NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Rutgers University-Newark. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

Women in Media-Newark (WIM-N) will hold its 10th annual International Film Festival from March 27 through April 5 in celebration of Women's History Month. Working in conjunction with Rutgers University–Newark (RU-N), their major partner, WIM-N will host the film festival over nine days at seven venues: the Newark Museum; Paul Robeson Campus Center at RU-N; East Orange Public Library; Newark Public Library; Scotch Plains Public Library; 1978 Gallery in Maplewood, New Jersey; and WBGO radio studio. All events are free and open to the public. "Each year our festival brings high-level content centered on global issues that confront women," said Pamela Morgan, executive director and founder of the festival. "It presents an amazing array of independent films from around the world that celebrate the indomitable spirit of women. Our theme this year is Voices in Black and White with a focus on major life transitions such as migration, aging, and human trafficking, in addition to films on human sexuality and the familial relationships that maintain society."

"Although the feature films are the anchor of the festival, the film shorts are nuggets bringing brief, often profound insights on myriad topics," she added. "As always, we're impressed with the talent and expertise of the filmmakers who take part in our festival." The opening ceremony will be on Wednesday, March 27 at the Newark Museum with the screening of Being Gladys, a documentary film about the life of artist Gladys Barker Grauer, who at 95 years of age, is considered to be the matriarch of Newark arts. The film, made by the New Jersey Film Maker's Lab, takes a profound look at the correlation between Grauer's life of art and her life of social/political activism. Girls on the Reel, an educational partnership between the Newark Museum and WIM-N formed to support girls who aspire to be filmmakers, will be announced on opening night.

New to the 2019 film festival is the inclusion of elements of the United Nation's HeForShe initiative where men are afforded an opportunity to support equitable opportunities for women. Event coordinator Andrew Manns, Esq., will have male members of fraternal, social and other organizations attend the film screenings on March 29 to reflect on how they can help to develop a more just world for their mothers, wives, daughters and other female family members. There also will be a panel discussion on March 29 with theater veteran Woody King Jr., screen writer Richard Wesley, producer Indira Etwaroo, and filmmaker Nefertite Nguvu, focused on women in film and theater. One of the hallmarks of the festival is the tribute paid to women who have made a significant contribution to the community. This year's honorees are: Newark Museum Director Linda Harrison; Assemblywoman Linda Carter; RU-N Executive Vice Chancellor Sherri-Ann P. Butterfield; Express Newark Co-director Anne Schaper Englot; Newark Alliance Executive Director Aisha Glover; Columbia University professor and noted scholar Farah Jasmine Griffin; United Airlines pilot Carole Hopson; Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Founder and Executive Director Carolyn A. Butts; WIM-N Second Vice President Scott Pennington, Esq., and Unchained At Last Founder and Executive Director Fraidy Reiss.

Festival highlights include:

March 27

First Lady Tammy Murphy will be in attendance



Recognizing Carter, Harrison, and Butterfield

Screening Being Gladys, the documentary film chronicling the life of Gladys Grauer March 28 New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way, Esq., will be in attendance

