What we’re about
* Tap on "Read more" below for details.
***
WOMEN OF COLOR FILM SOCIETY
(WOCFS, an evolving work in-progress)
“Generations of WOC gather to support, elevate and celebrate the art of cinema by and about WOC.”
Cost
Trial/drop-in: Free
Annual: $6 /year contribution to help cover group’s Meetup website costs
*Join by invitation only at this time for safety and security of members.
Locations
Based in Oakland, CA
Future events: in-person (US), virtual (worldwide).
Who
This group is for WOC film fans including: filmmakers, artists, writers, scholars, and critical thinkers. It's for WOC who have a *deep passion for the film craft, storytelling, equity, and intellectual discussion.
WOCFS (aka Film: Salon, Collective, Cineclub, Film appreciation group.)
is a multi-generational community-run, informal appreciation/fan/aficionado group for film (high quality, critically-acclaimed cinematic story-telling) for/about/by WOC.
[Watch video from Seejane.org](https://www.youtube.com/embed/BumIt2pIRuw)
Program
The WOC Film Society empowers the community to watch and support film and creative media by and featuring WOC.
The WOCFS aims to present a curated program for first run and arthouse films with community engagement. By hosting outings to screenings, WOCFS supports and shines the spotlight on WOC filmmakers while connecting their work to the wider film community.
What
- Screenings of primarily non-mainstream films (e.g., art house, experimental, independent, documentary, international cinema) in the tradition of the art salon, film society, and/or cineclub.
- Organized by volunteers for screenings at their homes and community spaces (to promote spaces to socialize), or theaters.
- Film series will express the richness, complexity and diversity of the worldwide WOC experience.
- Sometimes, we will take field trips for blockbuster hits like BP, CRA, Joy ride.
Membership
- By invitation only for now for personal safety at home venues.
- Members are WOC of any age over 21.
- Guests: WOC are welcome. (For "Friends and Family" events when stated, member may bring non-WOC guests: friends and family, allies, children when appropriate.)
- Required note from Meetup HQ:
"While family groups are more than welcome on Meetup, anyone under the age of 18 attending an event must be accompanied by an adult. You can learn more about our age policies in our community guidelines."
Film suggestions
If you would like to organize a screening at your place or an informal outing to a film (cinematic) screening (e.g., at a theatre, film festivals, museum, university, etc.) that fits the group’s criteria, please DM and send me your brief proposal!
Event types, guidelines
- Screenings feat. WOC directors/producers/actresses/subject matter.
- Books and plays adapted to film will be discussed in book club form.
- Genres include: Art, documentary, fiction, social justice, action adventure, etc.
- Optimism will be a positive guiding light in overall programming.
More
WOCFS is an informal appreciation/fan/aficionado group for film (high quality, critically-acclaimed cinematic story-telling) for/about/by WOC. It recognizes that there is a diversity of voices in this unrepresented group, that comprises a large part of humans of the world, yet has been under represented in modern, post-colonial media.
WOCFS will evolve in the future to include emerging media forms that feature storytelling.
Examples
Films about/by notable indie and art filmmakers like:
Ava Duvernay, MOB group, Zora Neale Hurston, Marilou Abaya-Diaz, Trin Minha, Mira Nair, Freida Lee Mock, Chloe Zao, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Julie Dash, Dee Rees, Marjane Satrapi, etc.
*More to come with upcoming art exhibits, special screenings, film festivals.
Why
Explore the amazing and wide world of women of color (WOC) storytelling! Support films by and about WOC because representation matters.
There are lots of film fan meetup groups out there, but none that focused on the interests and lives of WOC. Historically, most depictions of WOC in mainstream movies and TV, portrayed them stereotypically as submissive maids, nurses, sex workers, etc. This did not align with number of powerful, talented, smart women family and friends (doctors, therapists, nurses, teachers, managing editor, writer, business owners, artists, attorneys, scientists, coaches, directors in various fields, etc.) I've observed in life.
During hikes with my local SF Bay Area WOC hiking group, I found that many of us enjoyed smart conversations about films and books. Furthermore, I missed my time as a grad. student and instructor at the film program in Austin, TX. In Austin, my arts community enjoyed the cozy, casual salon/living room vibe of projected home screenings, and also special independent theatre screenings with interesting presenters and discussions.
Why discuss films and books?
Many films are inspired by/based on books and comic books.
Inspirations
- Past work and attendance of screenings at the Austin Film Society, CAAM film fest., etc.
- Past experience working in the past for male-dominated film and media sectors.
- Array “impact collective dedicated to narrative change” by Film Director Ava Duvernay.
- I was inspired to support fun, safe, and dedicated spaces for WOC to discuss films that reflect the plethora of amazing real life women of the world.
— RC Brillantes, MFA
Volunteer
***
Further reading
Representations of Black Women in Hollywood
I am not a fetish or model minority, API
Hollywood Diversity Report: Audiences showed up for diverse films in theaters, online, UCLA
*Reports are published for findings of previous year.
Why on-screen representation matters, teens, PBS
Why on-screen representation matters
A third of lead Asian American, Pacific Islander roles in top films played by..., NBC News
Who is a woman of color?
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/woman-of-colour
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woman%20of%20color
(c) COPYRIGHT for all content herein WOCFS 2023–present