Women Make Movies Turns 30
Three Decades of Feminist Filmmaking:
Feminist Distributor Women Make Movies Turns 30

The 30th anniversary of the pioneering feminist film distributor Women Make Movies was celebrated with a film series and a panel discussion on women. Women Make Movies is the leading non profit distributor of films and videotapes by and about women with a multicultural collection of nearly 500 titles.

Women Make Movies began in 1972 as a feisty enterprise training women to break through the gender barrier in filmmaking. It quickly moved into distribution of women's films, under the leadership of Debra Zimmerman, and its growth has followed the burgeoning women's movement. It is now a leading international distributor of women's work. Today, says Zimmerman, globalization and gender rights are two of the most important production focuses for women making movies.

See American Weekly article by Shaunna Bennet on the event.


Panel discussion
"Feminism and Filmmaking: Challenges and Changes"
Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director, Women Make Movies
Maria Finitzo, filmmaker, 5 Girls
Professor Pat Dowell, SOC
Moderator: Pat Aufderheide, Director, Center for Social Media


Film Screenings:
• Women's films about globalization introduced and discussion following with Women Make Movies Executive Director, Debra Zimmerman, "Performing the Border"
and "Made in Thailand". Followed by Public Reception in Celebration of 30 Years of Women Make Movies.

• Filmmaker Maria Finitzo and Dr. Norine Johnson, past President of the American Psychological Association introduce and discuss the fruitful creative collaboration of APA with the filmmaker.
"5 Girls", (1hr 56 min.)

• Debra Zimmerman, Executive Director of Women Make Movies on women's voices on religion hosted by Professor Lucinda Peach with Q&A.
Clips of “Divorce, Iranian Style” (Inside a divorce court, the problems of Iranian women are the stuff of high drama)

• Feminist art films with Q&A led by Professor Helen Langa
"Guerrillas in our Midst" 35 min
And "Sphinxes without Secrets" 58 min

• A transgender film, “A Boy Named Sue” 57 min. (Sue becomes Theo, over six years that challenge our expectations of gender). Co-sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance.

Click here for an interview with Debra Zimmerman, executive director of Women Make Movies.