34th DC International Filmfest: Filmmakers Dialogue with D.C. Students
Teaching for Change was pleased to partner with Filmfest DC in October of 2020 for the ninth year to bring filmmakers to DC classrooms. Through this partnership, students and educators gained access to the 34th Washington, D.C. International Film Festival documentaries to view at home, and ten classes hosted filmmakers, including two films in the Justice Matters series.
Here are descriptions of the virtual classroom visits.
Resisterhood, Cardozo Senior High School
Kevin Fox and Rashad Lynch, teachers at Cardozo Senior High School (DCPS), hosted the filmmaker and three of the activists featured in the film, Resisterhood, a documentary about the power of women, hope, and resistance in modern U.S. politics. Resisterhood tells the stories of people who protest, march, teach, speak, organize, run for office, and get arrested in an effort to protect democracy and encourage people to VOTE. Through their actions, we learn that we all have the power to change our country by speaking and standing up for a more just society.
The visit by filmmaker Cheryl Jacobs Crim opened with heartfelt greetings and a collective mindful minute led by Fox. The students introduced themselves to the special guests including Jessica Guiterrez (former teacher and Chicago City Council candidate), activists and Resisterhood participants Margaret Morrison and Dallas, and the film’s director Cheryl Crim.
The Cardozo students asked questions, beginning with an inquiry from a 12th grader:
What is the toughest part of making the film and how long did it take?
Crim shared that shooting began at the 2017 Women's March in Washington, D.C., and took about 4 years to complete.
Prior to the virtual visit, the teachers asked students to predict what emotions the filmmaker was trying to evoke. Some of the student responses were:
Inspired
Angry, mad
Hope
Ready to act and do more!
When Cardozo students asked the filmmaker the same question, Crim replied, “The biggest thing I wanted people to feel was hope.”
The students asked about challenges during film production. Crim responded: broken materials, travel, finances and budgeting.
Margaret Morrison is a seasoned activist who marched from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. She is now in her 80’s and continues to attend march after march, inspiring everyone around her, including her 12-year-old grand-nephew, Dallas.
Dallas shined light on the youth perspective. He mentioned that a friend of his did not come to school after the 45th president’s election. This made him realize how deeply the election impacted others emotionally and encouraged reflection on the changes happening in his life. A student asked Ms. Morrison, “How are these things connected to Black History Month?”
She replied, “Black History Month is every day for me.” She reminded students:
You don’t have to be an icon to be important. Together, we became extraordinary. That’s what you can do to this country. You are doing amazing things — keep at it!
Learn more from the Resisterhood Toolkit.
The First, International Academy at Cardozo Education Campus
Elizabeth Barkley and her high school students welcomed local filmmaker Mohammed Saffouri. Saffouri’s film The First follows 24-year-old Libyan-American Abrar Omeish as she campaigns for a seat on the Fairfax County School Board. Omeish was elected to the school board in November 2019, becoming one of Virginia’s youngest elected officials and the first Muslim woman to win a seat on the board.
The students engaged in a rich discussion with Saffouri, asking questions about the filming process and the story of Abrar's campaign for Fairfax's State Board of Education.
Janet, a tenth grader from Nigeria asked, “What did you learn about Abrar?”
Saffouri shared with students that during prep shooting, he was able to see what a passionate, hard working woman she is. He added that many of the campaign interns were high school students.
Most Era, a senior from Bangladesh, asked about the representation of minority groups in other films in this year’s film festival. Muhammed said, “I didn’t see myself represented in movies — I didn’t see my mom or my sister or my grandma.” This inspired the artist’s passion to tell the “untold stories and educate others.”
Inspired by the filmmaker’s journey, the students shared their own experiences of overcoming doubt, finding authenticity, and recognizing the power of storytelling.
They asked Saffouri about future plans. He announced that his next film will be about a young Palestinian soccer player who is forced to leave his country to seek refuge during a time of war. This story of a dream deferred is a personal narrative for the filmmaker — in fact, it will be a look into Saffouri’s grandfather’s life.
