Inaugural Jamaica Plain Film Festival Celebrates Diversity on Screen Sept. 5-7

“Works from filmmakers with ties to Jamaica Plain will be screened during the inaugural Jamaica Plain Film Festival, Sept. 5-7, at the Loring Greenough House.

Founded by Alice Hutton, the co-director of programs for the Loring Greenough House, and Yenaba Sesay Davies, the three-day festival will take place on the property of the Loring Greenough House. Attendees are asked to bring their own seating; all films are ticketed.

Hutton, who has a journalism background, contacted filmmakers with Jamaica Plain ties about eight months ago when she first conceived of the idea for the festival: “[I] thought, ‘What's the best way to throw the umbrella as wide as possible?' So I just made a lot of calls,” she told the Boston Globe…

Saturday evening will showcase Dawnland, directed by filmmakers Ben Pender-Cudlip and Adam Mazo. The 2018 feature-length documentary won an Emmy award for Outstanding Research. It centers on an investigation into the history of Native American children and their interactions with state child welfare authorities in Maine.”

Continue reading at Rock 92.9.

The first-ever Jamaica Plain Film Festival highlights voices from the neighborhood

“The first Jamaica Plain Film Festival will take place Sept. 5-7 at the Loring Greenough House, showcasing dynamic works by filmmakers with neighborhood ties.

Festival founder Alice Hutton moved to Jamaica Plain in March 2020 from London. In 2021, she joined the Loring Greenough House, where she serves as co-director of programs. The community-centered, evening events invite locals and food trucks to gather in the garden and grounds of the 18th-century Sumner Hill former residence; this year, it runs through October.

Hutton was encouraged by the Thursday series’ popularity to organize the three-day film festival, with the help of co-founder Yenaba Sesay Davies. Films are ticketed and will be screened on the property’s lawn; attendees are asked to bring their own seating, such as blankets or low-seat, folding chairs…

Saturday evening will feature “Dawnland,” directed by local filmmakers Ben Pender-Cudlip and Adam Mazo. The 2018 feature-length documentary won an Emmy award for Outstanding Research and centers on an investigation into the history of Native American children being forcefully displaced by state child welfare authorities in Maine.

Upstander Project — a Boston-based organization that produces impact-centered documentary films, including “Dawnland,” and likewise educational and advocacy work — will speak prior to the screening, with Mazo, who lives in JP, joining for a Q&A following. The North American Indian Center of Boston will also present at the pre-screening Beer Garden reception to educate attendees about the status of Native American rights in Massachusetts. “Because of our work with ‘Dawnland,’ I’ve grown very connected to making sure that we’re being better neighbors and collaborating with folk from the Massachusetts tribe at Ponkapoag,” said Mazo. “[That we’re] learning and teaching those stories, as well, which is really critical to the work that we do.”

Continue reading at The Boston Globe.

Jamaica Plain Film Festival Highlighting Local Filmmakers This Weekend

“The three-day Jamaica Plain Film Festival (JPFF) is this weekend and will be screening the work of local filmmakers from Jamaica Plain, other parts of the city, and New England.

Award-winning journalist JPFF co-founder Alice Hutton said, “We hope to showcase the incredible talent in Jamaica Plain and New England, provide a platform for diverse, marginalized voices and open up space for people to come together in difficult times.”

The festival is taking place Sept. 5-7 in the gardens of the Loring Greenough House where Hutton is also the programs director. The festival is being co-presented with Imag9ne Media. The Hive beer garden and Streetcar will host pre-film receptions on the lawn…

Some of the films being screened include:
• Salma’s Home is the feature debut of Jamaica Plain-based Palestinian-Jordanian director, Hanadi Elyan, on three generations of Jordanian women. Q&A afterwards with the filmmaker.
• Dawnland is an Emmy-winning documentary on stolen native children in Maine, by Jamaica Plain-based director Adam Mazo, and The Upstander Project. Q&A afterwards with Mazo.”

Continue reading at Jamaica Plain News

Stopping Hate on HMD

Observing Holocaust Memorial Day

Our team is humbled to be a part of Holocaust Memorial Day being observed across the United Kingdom and beyond tomorrow (Jan. 27). The mission of HMD, to end hatred, is something we strongly support. Dehumanization, intolerance, and inaction led to the Holocaust and the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. Coexist works in schools and youth development organizations regularly to build social emotional skills, to teach young people to build tolerance, become upstanders, and rehumanize peers and neighbors.

We invite you to join global efforts to stop hate by signing the pledge at the Holocaust Memorial Day Site: http://www.speakupnow.org.uk/sign_our_pledge.php.

And for anyone in London please come out for a free screening of Coexist tonight! Thanks to the Survivors Fund for organizing this event. Details are available here.

Students Reflect on Bullying, Genocide, & Non-violence

“A lot of people at my school need to work on taking a stand against injustices.” Nearly 250 students, from 9th through 12th grade joined in an hour-long discussion about the documentary film Coexist at Amherst Regional High School in Western Massachusetts on Thursday October 27, 2011. Upstander Director Dr. Mishy Lesser designed and facilitated the workshop prompting students to think about their own role in conflict. One student reflected, “I see fear, greed, and hate at school, which I was able to think more about.”

Teachers from English, Acting, Social Studies, and French agreed to use the Coexist Viewer’s Guide and screen the film before Mishy’s arrival. Teachers pooled their students in the library, taking over the space for five periods, thanks to generous support from the high school’s librarians. Another student observed, “You have to do something to stop harm. If everyone waits for someone else to do it, it won’t get done.”

During the workshops students developed a group definition of genocide, identified the behaviors that contribute to genocide, those that contribute to preventing the escalation of violence and scapegoating, and discussed which behaviors that contribute to genocide might be present in the school community, even if in a milder form. One student made an important connection, “Bullying is like mini-genocide. I [now see] the connection between bullying and genocide.” Another student said, “Genocide is caused by fear and greed, but also caused by people being bystanders, and people not taking action.”

Principal Mark Jackson and student leaders of STAND invited Mishy to lead the workshops. STAND is the student-led division of United to End Genocide. The event was planned over the course of several months, which allowed student leaders enough time to identify and recruit a variety of teachers to participate in the Coexist workshop. STAND group envisions a world in which the international community protects civilians from genocidal violence.

Following the workshop one student said, “In school people are quick to judge and write people off without fully understanding the other person’s situation, or even attempting to.” Another wrote, “The only way people can live in peace is if we communicate and try to practice non-violence. “

The event was made possible thanks to the generous support of Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee of Orange. The Coexist team looks forward to returning to Amherst Regional High School to work with other students and teachers, and is available to work in nearby middle and high schools.