Award winning Documentary to be screened in Chatham
On May 15, 2012 at 7:00 pm in the Chatham Middle School auditorium there will be a free screening and panel discussion of the documentary, “Miss Representation,” an official selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and winner of the Audience Award at the 2011 Sonoma Film Festival. Sponsored by the Municipal Alliance of the Chathams, Southern Boulevard School PTO and Washington Avenue School PTO, this powerful and eye opening film explores how the media’s portrayal of women has led to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence. The film challenges the media’s limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls and explores the effects these portrayals have on a girl’s view of herself. With media as the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty and sexuality and not in her capacity as a leader. There are powerful stories and interviews with teenage girls and boys as well as with politicians, journalists, activists and academics. Viewers of the film, both adults and teens, will find themselves better equipped to examine gender bias in what they see, hear and view on TV, on the internet and in films. Additionally, parents and educators of children of any age or gender are given tools to develop a dialogue and a framework with which they can better guide their children or students in a culture heavily influenced by media.
The screening is open to the public and will be followed by a panel discussion. Panel participants are; Lisa R. Greenberg, PhD., Psychologist specializing in family and adolescent issues; Lisa Lattarulo, Student Assistant Counselor for Chatham Middle School and Chatham High School; and Damon Wyatt, Counselor at Chatham Middle School. For parents considering having their teenager(s) attend the screening, please be advised that the film contains strong language and highly sexualized videos and photos of women. The OWN Network rated the film TV-14DL and it received a rating of 13+ by Common Sense Media.
