On September 19, Zoe and Kadee presented at Hawaiʻi FEAST their film PRETTY GOOD START, part of the Girls Lead Initiative.
FEAST refers to a community dinner, at which attendees pay to join a catered reception, and a portion of that payment is set aside as a prize. While attendees eat, mingle, and imbibe, different artists showcase their work and explain their proposed public art project. After the presentations are over, attendees vote on the creative proposal they wish to award the prize. It’s win-win-win: Attendees enjoy a meal with friends, one artist (or group of artists) is awarded funding to put towards a public art project, and all presenters gain exposure and a rare networking opportunity (https://hawaiifeast.com/about/)
This FEAST was being held in partnership with Mental Health America of Hawaii to support mental health & community wellbeing. They send out a call to "artists of all mediums who were interested in presenting their ideas for using public art & creative advocacy as a tool to support mental health and wellbeing."
Our proposed creative advocacy project entailed the screening of the short film “Pretty Good Start” to at least three youth groups and have the filmmakers facilitate a conversation right after the screening with their peers. We believe that the screening and talk story will bring people together for youth-driven conversations in informal community settings, and it hopes to engage affected youth while also connecting them to the local experts, resources, and organizations.
“Pretty Good Start” is meant to address the general misconceptions and stereotypes of mental disorders like depression versus the actual realities of them and the effect they have on one’s personal and professional life. According to the depression and suicide education awareness program, I Need a Lighthouse, “Approximately 20 percent of teens will experience depression before they reach adulthood”. With this vast amount of teens subject to depression, it’s a wonder that there are still so many who are unaware and unaccepting of someone with a mental disorder. Director Kadee Wauke explains, “I have been very active in raising awareness on depression, being able to tell a story about it through film was a more creative way than just doing so through a speech.”
The proposal was extremely well-received, and Zoe and Kadee received several questions after the presentation and many FEAST attendees congratulated them afterward.
Upcoming Girls Lead screenings:
November 13, 2018 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm @ The Impact Hub
November 19, 2018 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm @ The Impact Hub
November 29, 2018 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm @ The ARTS at Marks Garage
Now, we are reaching out to schools, youth groups and organization to host more screenings and facilitate informed conversation and develop plans of community actions on what matter most to our young women filmmakers!
Ultimately, with these processes, we aim at creating spaces for conversations leading to the development plans of action on the issue(s) discussed with the girls themselves leading the community transformation on the most urgent issues they face as girls. Given the current political climate, it is imperative to cultivate spaces for girls to express the pervasive nature of systemic oppression and have them lead the change. This initiative allows our communities to be more just and inclusive of our girls and young women, and use those conversations as the springboard to develop action plans aimed to transform communities.
Through filmmaking we activate a personal transformation which translates into social change.
Yes, girls as agents of social change.
Invite us to screen our films and talk to your group, school or organization! contact us by email at aloha@hawaiiwomeninfilmmaking.org, or call 800-460-6488
Girls Lead is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Women's Fund of Hawaiʻi and the Atherton Family Foundation.