Kent State University at Ashtabula will host a pair of award-winning films in the coming weeks focused on global/international impact and change. The Sociology Club will present “Disturbing the Peace”, co-produced by Ashtabula native Marcina Hale, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019. On Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019, the critically-acclaimed “Little Stones” will be shown, followed by a live-streamed Q&A with director and producer Sophia Kruz. Both events are free to attend and will begin at 7 p.m. in the newly renovated Main Hall Auditorium.
“Disturbing the Peace” centers on the transformational journey of a group of former enemies- Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters – turned non-violent peace advocates and activists and their Combatants for Peace (CfP) organization. While centered in the Middle East, the film addresses universal themes that transcend geography.
The film’s synopsis states “Disturbing the Peace is a film about seeing beyond the stories we accept as reality, the human longing to be free, to obtain recognition, to be loved. It is a film about long-lasting narratives that trap us in a circumscribed worldview of victim and victimizer. It is a film about possibility, persistence, and the beauty of the human spirit. By taking responsibility for our own creations we can begin to create a new vision for ourselves and society.”
“Little Stones” follows four talented women from around the world who use their creative talents and art to combat violence against women and to empower women and girls globally. The film and accompanying education initiative have been designed to raise awareness about global women’s rights issues, and to celebrate creative, entrepreneurial, and arts-therapy based solutions to the most pressing challenges facing women globally.
Directed and produced by EMMY® Award-winning filmmaker Sophia Kruz, Little Stones was filmed in Senegal, Kenya, Brazil, Germany, India and the United States. The film won Best Foreign Documentary at the Female Eye Film Festival, Best Documentary at the Vail Film Festival, and an Award of Excellence from the Impact Docs Awards.
The community screening of “Little Stones” and the live-stream of the filmmaker Q&A afterwards is presented by the Zonta Club and Kent State’s Women’s Center and Office of Global Education.
“We are thankful to the Zonta Club and Kent State for including the Ashtabula campus in this transformative event,” said Jessica Leveto, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology. “We are thrilled to host this screening and are honored to be able to share this film with the Ashtabula community and it’s message of global women’s empowerment and the use of art for social change.”
While admission to the screening is free, donations to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and to Homesafe will be accepted and are appreciated.
For more information, contact Leveto at 440-964-4568 or jleveto@kent.edu.
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