Downtown Film Night - Call for Filmmakers

Photo courtesy of Future Tenant.

Since I have reviewed events held at Future Tenant before and am in support of basically anything that benefits downtown Pittsburgh, I want to share this great opportunity with you guys in hopes that it will apply to some of you and encourage you to submit your films to it! Good Luck! 

Future Tenant and Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership announces a call for emerging filmmakers to screen their work at Downtown Film Night to be held on October 12th, 2013.  We are looking for films made by artists local to Pittsburgh and the surrounding area, and we are open to multiple short films or one longer feature film. The call is open to all film genres; 5-10 minute films are highly encouraged.

Film requirements:

• Your film must be any length under two hours.
• Your film must be appropriate for all ages, as this event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. If you feel your film is too risqué, chances are it is. However, if you have specific concerns please let us know with your submission.

Submission instructions: In order to be considered, please submit your interest, a short bio (500 word maximum), and brief synopsis (500 word maximum) to info@futuretenant.org by September 29th, 2013. Additionally, a DVD copy of your film must be mailed to or dropped off at the gallery: Future Tenant, 819 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

About Future Tenant: Located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s cultural district, at 819 Penn Avenue, Future Tenant provides a laboratory setting for artists, arts managers and audiences to explore the limits of the creative expression, presentation and interpretation of various art forms. For more information please visit futuretenant.org or email us at info@futuretenant.org.

About Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership: Formed by Downtown businesses, professionals, civic organizations, foundations, and residents, the PDP develops and implements innovative programs and initiatives to enhance the Downtown neighborhood. We also promote and market this great urban center to millions of people as the region’s premier destination to do business, to call home, or to visit for the best in shopping, dining and entertainment. The PDP also stands as staunch advocates for all those who make Downtown part of their lives, from businesses to workers to residents. For more information please visit http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/.

This is a partnered post but all opinions are my own.

Show & Tell: Upcoming Film by PITT Graduate Highlights Gender Roles

Alright guys, today we're going to get a little more serious than usual. But before we get into anything, you should know that as a child, I was this girl:

Literally. Had video-tapping your children and then putting the funny yet brilliant things they say on the Internet been a thing in 1994, I would've had a slew of videos of me looking just like that girl saying very similar things all over the place. Seriously, when I was three until about the time I started kindergarten I wouldn't answer to anything but Jonathan and hated when my mom put me in dresses for church. So when any discussion about gender roles and children comes up, I'm all about it. 

Today, I'm sharing with you an interview with Lucas Omar, a recent University of Pittsburgh graduate who is creating a film about children and gender roles called "Show and Tell." In hopes that you will support the creation of this film through their Kickstarter page. The film is about a little boy named Ethan who wants to bring in his barbie doll, who he designs dresses for, in to show and tell at school. But his parents have mixed reactions and Ethan really wants to bring something in that will impress his parents, teacher and classmates. While this film deals with a lot of important LGBT/Gender issues that some children face today, it is also a light-hearted comedy.

I think that "Show and Tell" is an important film because most little girls who are tomboys like I was get lumped into a certain category of "what they'll grow up to be" and so do little boys who like to play with toys that are marketed to girls. Obviously, I grew up to be heterosexual, but these are adult judgements that should not be worrying little kids, which is what Lucas is getting to in his film. Here's my interview with him:

Lucas Omar, director of Show and Tell, a short film about children and gender roles.

Why did you want to create Show and Tell?
I remember playing with Barbie dolls as a child and I never thought twice about it! I honestly just enjoyed combing their hair and changing their outfits. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. At such a young age, I wasn’t thinking about societal gender expectations and I had NO grasp of sexuality. Gender norms are still a prevalent issue today and I still find parents restricting what types of toys kids play with: trucks for boys, Barbies for girls. You can’t really blame the parents. This is largely due to marketing. When you walk around a toy store, there is a distinct divide between what’s pink and what’s not. Get caught in the wrong aisle and you’ll get some stares. I also want to stress that these toys are not precursors to whether a child is “gay” or “straight,” or “bi” or the many other gender definitions accepted in society today. We must allow kids to discover their interests on their own. Limiting this will only cause angst and a feeling of isolation.