1990s

A - C | D - F | G - K | L - M | N - S | T - Z

37 Stories About Leaving Home (1996)

VC 10607

Abortion Denied: Shattering Young Women's Lives (1990)

VC 1695
Describes the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to curb the rights of minor women to an abortion due to parental notification requirements in existing state laws.

Access Denied: a Pro-Choice Agit-Prop Documentary (1991)

VC 11021
This empowering videotape addresses cutbacks in women's reproductive freedom and civil rights against the backdrop of Operation Rescue's religious anti-abortion fervor. Produced by ReproVision, the media collective of WHAM (Women's Health Action Mobilization), this tape represents three years of documenting reproductive rights direct actions as well as attacks by the anti-choice movement. Fast-moving yet analytical, the tape covers the gag rule, parental consent laws, the Webster decision, and menstrual extraction. A call to action in the face of the current healthcare crisis, Access Denied documents growing community activism around AIDS, reproductive rights and racism.

Afghan Women (1994?)

VC 11113 The words of the women of Aq Kupruk, Afghanistan and the rhythm of their lives in seclusion suggest both satisfying and limiting aspects of the women's role in an Afghan rural community.

America's Victoria: Remembering Victoria Woodhull (1995)

VC 6644
Woodhull, Victoria C. (Victoria Claflin), 1838-1927.

Antonia's Line (1996)

VC 7416
A portrait of a family and a community, of mothers and daughters, and of one indomitable woman. Feature film.

Beauty Leaves the Bricks (1995)

VC 4200
A documentary about the reunion of 4 African-American women. These women had a documentary made about them 12 years ago when they were living in a Dallas housing project. This film shows how they have changed.

Behind the Smile (1993)

VC 6764
Illustrates the living conditions of young female factory workers in Bangkok, who come to work in the city at a very young age to help support their families in the poorer rural areas of the country.

Between Light and Shadow: Maya Women in Transition (1997)

VC 10478
Interviews with Mayan women artists who work to preserve Mayan culture, improve the lives of the Mayan people and promote a Maya presence in their community. Includes Mayan popular art in the form of woven textiles, embroidery and paintings.

Beyond Beijing (1996)

VC 6175
From August 30 to September 15, 1995 two parallel events took place in China: the NGO (Non-governmental organization) Forum on Women in Huairou, and the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. This film looks at the Conference's attempts to complete the platform document, at the various workshops held, and particularly at the individual NGO Forum projects, such as 'Women weaving the world together'.

Bionic Beauty Salon (1999)

VC 9157
Bionic beauty salon addresses the insecurities of women of all ages who learn to place their self-worth in the measure of their beauty. The film offers a model for how to reclaim the media and find one's true self through one's own voice. Its personal voice and funny, adolescent sensibility make it intellectually accessible to women of all ages. As art, it provides students much needed direct contact with poetic and artistic uses of electronic media. Its primary audience is teenage girls but should include anyone who struggles to understand female socialization, and anyone who has ever assessed the physical beauty of a woman

Born to Bondage (1999)

VC 9912
Looks at the plight of women in India, where girls are considered to be worth less than boys and because of the tradition of dowry, are often left vulnerable.

The Brandon Teena Story (1998)

DVD 2357 / VC 8077
Documentary film about Brandon Teena, who arrived in rural Falls City, Nebraska, in 1993 where he finds some new friends. Three weeks later he is brutally raped and beaten by friends who discover that he is actually a woman. A week later the same two men murder Teena along with two other people. This is a tale of Brandon's coming of age struggle with identity and how his gender ambiguity induced feelings of betrayal, confusion and hostility among residents of a town in America's heartland.

Breaking Silence: the Story of the Sisters of DeSales Heights (1993)

VC 6507
This documentary follows twelve elderly nuns preparing to face the outside world for the first time due to the closing of their 150-year-old monastery. Reveals important questions about how societal pressures change roles and lives, particularly for women, the elderly, and religious communities.

