Film Festival

THE 35^th ANNUAL WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES FILM FESTIVAL

proudly presents:

“CHALLENGING FEMME PHOBIA:

BREAKING THE GENDER BINARY IN QUEER COMMUNITIES”

The Women and Gender Studies Program at Oakland University warmly invites you to a screening of the compelling and thought provoking documentaries, Making Masculine and The Same Difference. The screenings, followed by a panel discussion, will take place from noon to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2019 in 1050 Human Health Building.  This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments and stimulating conversation will be provided!

ABOUT THE FILMS

Making Masculine (Nicholas Swatz, 2018) is a documentary about the constructs of masculinity and the pressure that society places on all of us to fit into a heteronormative culture. Director Nicholas Swatz turns the camera on himself to share his personal experiences with femmephobia within gay culture, and how he had to find a sense of peace with his feminine characteristics.  

The Same Difference (Nneka Onuorah, 2015), also a documentary, takes an in-depth look at the internalized heteronormative gender roles that have become pervasive within the African American lesbian and bisexual communities. Director Nneka Onuorah demonstrates how these behaviors reproduce the homophobic oppression and masculine privilege of the heterosexual world while looking for solutions in compelling discussions with community members.  

OUR DISTINGUISHED PANELISTS

Nicholas Swatz is a filmmaker born and raised in southeast Michigan, and now working in Chicago. Nicholas graduated from Oakland University in 2016 with a B.A. in Cinema Studies. Subsequently, he launched Baby Pomegranate Productions, an independent production company rooted in creative fury that focuses on telling stories that matter. Making Masculine is his first feature-length documentary. 

Amber Stankoff is an Associate Producer for The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, where she creates video content surrounding programming, exhibitions, and acquisitions of the historic destination. She collaborated with director Nicholas Swatz on his debut documentary, Making Masculine, in the role of Post-Production Supervisor. Amber is a 2016 alumna of Oakland University.

Kole Wyckhuys is a counselor & advocate at LGBTQ Detroit, a community educator at Wayne State University, and an independent educator in violence prevention. Kole has more than fifteen years experience in education, ten years in prevention education models, and seven years in violence prevention and advocacy. His career mision is to be a part of dismantling a dominant social structure that allows for the prevalence of partner abuse, sexual assault, and other hate-related violence. 

HOW TO FIND US

The Human Health Building is located in the northeast corner of OU’s campus at the intersection of Walton and Squirrel Roads. For interactive directions, visit oakland.edu/map.

SPONSORS

The Women and Gender Studies Program would like to thank the following departments and colleges on campus for their generous support of the 2019 WGS Film Festival: The College of Arts and Sciences; Modern Languages and Literatures; Cinema Studies; English; Communication and Journalism; History; Philosophy; Political Science; Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work & Criminal Justice; Kresge Library; The Oakland Post; and WXOU Radio.

PLANNING

The Women and Gender Studies Program would like to thank the following individuals for their assistance in planning the WGS Film Festival and creating promotional materials: Erin Meyers (chairperson), Theresa Anasti, Rebekah Farrugia, Adam Gould, and Holly Gilbert (design). 

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