NYWIFT Announces Second Free Screening in Season Two Of Immigrant Experiences Series

WOMEN DIRECTORS: SHARING IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCES THROUGH FILM

Second Free Screening in Season Two of Series by Women Filmmakers to Feature Five Diverse Short Films on April 18

NEW YORK, NY (April 7, 2016) – Produced by New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT), Women Directors: Sharing Immigrant Experiences through Film is a screening series created to highlight and promote immigrant stories within New York City by women filmmakers. This five-month long series, designed to showcase a themed exhibition of short and feature-length films, will have its second screening on Monday, April 18 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM at the Ridgewood Public Library (20-12 Madison St.) in Ridgewood, Queens.

NYWIFT has selected five short films for its April 18 program: Sunday, directed by Iva Gocheva; Umbrella House, directed, produced, edited and shot by Catalina Santamaría; Jungle, directed, written and edited by Asantewaa Prempeh; Apple Pie, produced by Joan Caspi; and The Passage Chronicles, directed by Satoko Sugiyama.

The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers, followed by a reception to allow further engagement of the artists with the audience. Refreshments will be available before, during, and after the screening. The program is free.

Funded by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley as part of the Cultural Immigrant Initiative of the New York City Council, the Immigrant Experiences series will produce three more screenings through June 2016.

A free day-long documentary production workshop for immigrant and first generation women will take place on Saturday, May 7th at the Maspeth Town Hall.

Immigrant Experiences: Shorts – April 18 Program:

Sunday (Directed by Iva Gocheva) 
Guided by an off-screen interview, Sunday follows a young Bulgarian woman in New York dealing with the harsh reality of her expired visa. Through a cascade of images and events from her final days in the city, we see her building anxiety as she begins to realize the beauty and impermanence of her existence.

Umbrella House (Directed, Produced, Edited and Shot by Catalina Santamaría)
Umbrella House reveals the stories of the squatter community — most of them immigrants — that took over abandoned buildings in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, reconstructed them and made them into homes. They gave new life and vitality to the area, and now the Lower East Side is one of the most attractive neighborhoods in New York City. Gentrification, however, has forced out most of the local people including many squatters.

Jungle (Directed, Written and Edited by Asantewaa Prempeh)
Amadou and Yaya are two Senegalese immigrants who illegally sell purses on the streets of Chinatown, NYC. Tired with an unpredictable means of making money, they both want to move to a more permanent spot and become licensed vendors. Complications arise when Yaya seizes an opportunity and we watch the lines of trust and betrayal entangle their friendship.

Apple Pie (Produced by Joan Caspi)
A young Hispanic immigrant Tomas Gomez arrives in America with one bag, two books, and an address for a room and a place to work. On the night of his arrival a chance meeting between Tomas and a stranger on a bench at the airport, begins his introduction to America and the challenge of a new language.

The Passage Chronicles (Directed by Satoko Sugiyama)
The Passage Chronicles is an interactive web documentary that tells intimate stories of female migrants from around the world. The website invites audiences to experience the journey of each migrant and to become emotionally invested. What made her seek a new world? What became of her old world? Who is she now? What is the meaning of “home” to her? Where is her home? It explores women’s personal identities, understanding of gender roles, and sense of belonging.

For more information or to register for the April 18 screening, please visit: www.nywift.org/ImmigrantApril

About New York Women in Film & Television:

New York Women in Film & Television supports women calling the shots in film, television and digital media. NYWIFT energizes the careers of women in entertainment by illuminating their achievements, providing training and professional development, and advocating for equality.

The preeminent entertainment industry association for women in New York, NYWIFT brings together nearly 2,000 women and men working both above and below the line. NYWIFT is part of a network of 40 women in film chapters worldwide, representing more than 10,000 members. NYWIFT produces over 50 innovative programs and special events annually, including the Muse Awards for Vision and Achievement, which honors women in front of and behind the camera, and Designing Women, which recognizes costume designers, makeup artists and hair stylists in the industry.

NYWIFT is a nonprofit, 501c3 public charity, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. It is governed by an 18-member board of directors. The board is elected by the membership.

More information can be found online at: www.NYWIFT.org

Press Inquiries:
Katie Chambers
Kchambers@nywift.org
212.679.0870