2020 Conference: Inspiring Film about Visionary Artist Lydia Ruyle

“Herstory: The Visionary Life of Lydia Ruyle and the Banners of the Divine Feminine,” is a new 1-hour documentary film by Dr. Isadora Leidenfrost that shows the colorful and heartwarming story of Lydia Ruyle, a scholar, author, professor, political activist, matriarch, and iconic artist. 

At age 60, Lydia  began creating her Goddess Banners, which are visionary images of the Sacred Feminine drawn from all cultures. The collection grew from 18 banners to  over 300, which she used to inspire, empower, teach, and share their herstories all over the world. 

The film also documents the incredible story of how her worldwide community came together when she was terminally ill, with less than 2 weeks notice, to celebrate her, say goodbye, and then to honor the passing of a matriarch.

Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD, says: “The documentary, “Herstory” is a powerful movie that is beautifully filmed! I am delighted to show it to my circles of women worldwide.”

See the film trailer here.

The much anticipated “Herstory” movie, featuring many ASWM scholars and leaders of women’s spirituality,  was released worldwide in August 2019. It is  a poignant tribute to Lydia’s life and work. Since its premiere, the film has screened in 59 countries. For more information: https://www.theherstorymovie.com/

The film will be shown Saturday evening at to close our conference on an inspiring note. Lydia was an important member of the ASWM advisory board, guiding us through hard times after the loss of co-founder Patricia Monaghan. With Sid Reger, she also established the Modern Matriarchal Studies Day which is held following our conference.

Here is Dr. Isadora presenting the film, wearing Lydia’s wreath and her smile.

Join Us for a Goddess Banquet during the 2020 Conference

 

Join four Hebrew Priestesses–Amanda Nube, Judith Maeryam Wouk, Sheva Melmed, and Sarah Chandler–for a vegetarian dinner & ritual to celebrate the opening of the Jewish sabbath with poetry, prayer, and song. This special event takes place on Friday, March 13, over the dinner hour at ASWM’s 2020 conference. The language of the ritual plays with gender of God/Goddess both in Hebrew and English. It also includes some earth-based imagery. Participants will have the option to interact with natural objects on a small altar at the center of our table/altar, as well as the option for contemplative time. For more information and to RSVP, contact Sarah Chandler.  All are welcome.

The cost is $75 per person. A limited number of subsidized scholarships are available. Please contact Sarah to inquire.  It is required that all participants register and pay in advance, as the meal will be catered. To register, send $75 via PayPal from the ASWM Donation page, with “FRIDIN” in the “use my donation for” section.  Reservations are required and will be accepted until March 9th, which is the hotel’s catering deadline.

Remember to use the Donation page and write FRIDIN in the memo!

Scholar Salon 4

ASWM Scholar Salon 4 “La Frontierra Chingada:Mythic Motherhood on the Borderlands” with Emily Packer, Filmmaker and moderated by Natasha Redina. Recorded live online Wednesday, February 22, 2020. Feature Film screening and presentation by the filmmaker.

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La Frontierra Chingada: a film

by Emily Packer, Filmmaker

ASWM Winter Warmers Film Festival 2019
ASWM Biennial Conference Film Series 2018
Synopsis

La Frontierra Chingada is a poetic non-fiction film about motherhood on the US-Mexico border. These figures (mythic and otherwise) manifest themselves at Friendship Park–a space where families on either side of la frontera can come together, but under extreme conditions of surveillance. Guided in part by conversations with the filmmaker’s matrilineal family, this Spanglish film concerns itself with relationships between bodies, space, and the shared land and history in the San Diego-Tijuana region.

Trailer

 

"A huge part of my trepidation in making this film was about not wanting to presume to be able to make a relevant film about the border as an Anglo American filmmaker. But I think it’s incredibly important for white artists to make reflexive work about the border, given that we are implicated in its existence, and that our understanding and perspective shift is necessary to improve the situation (which includes death, dehumanization, and forced separation of family). At some point I gave myself permission to trust that I could make meaningful art about the border, and that the story I had to tell was important." - Emily Packer

Bio

Emily Packer is a non-fiction filmmaker with a focus on women's stories and an interest in Border Culture and Border Theory. Her documentary style ranges from observational to reflexive, experimental, and poetic. Emily graduated from Hampshire College in December of 2015. The following year, she organized the three-day event Arte on the Line in San Diego and Tijuana, where she screened her second feature-length film La Frontierra Chingada. Emily’s first film, Nationless, explored the unique socio-political situation of Tibetan refugees in Nepal. In addition to her independent work, she has consulted and edited for Deliberate Healing Productions and Ashbourne Films. She works as a media manager for Zero Point Zero Productions in New York City, and in her spare time volunteers for Tribeca Film Festival’s programming team. Emily collects voicemails for future use; consider yourself notified.

Scholar Salons with Emily Packer, Filmmaker

For more information on Emily's films visit marginalgapfilms.com . 

Scholar Salon 4

Feb 2020 live online salon with Emily Packer about the film.

Feature Film Screening for Members Only

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ASWM Launches Film Series

ASWM has a keen interest in quality films on scholarly subjects related to women and mythology.  Such films are excellent educational and community resources.  With this in mind we have launched a Film Series for conferences/symposia.  We will consider documentary, narrative, and creative films for inclusion in the series.  The following guidelines are in place for selection of films.

ASWM Film Guidelines

1.      The film should be a scholarly work from a feminist/womanist perspective.

2.      The focus of the film should include some form of women’s experience. (This may also include addressing the exclusion of women.)

3.      The film topic should include a component of myth, sacredness and/or practice inspired by earth spirituality.

4.      The film may address  historical, contemporary or future-oriented topics anywhere on the globe, in cyberspace, and beyond.

5.      The film may be artistic or realistic in approach.

6.      ASWM wishes to encourage respectful study and representation of diverse cultures and experience.  To that end, films should include the perspective of those being filmed to every extent possible.  Collaborative projects are welcomed.

Dates and deadlines for each event will be announced on this site.  Films may be submitted for consideration by contacting aswmsubmissions@gmail.com for the submission form.  Please put “Film Proposal” in the subject line followed by the film title.