One of the cultural highlights in Buffalo this winter is the seventh annual Women's Film Festival, which is being presented by the Institute of Research and Education on Women and Gender.
The sequence of films is made by women as a representation of their attempts to obtain a stronger voice in their community, according to Tracy Janis, the general manager at the Market Arcade Theatre.
"(The festival) is about women who strive to overcome obstacles," she said.
The theme for this year's festival is, "My Country Is The World: Films By Women." This title is taken from Virginia Woolf, as a statement of feminine determinism. Woolf writes: "As a woman, I have no country. As a woman, my country is the world."
The films this year are made up of a wide variety of topics that extend from political viewpoints to stories of romance, tragedy, and courage.
Maria Elena Gutierrez, director of the film festival and professor of Italian at UB, said the selection committee has made a careful choice of engaging films that help underline the problems that women have faced.
Carolyn Muscarella, a freshman musical theater major, said a women's film festival comes at the right time since women are beginning to play a major part in film.
"If I had time, I'd go see (the film festival), I find that now-a-days women hold a dominant role in films," she said. "I'm not really a filmgoer and all the movies I've seen have had really strong female leads."
This year's film festival committee contains several UB professors, including Gutierrez herself.
Gutierrez said Estela Bravo's film, "Fidel," will probably gather the largest audience. The film is a documentary about the life of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
"It will be interesting for Americans to see a piece about Cuba because it shows why the U.S. has problems with Cuba," Gutierrez said. "It also shows the role that Cuba has played in history."
Lucia Murat's "How Nice To See You Alive," which deals with women that were tortured in prison for opposing the Brazilian government's wish to forget the 1964 overthrow by the military coup, is also being screened.
Gutierrez said this film probably emerges from Lucia Murat's personal experiences.
"As a student, Murat opposed the idea of forgetting part of this past history. She was sent to jail and tortured," Gutierrez explained. "It is about women's struggle to remember and not to forget."
Stefanie Sicari, a freshman business major, said she would be willing to see a film that is entertaining but not overly sentimental.
"It depends on the film and the actress," she sad. "I'm not into mushy love stuff, but if it's a good drama I'll see it."
In past years, the film festival has shown films about women that were made by male filmmakers. This has since been changed, as the festival currently only allows films that were created by women to be shown.
Gutierrez said this is a rare opportunity for women to be heard, since the writing and cultural art that circulate the public is more male dominated than female.
"The problem of voice and cultural representations are an essential part of women's philosophy," said Gutierrez. "We thought it was important for women to be represented by women."
Janis said she has noticed many UB students attending the last few screenings.
"A lot of UB students and faculty come, but also many are from other universities," Janis said. "It's not a packed house, but usually pretty full."
The line-up of films include: "C'et Amour-La," by Josee Dayan for March 6, "Murder and Murder," by Yvonne Rainer for March 20, and "How Nice To See You Alive," by Lucia Murat for March 27.
There is also a special fundraiser at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center on March 29. The fundraiser will feature the films "This Is Not Living," directed by Alia Arasoughly and "Fidel." Doors open at 6 p.m., and the festival starts at 8 p.m.
A different film is shown every Thursday at 7 p.m. until March 27 at the Market Arcade Theatre, at 639 Main St. Tickets are $4.50 for students and $6.50 for the general public.
For more information about the International Women's Film Festival, students can visit the festival Web site at http://www.womenandgender.buffalo.edu/2003filmfest/
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
