CASCADIA Board Member Randi Axelsson, myself as Marketing Coordinator, and volunteer Elaine Small.
I have been working with CASCADIA for almost a year. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, together we’ve been working to build their local, national, and international following via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We’ve also been working hard on publicity for their educational and screening events.
This year, 2017’s Day of Doctober marks a huge success for CASCADIA, myself, and the Bellingham community with sold out showings of two extraordinary films directed by women.
The films were part of The Pickford Film Center’s annual month-long documentary film festival, Doctober, that occurs throughout October. The day was filled with two incredible stories (below), plus Q & A’s after each screening and a follow up reception to keep the discussion rolling.
Big Sonia
From left, CASCADIA Executive Director Cheryl Crooks, WWU Ray Wolpow Institute Director Sandra Alfers, Noemi Ban, WWU Professor Jim Lortz, and Marla Bronstein CASCADIA’s Day of Doctober.
Pickford brought back Seattle filmmaker Leah Warshawski and Todd Soliday’s Big Sonia for an encore screening.
At less than five feet tall, Big Sonia–90-year-old Sonia Warshawski–earned her nickname by having style and personality that are larger than life. One of Kansas City’s last living Holocaust survivors, Sonia tells her incredible story as often and to as many people as possible. And when Big Sonia speaks, people listen.
The screening was followed by a Q & A with Holocaust survivor and educator Noemi Ban. She is a Golden Apple Award-winning lecturer, public speaker, and teacher residing in Whatcom County and I could have listened to her speak all evening.
Letters from Baghdad
Directed by Zeva Oelbaum and Sabine Krayenbühl, voiced and executive produced by Academy award winning actor Tilda Swinton, Letters from Baghdad tells the story of Gertrude Bell, the most powerful woman in the British Empire in her day. Bell shaped the destiny of Iraq after World War I in ways that still reverberate today.
After the film we organized a Skype Q&A with the directors from New York City to learn more about the film, the process, and how it all came together.
Still Rolling
The evening didn’t end after the credits rolled. We encouraged our film community that had gathered over to Goat Mountain Pizza with pizza courtesy of CASCADIA.
The event was a huge success because of our teamwork and I’m so excited to continue working on their upcoming CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival, scheduled for April 12 – 15, 2018. Please follow them on your preferred social media and let me know if you’d like to join their email list for future updates. They are seeking festival sponsors and have opportunities for ads in their festival program.