IFC Films x rePRO Film present HAPPENING & THE FUTURE OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, with Audrey Diwan (Writer/Director, Happening) and Special Guests Steph Herold (Data Analyst, ANSIRH), and Rebecca Tong (Co-Executive Director, Trust Women) and moderated by Asha Dahya (Host, rePRO Film Periodical Podcast.)

In light of the leaked Supreme Court opinion draft on Roe v. Wade, what does the future hold for reproductive justice,  bodily autonomy and a pregnant person’s right to choice look like, why is sharing real lived experiences onscreen so necessary and what can we do right now? Happening  opens in NYC & LA on May 6th and nationwide May 13th. Join mama.film, rePRO Film & Trust Women for a Special Screening in Wichita, KS on May 11th. 

Audrey Diwan is a French director of Lebanese origin, who began her career studying journalism and political science, before writing and publishing several novels (La Fabrication d’un mensonge, De l’autrecôté de l’été…). Deciding to devote herself to screenwriting, Diwan penned a number of scripts for Cédric Jimenez (The Connection, The Man With the Iron Heart, The Stronghold) and collaborated with directors Teddy Lussi Modeste, Gilles Lellouche and Valérie Donzelli. As a director, she has established a very personal and intimate vision. Her feature debut,Losing It(2019) starred Pio Marmaï and CélineSallette. Her second, Happening, adapted from Annie Ernaux’s book recounting her illegal abortion inthe 1960s won the coveted Golden Lion at the 78th Venice Film Festival and features a cast of stellar emerging French acting talent (Anamaria Vartolomei, Kacey Mottet-Klein, Luana Bajrami). Happening will continue to screen at festivals around the globe and will be released theatrically in the US by leading independent distributor IFC Films in 2022.

Steph Herold, MPH is an award-winning activist and social scientist with a background in abortion care, abortion funds, and reproductive health advocacy. She currently is a Data Analyst at ANSIRH where she studies depictions of abortion on American film and television with the Abortion Onscreen program. Steph brings expertise in multidisciplinary research design and implementation. Her research areas include abortion in American culture, abortion stigma, and self-managed abortion. Steph is a sought-after public speaker to national news media on abortion research, appearing on the MHP Show and in Time magazine, and her writing has been featured in Glamour, the Hill, Marie Claire, Rewire, and Kveller, among others. Steph has twelve years of experience in the reproductive health, rights, and justice field, including co-founding the Sea Change Program, the first non-profit to focus entirely on reducing abortion stigma. Steph currently serves on the Board of Directors of All-Options.

Rebecca Tong (she/her) joined Trust Women in 2013, after three years of organizing and directing grassroots political campaigns. Her experience in fundraising and legislative advocacy helped Trust Women to build a robust development department, with an emphasis on major giving and donor retention. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in Political Science. After a brief hiatus in 2020 as Development Officer for The Land Institute, she returned to Trust Women to pursue her passion for reproductive justice and health issues.  

Asha Dahya is an author, TEDx speaker and founder of GirlTalkHQ.com, Asha was born in the UK, raised in Australia, and now resides in Los Angeles, California. She has spent the last 16 years creating, producing and hosting content for networks such as MTV, MSN.com, Disney, ABC, Nickelodeon, Fox, Nine Network Australia and more. Considered a voice of authority in the feminist media space, she has delivered keynote addresses for Accenture’s International Women’s Day event, UCLA’s Bruin Belles annual conference, and the 2018 Los Angeles March for Moms event where she shared her expertise on Maternal Mortality and Paid Family Leave. Asha has also moderated panels for UN Women, Mount Saint Mary’s University, and EmpowHer Institute.  Through her work, Asha focuses on reproductive rights, gender equality, and the representation of women in media. She is passionate about empowering women and girls to take up space, raise their voice and share their story with the world.

rePRO Film & Trust Women Present a special advanced screening of HAPPENING

Directed by Audrey Diwan, France, 2021, French

France, 1963. Anne is a bright young student with a promising future ahead of her. But when she falls pregnant, she sees the opportunity to finish her studies and escape the constraints of her social background disappearing. With her final exams fast approaching and her belly growing, Anne resolves to act, even if she has to confront shame and pain, even if she must risk prison to do so…Diwan’s powerful story connects the past, present and future of reproductive rights here in Kansas and around the world.

WINNER, Golden Lion Award, 2021 Venice Film Festival

“Deftly adapted by director Audrey Diwan from a novella, Happening is a period piece, but it’s acted and shot with a shivery immediacy.” ~ Daily Telegraph

Wednesday May 11, 7:00pm, Wichita Art Museum
doors open at 6:15 • cash bar • film starts at 7:00pm
followed by a conversation hosted by Trust Women

General Admission: $15
a portion of ticket sales will be donated to Trust Women

PRESENTED BY

Louise Orry
-
Diquero
as ‘
Brigitte
‘,
Anamaria Vartolomei
as ‘Anne’, and
Luàna
Bajrami
as ‘
Hélène
’
in Audrey Diwan’s HAPPENING. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
Happening
Anamaria Vartolomei
as ‘Anne’ in Audrey Diwan’s HAPPENING. Courtesy of IFC
Films. An IFC Films Release.