THE NEW SERIES WILL PREMIERE MARCH 29 FOLLOWED BY A TALK WITH WRITER/DIRECTORS KATINA SOSSIADIS AND KOULA SOSSIADIS KAZISTA

BETHLEHEM, Pa.— ArtsQuest’s Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas is proud to present a new Fem in Film Series, premiering during International Women’s History Month on Tuesday, March 29. Tickets to all screenings in this series are free and can be reserved at steelstacks.org/film.

“What most excites me about this series is the opportunity to connect aspiring female filmmakers with professional filmmakers,” ArtsQuest Programming Specialist Addyson Young said. “As amazing as the film industry is, it’s also just as complex and can be a mystery to break into. Providing this series will hopefully shed light on the many paths into a professional film career and the myriad of careers that exist within the film industry.”

This Fem in Film Series will premiere on Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m., with 2019’s film “Epiphany.” Curated by ArtsQuest Cinema Committee members Parinda Patel and Ann Knerr, Fem in Films celebrates the roles of women in all aspects of film. From directing, writing and editing, to wardrobe, make-up and score, our series aims to showcase women in the film industry and educate on the ways their contributions have shaped Cinema.

“Epiphany” stars Caitlin Carmichael as Luka, a young woman trying to connect with her negligent father. The character-driven film centers on Greek culture and takes a deep look at a family’s generational struggles. The screening will immediately be followed by a talk back with writer/director sisters Katina Sossiadis and Koula Sossiadis Kazista. Katina Sossiadis has worked on films including “Far from Heaven,” “Analyze That” and local filmmaker Daniel Roebucks’ “Getting Grace.” Koula Sossiadis Kazista has worked on films including “Devil’s Advocate,” “Anger Management” and “School of Rock.” The sister duo is currently working on their next script “Sticks and Stones,” to be filmed in the Lehigh Valley.

The second scheduled film in this series will be 2006’s “Marie Antoinette” on Sunday, May 15 at 7 p.m. The historical drama written and directed by Sofia Coppola stars Kirsten Dunst as Austrian teenager Marie Antoinette, who marries the Dauphin (Jason Schwartzman) of France and becomes that country’s queen following the death of King Louis XV (Judy Davis) in 1774. Years later, after a life of luxury and privilege, Marie Antoinette loses her head during the French Revolution. This film won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. A special guest presentation soon to be announced, will follow this screening.

The third film in the series, “Me and You and Everyone We Know” will screen on Thursday, July 14 at 7 p.m. The film centers on when single dad Richard (John Hawkes) meets Christine (Miranda July), a starving artist who moonlights as a cabbie. In addition to staring in the film, July also wrote and directed this 2005 Cannes Film Festival award-winning dramedy.

Fem In Film Curators

Parinda Patel is a Board Member of ArtsQuest’s Cinema Arts Committee and serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Philadelphia Film Society. Patel is a Marketing Advisor at Compass, a real estate technology company operating in more than 22 regions across the United States. In 2019, Parinda acted as the Director of Business Development for the Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO), promoting southeastern Pa. to the global film industry while advocating for film and media job creation through its positive impact on the local economy. During the pandemic, Parinda left the GPFO to take a 4-month contract position with HBO, instituting Covid Compliance operations to reopen television production in Pennsylvania’s Delaware and Philadelphia counties.

Ann Knerr is Chair of the ArtsQuest Cinema Committee and Juror for the Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival (GLVFF). She served on ArtsQuest’s Performing Arts Board for 9 years, and is currently on the SouthSide Film Festival Board and a photographer (13 years). She was an ArtsQuest Volunteer for 26 years, serving on both marketing and event committees. Ann served as ArtsQuest’s Female Filmmaker Festival programmer in 2019 and 2017 and has worked as a producer on Daniel Roebuck’s films Getting Grace, Lucky Louie, The Hail Mary under A Channel of Peace.org. Ann was also a producer on In This Moment and production manager for Control. Ann worked for two years as program and event coordinator and photographer since 2009 for the Big Apple Film Festival and worked in the film maker department for the Tribeca Film Festival from 2012 to 2018. She currently serves on the (FIFO) Fade In, Fade Out Board – a Lehigh Valley Film Making Consortium.

About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events.

ArtsQuest’s Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas (FBAC) is a two-screen independent cinema located within the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. The FBAC is currently open for both public screenings and private rentals; more information on both can be found at steelstacks.org/film.

Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, approximately 50 percent of which are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region. ArtsQuest is a proud member of NIVA, the National Independent Venue Association and NATO, the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Information provided to TVL by:
Nicole Harrell
ArtsQuest Director of Communications
http://www.artsquest.org/

 

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