Brincando el Charco: Portrait of a Puerto Rican (1994)

VC 12065
Examines Puerto Rican lesbians living in the United States using a fictionalized first-person narrative of a woman trying to make sense of her life, past, and heritage.

Burning Mines: Impact of Coal Mining on Women (1998)

VC 10203
A documentary on the family life of coal miners of Bhubaneswar, India, with particular reference to its impact on women.

Cancer in Two Voices (1994)

VC 10687
This film provides a glimpse into the lives of two lesbian women, Sandy and Barbara, focusing on their coping with Barbara's breast cancer. Sandy and Barbara had almost three years together from the time Barbara's cancer was diagnosed until her death in 1988. The film is based on home videotapes made during that time.

A Century of Women (1994)

VC 4069, 3 cassettes
Tells the story of women in the 20th century--how they lived, loved, worked, played and, most importantly, changed the course of American history.

Chilly Climate for Women in Colleges and Universities (1991)

VC 3043
Women relate the pain they have felt at being excluded and undermined in their working and learning situations within colleges and universities.

China Unleashing the Dragon: the Fragile Rice Bowl (1995)

VC 6155
The second film in a four part documentary chronicling the transformation currently sweeping over China, from its initiation by Deng Xiaoping, to the economic, social and cultural realities of today's China. This episode examines the impact of economic changes on women and families in China by following the changes experienced by one extended family living in Shanghai.

Coming Out Under Fire (1995)

VC 8418
Gay men and lesbians who were in the United States military service during World War II discuss their experiences with the response of the military establishment towards their sexual orientation. Includes archival footage and photographs.

Community (1996)

VC 6183
Women and men in the Satkhira district of southwestern Bangladesh show their progress in creating economic opportunity while addressing the issue of women's rights.

Courage Under Fire (1996)

DVD 3344 / VC 7182
When Lt. Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Denzel Washington) is asked to review the posthumous candidacy of the first woman (Meg Ryan) to receive a Medal of Honor, he finds himself plunged into an apparent cover-up surrounding the actions that led to her death. As he struggles to uncover the truth, he also finds himself forced to confront his own tormenting demons.

A - C | D - F | G - K | L - M | N - S | T - Z

The Date Rape Backlash: the Media and the Denial of Rape (1994)

VC 5010
A critical examination of how media portrayal of date rape has evolved within a span of five years from portraying date rape as an epidemic to a view of date rape as feminist victim oriented propaganda.

Daughters of Ixchel: Maya Thread of Change (1993)

VC 10476
Looks at Maya women today and their ancient process of weaving while also examining the forces at work which are profoundly affecting both the women and the weaving.

Dear Dr. Spencer: Abortion in a Small Town (1997)

VC 11687
From the early 1920s until his death in 1969, Dr. Robert Douglas Spencer practiced medicine in a small town in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. Dr. Spencer treated colds, set fractures, and provided basic medical care. He also performed illegal abortions. After he did his first abortion in 1923 for a poor coal miner's wife, the doctor's reputation spread. Soon he was receiving letters from women across the country, asking for his help. This tape features interviews with the doctor's wife, local townspeople, and women who traveled from all over seeking help.

Diane Di Prima: Recollections of my Life as a Woman (1995)

VC 11671
Diane Di Prima reads autobiographical selections relating to her youth in Brooklyn for a creative writing workshop. A question and answer session follows.

Divorce Iranian Style (1998)

VC 8592
Looks inside an Iranian divorce court and shows how women are treated under Islamic law.

Dreamworlds: Desire/Sex/Power in Rock Videos (1990)

VC 11628
The author suggests that the image of women in rock videos reflects a male adolescent dreamworld. In this world, all women are nymphomaniacs who constantly invite sex with any available male. The author examines the factors which produce this image and questions the effect which many hours of viewing this dreamworld might have on male behavior in the real world. Consists primarily of narration over clips from rock videos. (This video contains scenes of graphic sexual violence which may disturb some viewers."--Screen preceeding title.)

Echoes of Dissent (1997)

VC 6998
Discusses the status of women in India.

