For the first time in Staten Island, New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) presents the Women Filmmakers: Immigrant Stories Screening Series — a free screening series of work by women filmmakers focusing on the immigrant experience throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Join us for this installment titled “Green Card Narratives.” Filmmakers will be available for a Q&A and refreshments will be available after the screening.
The Somasundarams – 6:25 mins, directed by Amrita Singh
A recently married couple in an arranged marriage grow closer to one another on the day of their green card marriage interview.
Amrita Singh is a NYU Tisch School of the Arts Screenwriting/Directing MFA candidate whose work connects to a search for identity and the meaning of home.
Katcha’s Unexpectedly Long Journey to the Beach – 9:50 mins, directed by Nada Stjepanovic
Facing deportation, young Katcha is forced to marry her janitor and in return, let him stay at her place. This seems like a quick fix, until she realizes that sharing her space with a stranger is not as easy as it seems.
Nada Stjepanovic, a Bosnian native, moved to New York City to pursue the art of cinematography and directing. She graduated from with a BFA in Film and Video Production at The City College of New York, with a minor in Studio Art – Photography. She continues to pursue a Master in Cinema Arts -Cinematography at Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.
With a strong passion for visual storytelling, and a chaotic life teeming with stories, she lives to depict the daily struggles of ordinary people on the big screen.
Johnny Loves Dolores – 27 mins, directed by Clarissa de los Reyes
A lonely clerk at a money remittance center and a jobless cleaning lady living illegally in Queens form an odd arrangement during the recent economic downturn. Johnny and Doloresexamines an aspect of the Filipino migrant experience in which money drives relationships, and loneliness is just one of the many consequences faced by Filipinos working and living in another country.
Clarissa de los Reyes migrated to New York City from the Philippines where she attended New York University’s Graduate Film Program. Her short films have screened in many film festivals including Palm Springs, Busan, Fribourg and Vancouver International film festivals. She was also a part of the US delegation of the 6th Berlinale Talent Campus at the Berlinale Film Festival.
She is the recipient of several awards and grants from various organizations, including a Grand Jury Prize at the San Diego Asian Film Festival for the short film version of her screenplay Johnny Loves Dolores where it competed alongside feature films. The film was also selected as one of six films by the American Cinematheque as part of their 8th Annual Focus on Female Directors, an annual survey of emerging female directors.
Date: Thursday, June 21, 2018
Time: 7 PM
Venue: Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
338 Lighthouse Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10306
FREE
A Special Thanks to City Council Member Joe Borelli
for support of the Cultural Immigrant Initiative.
Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art 338 Lighthouse Avenue Staten Island NY 10306
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NYWIFT programs, screenings and events are supported, in part, by grants from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
