The Social Justice Film Festival and Institute

Another episode of our podcast, Radical Films hosted by John Trafton, is available to listen to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! In this episode, we sit down for a conversation with Gilda Sheppard -- filmmaker, author, professor, and public speaker. Listen as we discuss her latest film Since I Been Down (2020) and its impact on conversations about criminal justice reform, community rebuilding, and education. https://lnkd.in/epMU4teF https://lnkd.in/eWKSfUzt

We would like to invite you to join the Social Justice Film Institute on January 23rd, 2025 for a screening of the documentary Trouble the Water (2008) directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin. An aspiring rap artist and her streetwise husband, armed with a video camera, show what survival is all about when they are trapped in New Orleans by deadly floodwaters, and seize a chance for a new beginning. RVSP on our website! https://lnkd.in/g9AXNcH8

The SJFI team is very excited to announce we were one of the 23 organizations to receive the 2024 Community Fund at Climate Pledge Arena grant! Thank you to Climate Pledge Arena for creating this fund to allow for Seattle nonprofit and arts organizations to flourish and continue having a meaningful impact on our community.

To wrap up 2024, our final Social Justice Film of the Month for December is Writing with Fire (2021) directed by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh. Writing with Fire was the first Indian feature documentary to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. “In a male-dominated media landscape, the women journalists of India’s all-female Khabar Lahariya (“News Wave”) newspaper risk it all, including their own safety, to cover the country’s political, social, and local news from a women-powered perspective. From underground network to independent media empire—now with 10 million views on their YouTube site—they defy the odds to redefine power.” - Independent Lens Check out our website for an interview with directors Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh. https://lnkd.in/gG9DuQFY

Today is #GivingTuesday ! Because of supporters like you, artists and activists of all ages can continue to come together in our unique space to watch, learn, and inspire one another. We appreciate your dedication to the life-affirming power of social justice and the arts. We are proud that our programs mean so much to so many. Our path forward is illuminated by the vision of a future where anyone from anywhere can tell their story in a supportive, challenging, and uplifting environment, building a world with greater connection and inclusion through the arts. With your support, we can serve more and more aspiring social justice storytellers and provide social justice films, building connections and community for a brighter and more inclusive world. Donate Today - https://lnkd.in/gcaxbM7n

Did you know that you can make your #GivingTuesday donation early? Donate today to help support the Social Justice Film Festival and Institute. #GivingTuesday is tomorrow December 3rd! Donate Here: https://lnkd.in/gcaxbM7n

Donations from now until December 3rd count towards #GivingTuesday. Join the global movement and support the Social Justice Film Institute today! https://lnkd.in/gcaxbM7n

Thank you to everyone that joined us and Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE) last week at the Student Community Gathering for Racial Justice in Education! It was a great event and an amazing opportunity to meet students around the Seattle area and listen to their experiences with racial justice and injustices in their schools. Everyone in attendance was very engaged, which made for great conversation and connections between community members. Thank you again to everyone involved and to RARE for hosting this event. We look forward to connecting with the youth and having these important conversations at similar events in the new year!

A new episode of our podcast, Radical Films with John Trafton, is available to listen to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! This episode features Sam Hampton, a documentary filmmaker, teacher, and the executive director of our very own Social Justice Film Institute! https://lnkd.in/g6-gRNnW https://lnkd.in/gp2sya_2

In recognition of National Native American Heritage Month, SJFI has made Reel Injun (2009) directed by Neil Diamond our Social Justice Film of the Month for November. “Cree filmmaker Neil Diamond takes a look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through a century of cinema. Traveling through the heartland of America, and into the Canadian North, Diamond looks at how the myth of “the Injun” has influenced the world’s understanding — and misunderstanding — of Natives.” - Independent Lens Check out our website for an interview with director Neil Diamond by Independent Lens.