Egypt: to Live with the Differences (1996)

VC 7493 cass. 1
An interview with Soraya Altorki, originally from Saudi Arabia, who is now a professor of anthropology at the American University in Cairo. In this candid portrait, she and her educated women colleagues express their fears that the fundamentalist movement will take away their hard-won achievements. Yet, they also resent the lack of understanding of their culture among Westerners and the tendency to regard Muslim women as all the same, without regard to class or education.

Ever Shot Anyone? (1996)

VC 11023
Israeli filmmaker Michal Aviad provides a woman's take on how national culture is informed by male identity through the military experience that bonds her country's Jewish men. "Ever Shot Anyone?" documents Aviad's attempt to infiltrate the world of army reservists during their annual tour of duty on the Golan Heights. Gradually, but not without suspicion and hostility toward the intruder in their midst, the middle-aged civilian-soldiers reveal notions about male identity, friendship, family and gender relations. This dominant male culture through the eyes of the ultimate outsider--a woman.

The F Word (1994)

VC 11258
Presents various definitions of feminism as defined by feminists, opponents of feminism, and ordinary men and women.

The Famine Within (1990)

VC 2806
Documents contemporary obsession with an unrealistic body size and shape among North American women and the eating disorders it engenders.

Feminine Dilemma: Women Circumcision (1994)

VC 11004
Film presents a series of interviews with religious leaders, women group representatives, health workers, everyday people and the girls themselves and asks the question: why female circumcision.

Feminist Strategies (1992)

VC 4627
Various women artists give creative expression to feminist perspectives on some of today's most challenging personal, social, and cultural concerns.

Fire (1996)

VC 7585
Banned in India, this film was the first to confront lesbianism in that country.

Forbidden Love: the Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives (1994)

VC 4401
Recounts the experiences of Canadian lesbian women in the 1950's and 1960's who sought romance in gay beer parlours and bars. Their stories are interwoven with a fictional love story and set against the tabloids and pulp novels of the time and illustrate the stereotypes and intolerance they faced.

Free a Man to Fight!: Women Soldiers of World War II (1999)

VC 9841
Uses archival footage and interviews with women who served in various capacities in all branches of the military: gunnery instructors, pilots, mechanics, code breakers, nurses, flight instructors and others. These women reflect on their lives behind the lines, facing danger from without and often prejudice from within.

Freedom Bags (1990)

VC 4342
Freedom bags is the story of African-American women who migrated from the rural south during the first 3 decades of the 20th century. Hoping to escape from the racism and poverty of the post-Civil War South, they boarded segregated trains for an uncertain future up North. Most could find jobs only as houseworkers, but they kept their dignity and sense of worth through difficult times.

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

VC 1859
A chance encounter in a nursing home leads to an unexpected friendship between a dowdy housewife and a spry octagenarian who tells her the story of a fiercely independent woman half a century ago, inspiring the housewife to change her life, often with hilarious results.

From Danger to Dignity: the Fight for Safe Abortion (1995)

VC 5033
A documentary on the efforts to legalize abortion in the United States and on the social and medical dangers of illegal abortions prior to Roe vs. Wade. Also portrays the underground network that helped women procure safe illegal abortions.

From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995)

DVD 2510 / VC 6517
A bio-pic about actress Jean Seberg is presented in a first-person, autobiographical format. Mark Rappaport seamlessly interweaves cinema, politics, American society and culture, and film theory to inform, entertain, and move the viewer. Seberg's many marriages, as well as her film roles, are discussed extensively. Her involvement with the Black Panther Movement and subsequent investigation by the FBI is covered. Notably, details of French New Wave cinema, Russian Expressionist films, and the careers of Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, and Clint Eastwood are also examined. Much of the film is based on conjecture, but it encourages viewers to re-examine their ideas about women in film.

A - C | D - F | G - K | L - M | N - S | T - Z

God Gave Her a Mercedez Benz (1993?)

VC 4005
Colorful markets of Africa are often dominated by strong older women, who control prices and determine who can buy their goods. These women are affectionately referred to as Mama Benz because each one has a chauffeur driven Mercedes Benz. This film focuses on one woman who presides over the cloth market in Lomé, Togo.

