The University of Scranton’s Jane Kopas Women’s Center celebrated International Women’s Day through an educational film series that highlighted the struggles and victories of women across the world.
The March 8 celebration included the screening of three films followed by audience discussions about each. Justine Johnson, director of the Jane Kopas Women’s Center, envisioned the open discussions as a catalyst to understanding a global perspective.
“International Women’s Day is celebrated in other countries around the world and moves to bring awareness to international women’s issues,” Johnson said. “I hope participants take away the understanding that, while we’re individuals here in Scranton, we’re connected to a larger community.”
The first film, “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” is a documentary based on the book by journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. The portions of the film screened focused on gender-based violence in Sierra Leone, inter-generational prostitution in India, and economic empowerment of women in Kenya.
The film also featured several celebrities who traveled with Kristof to raise awareness. The documentary began with an interview with George Clooney, who explained the vision and significance of the project by saying that, in order to change tragedy, we first have to be able to connect to it.
Gretchen Van Dyke, Ph.D., associate professor of political science at the University, began the discussion about the film by choosing to focus on the positive undertones that are present in the face of tragic circumstances.
“One great thing about the documentary is that it not only underscores great challenges that women face, but it also underscores how empowering women can be to other women in overcoming the problems facing them,” Dr. Van Dyke said.
The second film, “In the Name of the Family,” is a documentary by Emmy Award-winning Shelly Saywell that exposes “honor killings” of Muslim school girls that have taken place in North America. “Honor killings” are homicides perpetrated by a family member or close cultural associate because the victim is deemed to have dishonored the family.
The final film, “Apache 8,” concluded the film festival. The documentary portrayed the heroics of the all-women, Native American firefighters group in the Fort Apache Reservation in Arizona. This film was chosen by Johnson for the conclusion of the University’s celebration.
“This is a very unique perspective and I think it’s one that gives us a lot of hope,” Johnson said. “We wanted to end International Women’s day on the high note – that there are great stories, that there are changes that are taking place in our world for the better.”
03-18-13
Timothy Tymon '14, Dunmore, is a communication major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in English literature at The University of Scranton.
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Film festival commemorates International Women’s Day
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