South Dallas Cultural Center | 17th Black Women's Film Festival at SDCC

Films, Films and Spoken Word all Celebrating Black Women!

An Evening of Spoken Word open mic. Click here for more spoken word events. Always a laid back set, An Evening of Spoken Word lets its participants and audience enjoy themselves in the most comfortable and welcoming environment possible. Join us every 3rd Thursday from 7-9 pm for a relaxing evening of poetry and spoken word. It's free but donations are gladly accepted! Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7 pm. Free South Dallas Cultural Center Theater The 2011 Black Women's Film Festival. Black Cinematheque Dallas & South Dallas Cultural Center present the 17th Annual Black Women's Film Festival. All screenings are only $5! The lineup is : Friday, March 18 at 7:30 pm Night Catches Us by Tanya Hamilton-Director and Screenwriter 90 min.- In the summer of '76, as President Jimmy Carter pledges to give government back to the people, tensions run high in a working-class Philadelphia neighborhood where the Black Panthers once flourished. When Marcus returns-having bolted years earlier-his homecoming isn't exactly met with fanfare. His former movement brothers blame him for an unspeakable betrayal. Only his best friend's widow, Patricia, appreciates Marcus's predicament, which both unites and paralyzes them. As Patricia's daughter compels the two comrades to confront their past, history repeats itself in dangerous ways. Saturday, March 19 at 11 a.m. FREE for youth Girls on the Wall by Heather Ross - 100 min. 2009- A group of incarcerated teenage girls get a shot at redemption in a most unlikely form: a musical based on their lives. As they write and stage their play, the girls must re-live their crimes, reclaim their humanity, and take a first step toward breaking free of the prison system. "This is the most remarkable part of the film: You become a witness to inner change, and that change is initiated by the act of storytelling. An excellent film." -Huffington Post 2010 Emmy Award, Best Documentary Why Us? Left Behind and Dying by Claudia Pryor 15 min. 2010- This is a documentary made by a small group of inner-city African-American teenagers from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who decide to find out why HIV rates are higher among black Americans than any other group in the country - despite the terrible stigma around HIV in the black community. They come from a school that is academically one of the lowest rated in the city. They know they've already been written off by mainstream society, but they take on this project anyway. They question experts. They interview heterosexuals, homosexuals, and intravenous drug users. And finally, they reveal whether or not the project changed their ideas or their own sexual practices. Saturday Night, March 19, 2011 at 7:30 PM Wild Women Don't Have the Blues by Christine Dall 58 min. 1989- Wild Women Don't Have the Blues shows how the blues were born out of the economic and social transformation of African American life early in this century. It recaptures the lives and times of Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Ida Cox,Alberta Hunter, Ethel Waters and the other legendary women who made the blues a vital part of American culture. The film brings together for the first time dozens of rare, classic renditions of the early blues. African Booty Scratcher by Nikyatu Jusu 14 min.- African Booty Scratcher is an immigrant/coming of age story. It follows one fashionable, NYC teenage girl's decision to stick to family tradition or conformity when choosing her prom dress. It is a crisp and fresh showcase of good story telling, good performing and simply good film making. Writer/director Nikyatu Jusu, combined her superb storytelling skills with film producer Artesia Balthrop. This film making team sought to tell a story about family traditions for first generation American children, although one that is familiar to anyone who had ever been a teenager. It was shot by director of photography Daniel Patterson, who also shot the short film Midway, which is currently airing on HBO. Why Us? Left Behind and Dying by Claudia Pryor 15 min. 2010- 2nd screening. See description above. For more information contact Marilyn Clark at 214/426-1683. All screenings are at South Dallas Cultural Center Theater South Dallas Cultural Center Click Fahari logo for more info. Queer Film SeriesThis monthly series features films that explore issues related to being Black and a part of the GLBT community. Stay for the spirited post screening discussion! Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 3 pm $5 South Dallas Cultural Center Theater In the Words of A Sistah IVNow in its fourth year, local poet Brenda Randall hosts this exciting evening of poetry, music & song by Black women artists in the North Texas area. Come out and enjoy a mellow, creative and enlightening evening. Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 5 pm $8 South Dallas Cultural Center Theater Click photo to make a tax-deductible donation! Make a donation in honor of your favorite woman! Guess who turns 25 this year? Here's a hint: It opened in 1986 with a lot of fanfare and did the same thing in 2007 when it got bigger and better. You guessed it, The South Dallas Cultural Center! Of course we'd like to do some special things to celebrate this milestone but all that takes moolah! So to get the ball rolling, we're asking our loyal and devoted patrons (that would be you in case you didn't recognize yourself in this description!) to donate $25 ( a dollar for every year the Center has delivered excellent service to the Dallas community!) Help us make some very special things happen starting in June when we first opened our doors. Visit our website to make an online donation or just send us a check to 3400 S. Fitzhugh Avenue Dallas, TX 75210. So recognize a special woman this month by making a small donation to us in her name!

South Dallas Cultural Center 3400 S. Fitzhugh Avenue Dallas TX 75210 http://www.dallasculture.org/SDCulturalCenter/ *New Hours: Tues.-Fri.- 1-9 pm; Sat. 9-5 pm. Click on the link "To change your e-mail address or update preferences, use this link" (located at the bottom of this message) to update your information so that you will get only the information you want from the South Dallas Cultural Center and the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs." The South Dallas Cultural Center is a program of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. All programs are subject to change without notice. Call 214/939-ARTS for more information. Visit us on Facebook and become a fan!