he Night of Ideas is a global initiative from the French Institute in Paris that will bring a diverse group of voices together to discuss the theme “Facing Our Time”. The event will be held on January 31st 2019 in cities across the world, including Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Dakar, Brussels and Kathmandu. More than 170 debates will be organised in over 65 countries on the same night.
FEMINISM AT WORK: CRAFTING FEMINIST IDEALS IN AND BEYOND THE CREATIVE SECTOR
From the recent #MeToo movement to long-term local women’s rights campaigns in South Africa, many critical conversations about women, feminism and the state of equality have been held over the past year. South Africa’s Constitution protects the equal rights of all, and includes statutory and policy architecture for gender empowerment and equality. But, as in most countries around the world, South African women are still fighting for equality in all spaces.
During this Night of Ideas, we will focus on the topic of feminism at work and more specifically in the creative world, through the experience of four women working in the creative sector. Our three panelists will discuss how being a woman has impacted their careers, and will share their understandings of feminism. They will talk about their own career path and struggles, and the role of women in nourishing their work, in areas ranging from arts to film.
- How can we, women and men, help each other succeed?
- Is being a woman in the creative sector a strength or a weakness?
- How have our panelists lived and perceived their feminist and/or feminine values throughout their careers?
Join us for a debate to discuss these questions and more.
Moderator
Danielle Bowler: Managing Editor for ELLE South Africa
Danielle Bowler is the Managing Editor of ELLE Magazine. Based in Johannesburg, she writes on the intersections of feminism, popular culture, art, race and gender and has bylines in Mail & Guardian, Eyewitness News, Cosmopolitan, Africa is a Country and Superbalist, among other publications. Danielle is a Mandela Rhodes scholar and 2017 YALI fellow, and has an essay in ‘Feminism Is’, a new collection of writing by South African feminists.
Panelists
Nandipha Mntambo: Artist
Nandipha Mntambo was born in Mbabane, Swaziland. Her work addresses ongoing debates around traditional gender roles, body politics, and identity. She works in photography, sculpture, video, and mixed media to explore the liminal boundaries between human and animal, femininity and masculinity, attraction and repulsion, life and death. She has been shortlisted for the AIMIA | AGO Photography Prize in Canada (2014), was a Civitella Ranieri Fellow (2013), received the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Art (2011) and the Wits/BHP Billiton Fellowship (2010).
Fanny Glissant: Documentary producer
Documentary producer for about a decade, Fanny Glissant joined la Compagnie des Phares et Balises (CPB Films) in 2012. She produces history documentaries, some aired in prime time such as Dénoncer sous l’Occupation by Laurent Joly and David Korn-Brzoza, or 39-45: The Children’s War by Julien Johan and Michèle Durren (Audience award at the Luchon Festival) She also produces Arts & Culture movies, like Orson Welles, Shadows & Light selected at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival (Cannes Classics category) and Karen Blixen, an African night’s dream by Elisabeth Kapnist. At the same time, she writes and directs documentaries: she attended the FEMIS Screenwriting workshop and she received the first prize for best Caribbean documentary scenario (Prix Azur). In 2018, she co-directed the series Slavery Routes.
Jabulile Nadia Newman: Winner Web Creation of DLA #2, director of Ricochet Film and producer
Ricochet Films (Pty) Ltd is a production company that was created in October 2016 by director Jabulile Newman to produce South African films that are focused on authentic storytelling. It is an independent company based in Cape Town and has produced several films looking at the youth and subcultures of South Africa. Its films have screened at several film festivals including 12th XPOSED International Queer Film Festival Berlin, shnit Worldwide Short Film Festival, and more. She integrated the DLA incubation programme in 2018 to develop her web-series project The Foxy Five, which follows the lives of five women living in Cape Town.
And more speakers to come!