Saffouri encouraged the group to create their own films and the teacher echoed with, “Continue to tell your stories fearlessly!”
The First, Capital City Public Charter School
Benjamin Williams, a high school U.S. government teacher at Capital City Public Charter School and an active member of the D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice MS/HS working group, also welcomed Mohammed Saffouri to his class for a virtual visit. Having viewed the film as a class, the students came with many questions for the artist.
This class divided their questions into three parts: motivation and filming, messages, and post-filming/social justice. Some of their opening questions were:
Why did you choose to do the story?
How did you, as the director, learn about her campaign?
Was it hard for you as a director to see the adversity and discrimination that she faced?
How did it feel to capture people being rude and racist while filming?
Director and filmmaker Saffouri shared his experience as a filmmaking student at George Mason University in Virginia. He described first meeting Abrar on campus, and later collaborating to document her campaign for the Fairfax School Board.
Many of the students shared reactions and questions about the discrimination Abrar faced as a young hijab-wearing, Muslim woman. he group asked, "How do you feel about being Muslim and making films?" Suffouri replied honestly, "Afraid in the beginning." But he encouraged the group to share their stories, adding, "A lot of Muslim stories are untold."
Saffouri uses his filmmaking skills and passion for storytelling as a way to combat poor representation of Muslims in modern media. “Abrar is the seed we are planting,” he shared.
Saffouri dreams of inspiring generations to come through his film. He told the group of the many positive reactions to the film and Abrar’s victorious campaign story. Mohammed recalled “not knowing the campaign outcome and still seeing her as an inspiration.”
Curious about the modern day experiences of a filmmaker, students also shared questions about the impact COVID-19 has had on the filmmaking process and future projects. Collectively gathering in a virtual space of vulnerable, creative, and inspiring conversation, there was a special hopefulness in the air.
“Thank you for being here and inspiring all of us!” one high schooler told Saffouri.
“I’m applying to George Mason University!” another student excitedly shared in closing.
The group later shared thanks and virtual waves goodbye with their guest.
Maxima Filmmaker Visits with D.C. High School Students
On Friday October 9, eighty high schoolers from Capital City Public Charter School in Washington D.C. joined a Zoom call with Claudia Sparrow, director and producer of the film Maxima. Maxima follows Máxima Acuña, a Peruvian activist fighting a multinational gold mining corporation over rights to her land. Students had watched the film prior to her visit, and prepared questions about the filmmaking process and Sparrow’s experience working with Máxima. Two students, Adriana Licona and Liv Birnstad, moderated the discussion asking their own questions, along with those of other students.
Sparrow asked students what they learned or were surprised by in the film. Students shared that they learned about the gold-mining industry and how harmful it is to the environment. Many students were inspired by Máxima. They were shocked by Máxima’s strength despite her small physical size, as well as her perseverance in her fight. One student shared their surprise that Máxima asks for peace calmly in the film despite the abuses committed by the mining company.
Here are some reflections from the students:
I learned that it is really important to stand up and defend your rights. Because if you don’t, people will try to take advantage of them.
I learned that some things are worth fighting for even if it means getting hurt or in trouble.
I learned that it was more than just a fight over land, but a statement on who holds power in this country.
This movie changed the whole way I look at the world.
The new virtual world also meant that Filmfest DC was able to make several films available for classes to view even when the filmmakers were not available. Lynn Palmer’s French class at Wilson High School watched the French film Perfumes and discussed it together, and Electra Bolotas’ class at E.L. Haynes watched and discussed Maxima.
Many thanks to Filmfest DC for their continued partnership and to Linda Blackaby, Senior Program Consultant for the DC International Film Festival. Students gain a lot from viewing the documentaries, preparing questions, and discussing the film with the visitors. (Read about prior year visits.)