Emmy-winning filmmaker Lisa Russell to premiere new film for International Women's Day

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Feb. 24, 2014 - PRLog -- A private viewing link of the film can be received by emailing lisa@governessfilms.com.

On March 8th, International Women's Day, Emmy-winning filmmaker Lisa Russell will be launching her new short film called PODER! about the power of indigenous girls in Guatemala.  According to Russell, this is unlike any other film she has made in her 10+ years as a documentary filmmaker, working for UN/NGO agencies.

"My career as a filmmaker and global health specialist revolves around bringing awareness to pressing issues facing women and girls around the world.  Many of these issues can be tragic or difficult and solutions seem nearly impossible.  With PODER! I wanted to show a film about what is actually possible," states Russell.

PODER! is a short docu-drama film that is based on the real life story of two indigenous girls in Guatemala, named Emelin and Elba, who challenged their local officials to invest in girls' education and health.  With only 10% of Mayan girls finishing their primary education and 50% of them having babies before they turn 18, the actions of these young girls were admirable and could spark a movement to inspire the other 600 million young girls around the world who currently live in poverty, -who are unable to complete school or see a doctor - to act as their own agents of change.

Russell wanted to tell this important story but in a non conventional way.  San Francisco based nonprofit, Let Girls Lead, provided the access and funding for the film.

"I wanted to let the girls tell their own stories so I interviewed them, wrote a script that they helped with, then let them and members of their community act out the story.  We basically turned their small town into a film set."

Russell edited the film in a way that relays the uniqueness of the story.  PODER! is bookended with an animated scene of Emelin, seen as an adult woman, receiving a prestigious award given to her by Jennifer Buffett (President of the Novo Foundation and wife of Peter Buffett).  As she accepts the award, she recounts her days as a young girl and at that point the film takes us to current day Guatemala where we see the girls act out their own story in their own community.  Latina actress Julia Grob provides an English narration that drives the story.

"Once the global premiere of the film takes place - in NYC, San Francisco, in Guatemala and online - my hope is that the film sparks a global dialogue about the way we see women and girls and the narrative we are perpetuating about them.  That despite the challenges they face, there are so many girls around the world who are confronting those challenges and making real strides in their own communities.  They are taking their future into their own hands.  How we, in the US, relay their stories and how we support them in their work is something I hope is talked about when the film rolls out," states Russell.

Russell will be screening the film as part of a #FliptheScript tour where she is bringing film screenings, artist performances and workshops to girl-centered organizations, universities, conferences and others.  She will be discussing the topic of "narrative justice" and “storytelling rights.”

For more information about the film and tour, contact poderthefilm@governessfilms.com or call 917-554-4126.

For interviews with the filmmaker, contact lisa@governessfilms.com.

Here is a link to the fundraising clip for PODER!

http://www.youtube.com/embed/mNRPXFxpTf4