Art as Activism Film Contest

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We were there!

A delegation of Leading Ladies joined the 1000+ others who attended the rally in Boston last Saturday to protest efforts to upend women’s reproductive rights and overturn Roe v. Wade. Leading Ladies distributed and held signs. Popular messages of the day included “My Body. My Choice.” “Our daughters deserve to plan their families.” “Reproductive rights are human rights.” “Pro choice is pro women'' and “Keep your bans off my body.” U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, and U.S. Senator Ed Markey were among the speakers who delivered rousing calls to action. They encouraged us to reach out to friends in other states where Roe v. Wade is more at risk to ask them to write their legislators and express their support for women’s reproductive rights.

Dear Leading Ladies,

We are excited to announce our first annual Leading Ladies Art as Activism Film Contest and Screening, an opportunity for creative high school students to express their views about important social justice issues. The top ten submissions will be screened at The Cabot in downtown Beverly in early 2022.

Our belief is that art can convey strong messages, evoke powerful feelings, and spur people to action about issues that sometimes feel far away and too difficult to tackle.

We’re hoping to elevate the voices of young people and to encourage students from all backgrounds to participate. We hope you will help spread the word among the students, teachers, and youth leaders you know.

The contest is open to all who attend high school in Massachusetts. All submissions will be judged by professionals in the film industry and social justice arena. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three entries. Here are the details:

  • Live action and animated videos of three to five minutes accepted.

  • Students should choose from these topics: homelessness, food insecurity, health care, racism and all forms of bigotry, access to quality education, gun control, climate change, and humane immigration practices.

  • All videos must be original and must comply with all copyright regulations (music and images).

  • Submissions will be accepted from high school students who live or go to school in Massachusetts.

  • The top three submissions will be awarded cash prizes. The first prize will be $350; second prize $200, and third prize $100.

  • Filmmakers should include their name, date of birth, high school, and year of graduation, title of film, and a 150 to 300-word statement of why the film’s subject is important to them.

  • Deadline for submissions is December 1, 2021. Submissions should be sent to ladies@leadingladiesvote.org.

  • Specifications about format and other contest rules are available at leadingladiesvote.org/art-as-activism.

Here is a poster that we hope you can display and share in places and with people where the contest might garner interest.

If you have any questions, please email us at ladies@leadingladiesvote.org.

Best wishes,

Therese Melden
Judith Klein
Mary Barthelmes
Beth Forbes
Leading Ladies Executive Team
Leadingladiesvote.org
ladies@leadingladiesvote.org

Brenda Riddell