This September 1st through the 15th, Scarecrow is proud to be participating in #DirectedByWomen, a two-week celebration of women film directors and their work. Almost every day during this period, we’ll be hosting a FREE screening of a woman-directed work, and we’re also partnering with local filmmakers and groups to curate some of their own selections.

Here’s Directed by Women’s Nancy Pew to tell you more about it:

The world of film is rich and varied, full of diversity and creativity. This September 1-15, everyone is invited to celebrate women directors and their films during the global viewing party Directed by Women. Across America and overseas, film lovers are organizing viewing events in theaters, on college campuses, in libraries, in private homes and even in a Hollywood cemetery!

As a member of the Directed by Women Action Team, I am delighted to be bringing the party to Seattle. Scarecrow has graciously stepped up to show many films in early September and the Seattle Public Library will be holding showings at various locations throughout the month of September. There is still time to organize more events!

How did this idea come about?  My sister, Barbara Ann O’Leary, who lives in Indiana, has had a lifelong passion for film and for supporting women in achieving their dreams. While many of the movies we see in commercial theaters are directed by men, many other films, long and short, are being made by women directors.  Barbara wanted to shine the spotlight on these works and to invite everyone to celebrate the diversity of work women directors are bringing to the world.

Thanks, Nancy!

You can learn more about the project and see lists of films directed by women at

directedbywomen.com

There is more information at these sites, too:

http://directedbywomenevents.tumblr.com/

https://www.facebook.com/directedbywomen

And the Directed By Women Facebook Event page

You can check out the schedule of screenings at the Seattle Public Library right here.

Here’s a list of titles we’ll be screening here at Scarecrow:

• Fri, Sept. 4, 7:30 pm — PORTRAIT OF A LADY, 1996, d. Jane Campion
• Sat, Sept. 5, 8pm — STARSTRUCK, 1982, d. Gillian Armstrong
• Mon, Sept. 7, 7pm — DAISIES, 1966, d. Vera Chytilova
• Wed, Sept. 9, 7pm — CLEO FROM 5-7, 1962, d. Agnes Varda
• Fri, Sept. 11, 8pm — NEAR DARK, 1987, d. Kathryn Bigelow
• Sat, Sept. 12, 6:30pm — MISS REPRESENTATION, 2001, d. Jennifer Siebel Newsom & Kimberlee Acquaro
• Sat, Sept. 12, 8pm — REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES, 2002, d. Patricia Cardoso
• Sun, Sept. 13, 7pm — DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST, 1991, d. Julie Dash
• Mon, Sept. 14, 7pm — EVE’S BAYOU, 1997, d. KASI LEMMONS

And on Thursday September 10th at 7pm, local filmmaker Kathie Kelly will be here screening some of her short films:

Kathie Kelly makes short narrative films with dance themes. Her recent films highlight the dreams and drama of Baby Boomers who are part of the vibrant Seattle area partner dance community, featuring actors who are highly skilled dancers. This collection of films includes: 

• WISHFUL DANCING (2015, 10 min): A woman intrigued with dancing searches for a partner, trying increasingly inappropriate candidates.
• TOO MUCH PAST (2015, 8 min): A young woman struggling with a romantic partner with emotional baggage finds comfort in dance and the support of friends. (filmed in 1978 in Super 8 and re-edited)
• DANCE MOVES (2014, 10 min): A widow tries partner dancing to meet other mature adults, but are the adults mature?
• OPERA LOVER (2013, 3 min, B&W): A hard-nosed female detective searches for an opera singer’s stalker and finds romance instead (Submitted to SIFF/Seattle Times Three-Minute Masterpiece competition)

And make sure to visit Directed By Women’s Events Tumblr to find out how you can participate with your own screenings and gatherings! We’ll be updating the list of screenings, so make sure to check back with us! This is going to be a great series, and we hope to see you here!