reintroduces her to the world of tap - an art form that has always been close to her heart.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Watch The Rise and Fall of Miss Thang trailer:
CLICK HERE

Saturday, April 4, 2009: 2:00 PM at Variety Screening Room

Oysters Without a Shell directed by Jette Miller (Germany, 2008, 86 min, Narrative/Fiction)
For Jules and Mia, time seems to be standing still. Again and again they are trying to reinvent themselves and escape the still image, which keeps them hostage. But as soon as they dive into denial and seem to get hold of a glimpse of intimacy, reality catches up with them and throws them back into their self imposed struggle. "Oysters Without a Shell" is the semi-fictional portrait of two women, their dreams and fears, their dysfunctional generation, and Berlin, the city they live in, and that has, just like them, not found its identity yet.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Saturday, April 4, 2009: 2:00 PM at LGBT Center

GIRLS LIKE IT Shorts Program. Films include: Worst Case Scenario/Femme Edition directed by Mary Guzman (USA, 2008, 5 min, Narrative/Fiction) Lipstick ladies get a lesson in love in this self-help spoof. Rock the Like directed by Gina Mainwal (USA, 2007, 3 min, Music Video) Hip-Hop and hot dykes..we like! Lezbro: Don't Cha Know directed by Melinda Bagetelos and Dara Sklar (USA, 2008, 10 min, Music Video) Reveals the unique friendship between guys and dykes in a sassy mix of faux anthropology, reality and techno-pop music video. Your Turn directed by Sarah Grimmer (Australia, 2008, 5 min, Narrative/Fiction) Two women pass the time playing online video checkers with each other on a regular basis. On this particular night, one of them has a surprise for the other. Happy Birthday directed by Roberta Marie Munroe (USA, 2008, 14 min, Narrative/Fiction) Hannah wants a baby. Abigail wants a dildo. Jack and Madeleine like things just the way they are. Son of a Preacher directed by Jasmine Gervais (Canada, 2008, 6 min, Narrative/Fiction) Billy, the son of the town's preacher, secretly falls for a mysterious and pretty new parishoner. Unfortunately, she's thinking about someone else. Tanz ins Glueck directed by Barbara Seiler (Switzerland, 2008, 16 min, Narrative/Fiction) Anna is working as a cleaning lady. Every night she cleans Helen's office. Helen is a high level broker working in the stock exchange. The two women live in different worlds and normally would never meet each other. However they happen to have enrolled in the same salsa course. Due to the lack of men, Anna and Helen have to dance together. A lesbian fairytale depicting the possibility of overcoming social borders.

Admission: $10 Advance. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Co-presented by

Saturday, April 4, 2009: 5:00 PM at Women's Building

Look Again directed by Jennifer Lin and Jagadamba: Mother of Universe directed by Amber Field were created in a Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP) Workshop. QWOCMAP promotes the creation, exhibition and distribution of new films and videos that increase the visibility of queer women of color, authentically reflect our life stories, and address the vital social justice issues that concern our communities. Look Again directed by Jennifer Lin (USA, 2008, 7 min, Narrative/Fiction) June and Kelly are a bi-national couple struggling to stay together when Kelly's works visa runs out. Jagadamba: Mother of Universe directed by Amber Field (USA, 2008, 10 min, Documentary) A tender documentary about a queer transnational adoptee's healing journey through breath, sound, and music. To learn more about QWOCMAP: CLICK HERE

In Sickness and In Health directed by Pilar Prassas (USA, 2007, 56 min, Documentary)
In 2002, filmmaker Pilar Prassas began following seven couples in their effort to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of New Jersey. Two years into filming, however, plaintiff Marilyn Maneely, mother of five, was diagnosed with the incurable, terminal disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. On the day Marilyn passed away, her life partner of 14 years, Diane Marini, was not even allowed to sign her death certificate.

In traditional marriage vows, "till death do us part" is the phrase that follows "in sickness and in health," but to many gay and lesbian Americans, saying these words and enjoying their subsequent rights is not an option. With a tender touch, Prassas delicately balances tragedy and triumph in this film about the civil rights issues of our time - the fight to marry, and care for, the ones we love, in sickness and in health.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Watch In Sickness and In Health trailer:
CLICK HERE

Saturday, April 4, 2009: 8:00 PM at Women's Building

Iron Ladies of Liberia directed by Siatta Scott Johnson and Daniel Junge (Liberia/USA, 2007, 77 min, Documentary)
After nearly two decades of brutal civil war, Liberia is a nation ready for change. On January 16, 2006, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was inaugurated as the country's first elected female president and Africa's first freely elected female head of state. Despite massive support in Liberia and abroad, Johnson Sirleaf must not only find ways to reform a corrupt authoritarian government saddled with astronomical debts, but must also confront opponents loyal to former President Charles Taylor-all without alienating her voter base. Since taking office, Johnson Sirleaf has appointed an unprecedented number of women of leadership positions in all areas of the Liberian government. Highlighting the challenges of African countries currently face, this film provides an uplifting example of women who have become the backbone of change. As filmmakers explore a historic transition from authoritarianism to democracy, the viewer is treated to a joyous, inspirational testimony of the political power of women's leadership and diplomacy.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Learn more about the film:
CLICK HERE

