What is WITASWAN?

WOMEN IN THE AUDIENCE SUPPORTING WOMEN ARTISTS NOW!

 

Read about current WITASWAN events in Jan's blog The Hot Pink Pen.

Support Women Artists Now! 4th Annual WITASWAN Event Writer/director Adi Refaeli will present her film Empathy complete with Q&A. March 29, 2008 (Details) 12:30 - 3 p.m. Landmark’s Century Center Theatre Clark & Diversey in Chicago March 30 (Details) 2 - 4 pm Renaissance Place Theatre 1850 Second Street in Highland Park The first three annual film events were huge hits! Be sure to make your reservations to see this year's guest Adi Refaeli.

 

Chicks for Flicks by Chicks
Film critic Jan Lisa Hutttner and her grassroots group want to close Hollywood's gender gap.
Read Deanna Isaacs' article in The Chicago Reader
May 18, 2007

 

Read the WITASWAN brochure (Acrobat PDF file)

Jan Lisa Huttner (Director of International Relations-left) & Penny Parish (Director of College/University Relations-right) with special guest Martha Richards (Executive Director of the Fund for Women Artists-center) at AAUW-Illinois' Spring Convention. (Photo by Decatur Branch member Sara Jerome)		WITASWAN Coordinator Jan Lisa Huttner & her friend "Virginia Woolf" distribute brochures under the IWPA tent at Chicago's Printers Row Book Fair.  (Photo by Chicago Branch member Dorthea Juul)		Immediate Past President Kim Benziger & her friends "Jane Austen," "Frida Kahlo," & "Virginia Woolf" stand guard over the WITASWAN display under the IWPA tent at Chicago's Printers Row Book Fair.  (Photo by WITASWAN Coordinator Jan Lisa Huttner)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is WITASWAN?

An informal alliance of women who have pledged themselves to helping women filmmakers break through the Celluloid Ceiling that restricts opportunities for women in Hollywood & beyond.

WITASWAN members have all made a commitment to see at least one film every month either directed &/or written by a woman, either in a theater or on DVD/VHS. No one measures us. No one checks up on us.

This is a VOLUNTARY commitment made on the honor system.

Does it matter?
YES!

Follow this link for more information about WITASWAN,
including the story about how we got our name:

www.films42.com/witaswan.asp

Send your WITASWAN questions to:

witaswan@msn.com

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What Can YOU Do to Support AAUW-Illinois' WITASWAN Project?

•  Make your own personal commitment to try to see at least one film every month either directed and/or written by a woman filmmaker (either in the theater, on TV/cable, &/or on DVD/VHS). Convince other members of your branch to do likewise. Here's a list of movies directed and/or written by a woman.

•  Explain the importance of the WITASWAN concept to all your other female friends, relatives, and organizational buddies, wherever they may live. Tell the men you know too.

•  Take your WITASWAN list to your favorite rental source (Blockbusters, Hollywood Video, etc). Urge them to obtain copies of the films they don't already have, & maybe even put them in a special WITASWAN section of the store, so other women can find them easily.

•  Try to convince someone at your local college/university to co-sponsor a women filmmakers program with your Branch. We can provide you with a recommended list of films (based on an annual theme selected by the AAUW Illinois Board) & lend you preview copies of each recommended film when needed.

  REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE OF AMERICAN BUSINESS:

“THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT.”

LADIES, IN THIS CASE, WE ARE THE CUSTOMERS!!!

 

Frequently Asked Questions about WITASWAN

Click here to read a printable pdf file with answers to WITASWAN FAQs.
If you don't have the Acrobat reader, download it free here.

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