March 3, 2016 4pm-9:30pm
Brattle Theater
40 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA

The opening event for the Women Take the Reel film festival is devoted to reflecting on and celebrating Black Lives through film, music, poetry, and dialogue.  Each of the works presented in this program provides a different lens with which to look at topics ranging from identity, racial justice, sexuality, gender, masculinity, and more.  All of the contributing artists and filmmakers will be present to talk about their works that day and will be featured in a concluding roundtable discussion and Q&A with the audience. 

4pm: Opening reception

4:45pm: Welcome by Professor Sandy Alexandre, Associate Professor of Literature at MIT

5pm: Screening of Black Men Dream by Shikeith with introduction from the filmmaker, followed by musical performance by Castle of our Skins: Seychelle Dunn (saxophone) and Adrienne Baker (flute)

6:15pm: Slam Poetry performance by Lenelle Moïse followed by screening of feature film black./womyn. by Tiona McClodden with introduction by the filmmaker

8:30pm: Roundtable discussion with Tiona McClodden, Lenelle Moïse, Shikeith, members of Castle of Our Skins and moderated by Barbara Lewis, Associate Professor of English and Director of the Trotter Institute for the Study of Black History and Culture at UMass Boston.

This event is co-sponsored by the Women and Gender Studies Department at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, The Women’s Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at Boston University, the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies at Simmons College, and the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at Northeastern University.  

*Food and drinks will be available throughout the evening.