Sunday, April 5, 2009: 11:00 AM at Brava Theatre

How NOT To Make a Short Film: Secrets From a Sundance Programmer In Conversation with Roberta Marie Munroe (Discussion/Workshop with filmmaker and author)
Join us, As Roberta Marie Munroe, dispels the mystery of making short films and guides us through the madness of production for both narrative and documentary, from funding and casting to festival and distribution strategy. She should know. After fifteen years of watching 15,000 short films and making her own award-winning short films, Munroe has a keen insider's take on production and the business of short filmmaking. Advance ticket purchase includes a copy of Munroe’s book How Not to Make a Short Film!

Admission: $35 Advance, $40 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Learn more about the book:
CLICK HERE

Sunday, April 5, 2009: 2:00 PM at Brava Theatre

The Gits directed by Kerri O'Kane (USA, 2007, 70 min, Documentary)
The Gits chronicles the tragic story of one of the most influential bands to emerge from the Seattle music underground. With an innovative sound that coupled hardcore punk with heartfelt blues, the Gits were poised to break into mainstream, but they could never achieve the success of contemporaries Nirvana or Pearl Jam because of July 7, 1993 singer Mia Zapata was found murdered - apparent victim of rape/homicide. It was a crime unsolved when director Kerri O'Kane began shooting her debut feature. In the interim, however, fans, friends and celebrities like Joan Jett and Nirvana helped raise money to reopen what had become a cold case file. Mia's death had reverberated throughout the music community, and unprecedentedly Mia's killer was brought to justice as the cameras rolled. Steve Moriarty, co-founder and drummer of the GITS in attendance.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Learn more about the film:
http://www.thegitsmovie.com

Sunday, April 5, 2009: 2:00 PM at Variety Screening Room

6 Yards to Democracy directed by Nishtha Jain and Smriti Nevatia (India, 2006, 55 min, Documentary) 6 Yards to Democracy revisits a gruesome incident that took place during an election rally in north India. Thousands of women from poor localities of Lucknow city, lured by the promise of free saris, had been waiting for hours in the harsh sun for the cheap six-yard cloths. A stampede occurred: 22 died and hundreds were injured. This seemingly stray happening uncovers the sordid side of Indian democracy, and connects in significant ways with the daily humiliations forced upon these women and their families. As boomtown dynamics keep pushing them further into the margins, we observe women's struggles to keep their homes, hopes and dignity intact while petitioning an apathetic state of their dues.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Co-presented by Stephen Parr, Oddball Films

Sunday, April 5, 2009: 5:00 PM at Brava Theatre

Filming Desire: A Journey Through Women's Film directed by Marie Mandy (France, 2000, 60 min, Documentary)
"In this bold documentary Marie Mandy asks the question: how do women directors film love, desire, and, especially, sexuality? In rare interviews with many of the leading women directors working in the world today - including Sally Potter, Agnes Varda, Catherine Breillat, Doris Dorrie, Deepa Mehta, Moufida Tiatli, Safi Faye, and Jane Campion - FILMING DESIRE: A JOURNEY THROUGH WOMEN'S CINEMA directly engages the sexual politics of cinematographic choice.
Powerfully illustrated in film clips from their own work, the directors discuss the reality of an explicit women's point of view, the possibility of a women's cinematic language, and the desire in their films to 'fantasize and dream a new image of themselves'. While discussing how their depictions of sexuality and relationships are correctives, they also reflect on the sexual differences in selection of image, shot, and story.

Admission: $10 Advance, $12 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Sunday, April 5, 2009: 8:00 PM at Brava Theatre

Isabel Allende directed by Paula Rodriguez Sickert (Germany, 2007/2008, 58 min, Documentary)
Award-winning best selling novelist Isabel Allende has inherited her uncle's name and with it a legacy of troubled Chilean history. The world-famous Chilean author reveals her passionate engagement with life and politics. Born in Peru in 1942 and raised in her grandparent's house in Chile, she started her career as a journalist. After the Chilean army overthrew her uncle Salvador Allende's government, she spent thirteen years in political exile in Venezuela before love finally brought her to live in the United States. Isabel Allende manages to transform her passionate and painful life into literature, exorcising her experiences onto the page. What emerges is a portrait of a remarkable woman who not only emerged out of history but helped shape it directly. Isabel Allende in attendance.

Admission: $20 Advance, $25 Door. To purchase tickets in advance go to:
CLICK HERE

Learn more about Isabel Allende:
www.isabelallende.com