The Women’s Museum of California is excited to announce our lineup of women directed films for the 2019 Women’s Film Festival San Diego.
The festival will take place April 19 – 20, 2019 at the Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza. This annual film festival was created to celebrate women’s stories and experiences through film.
The two day festival highlights the importance of female representation in the film industry, including women both in front of and behind the camera. Between 2007 and 2017 Women only represented 4% of the top-grossing films directors, The Women’s Film Festival San Diego strives to close the gender gap in filmmaking by showcasing women directed films from around the world.
The festival kicks off Friday, April 19th with a red carpet and opening reception at the Lyceum Theatre.
2019 Film Festival Schedule and Film Selections
Friday, April 19th
6:00 PM – Red Carpet and Opening Reception
7: 00 PM – Film Presentation
Expecting – Michele Wiles, former principal dancer of American Ballet Theatre, is about to give birth to her first child. Wiles is a top athlete and artist in her field, but like any other woman she faces the exhilaration and anxiety that comes along with the milestone of starting a family.
Full Moon and High Tide in the Ladies Room– Babe, a waitress in the Village gets pregnant. Her boyfriend , Hal gets scared. Two years into Roe versus Wade, homeless Babe must make a decision. Have a baby? Don’t have a baby .
I’m Not Dead – This romantic road drama, set in the desert, is focused on Effi, a 33-year-old soon-to-be mother. As a woman expecting her first child, Effi planned the birth meticulously. She hired a professional home-birth wife, got an inflatable birth pool and even prepared some dolphin music for relaxation. There’s just one thing she forgot: To tell her partner she has no intention to give birth at the hospital, like they agreed, but at their home, more than an hour away from the nearest medical center.
8:30 PM– Panel Discussion
Saturday, April 20
10:00 AM – Student Film Selections
(Much Ado About) Literally Nothing – In this romantic comedy short, two friends attempt to define their relationship during opening night of their college production of Much Ado About Nothing.
American Love– American Love follows Maria, an undocumented person, in the 24 hours after losing her job. While out to dinner with her boyfriend, their waitress accuses Maria of stealing a tip-off a table. A simple misunderstanding quickly escalates into a life-threatening situation.
&You – In the wake of the #metoo movement, a survivor at James Madison University becomes a powerful advocate on campus after her own assault case gets handled in all the wrong ways.
The Letter – 12-year-old Marcela finds an airmail letter that she suspects may be from her absent father, who left Mexico to go to The United States. Her brother Rogelio, betrayed by his father’s absence takes the letter from Marcela. In order to learn more about her father, she must convince Rogelio she is ready to read what’s inside the letter. To prove this, Marcela shows him her secret scrapbook containing naïve scenarios and clues to her father’s silence
The Auction – A devoted sister is given a chance at saving her brother’s life when she discovers the first ever auction of a human heart.
Strangers Ourselves – Eighty-six-year-old Elizabeth Rapley has sponsored ninety-two refugees since 1979, helping them resettle in Canada. At a time of global refugee crisis, this short documentary explores the everyday facets of extraordinary acts of offering and seeking refuge.
1:00 PM – Women in Film Panel Discussion
2:00 PM – Short Documentary Selections
Walking into the Unknown – California’s South Asian Punjabi women share their extraordinary life stories over the last century in dramatic eyewitness accounts and rare archival footage. Pioneer women describe their extensive contributions to peach farming and to the revival of the religious and cultural life in northern California, especially Yuba City. Younger women try to balance their professional ambitions with their family duties, culture and faith.
Passage to Womanhood – A group of Muslim trans women stand their ground against social marginalization in secular Malaysia. Redefining femininity in Islam they are painting painting their own portrayal of womanhood.
3:30 PM – Short Narrative Selections
Red Velvet – Shalmali, a writer, wards off a gossipy neighbour trying to get too close for her comfort by telling her a story she has written. But as the spine-chilling story progresses to become more and more bizarre, the neighbour, standing in for the audience, is so befuddled; she is forced to question the “truth” of her story. Is it just a figment of her imagination or has this actually happened in Shalmali’s life?
Gamers – An amateur female gamer is given a once in a lifetime opportunity to try out for a pro league gaming team, only to be repressed by self-doubt.
LA Hustle – An aspiring actress leaves her small town in search of fame, fortune and a place to live.
Donuts – A young woman’s night changes direction after a downward spiral of self examination.
Heather Has Four Moms – When Heather decides to lose her virginity for her 15th birthday, Mom’s wife must convince Mom, and Mom’s ex, and Mom’s ex’s partner that it’s time for Heather to have “the talk”. Which mom is ready to help Heather make a big decision? It’s a mother-daughter story. Times four.
7:00 PM –Feature Film Selection
Elevate – When elevators get stuck, Trina is the overweight dispatch operator on the other end of the emergency line.
Trina’s job gets the best of her as she tries to complete just one day of healthy eating. Harassed by her cruel boss and overwhelmed by the trapped elevator occupants that reach out to her for help, her only escape is Lola, a fitness guru who she desperately tries to emulate.
In this drama, everyone finds themselves caught in the grips of food addiction, homophobia and racism.
Tickets for the Women’s Film Festival are on sale now! https://www.womensfilmfestivalsandiego.com/passes
Women’s Museum of California 