Goldwidows: Women in Lesotho (1991)

VC 2849
Interviews with women in Lesotho, a small country surrounded by South Africa. The women live as virtual widows; most of their husbands work in South African gold mines.

Golden Threads (1998)

VC 11024
Profiles the life of 93-year old lesbian activist Christine Burton, founder of a global networking service for mid-life and elder lesbians. Gives a groundbreaking, intergenerational picture of sexuality, life choices, and aging.

The Good Wife of Tokyo (1992)

VC 10029
Kazuko Hohki goes back to Tokyo with her rock band after living in England for 15 years. This film records her re-experiencing of Japan after a long absence, examining traditional attitudes towards women and those of Kuzuko's friends who are trying to expand their roles as Japanese women.

The Good Woman of Bangkok (1995)

VC 10104
A portrait of Aoi, a reluctant Thai prostitute who caters for the enthusiastic first world clientele who crowd the girlie bars of Patpong each night.

Grace Paley (1996)

VC 10707
A feminist and an anti-war activist, Grace Paley read three stories, Friends, Love, and Mother. She was interviewed by Carol Muske.

Grapes & Figs are in Season: a Palestinian Women's Story (1999)

VC 10762
With a unique blend of humor, storytelling and song, Shihadeh tells of losing her homeland, immigrating to the U.S. as a 17-year old bride, her upbringing as a Quaker and coming to terms with family, relationships, and politics.

Great Speeches: Today's Women, vol. 1 (1995)

VC 11169 1992
Democratic Convention Keynote / Barbara Jordan -- Defends Republican Administration / Marilyn Quayle -- Discusses health issues / Joycelyn Elders -- Roe v. Wade lawyer on women's issues / Sara Weddington -- Clinton's economic conference / Paula Stern.

Great Speeches: Today's Women, vol. 2 (1997)

VC 11170
Fiftieth anniverary of the Iron Curtain / Margaret Thatcher -- Discusses AIDS / Mary Fisher -- Women in America / Tipper Gore -- Generation X looks at the future / Heather Lamm -- Chronicles her husband's life / Elizabeth Dole.

Guerillas in our Midst (1992)

VC 5548
Gallery owners comment on the actions of a group of anonymous women artists who call themselves the Guerrilla Girls. Also interviewed are members of the Guerilla Girls, who, dressed in gorrilla masks, work to promote greater representation of women and minority artists in art exhibitions.

Half the Sky: Women of the Jiang Family: a Film (1995)

VC 5981
Women members of the Jiang family discuss the progress made by women in China, both socially and economically, in recent times.

The Handmaid's Tale (1990)

DVD 4627 / VC 1605
Set in the near future, the handmaids of the title are women who can still bear children after the ravages of war caused wide-spread sterility. One of the handmaids, Kate, is caught trying to escape the Republic of Gilead and sent to the prison-like training center. She is sent from there to the home of the commander to bear his child, but revolutionary forces have other plans for her!

Hermaphrodites Speak (1996)

VC 11888
This film covers the first meeting of intersexed people. Seven participants, two assigned as men and four as women, discuss their experiences of mutilation under the rubric of standard medical treatment for hermaphroditic children

Hidden Faces (1990)

VC 4399
Focuses on the psychological and sociological problems of Egyptian women, especially Muslim women.

Hollywood Harems (1999)

VC 10891
This documentary examines Hollywood stereotypes of the East, with particular attention paid to the Middle East and the depiction of women of the East. Juxtaposing film clips from the 20s through the 80s, the filmmaker argues these fantasies have worked both to shape and reinforce often derogative assumptions about the peoples of the East while at the same time reinscribing the moral, spiritual, and cultural supremacy of the Anglo-European West.

Honouring our Voices (1992)

VC 11726
Native American women in the Canadian province of Alberta tell of their experiences of being victims of domestic (primarily spousal) abuse and how each one resolved her particular situation.

Hozho of Native Women (1997)

VC 11728
Presents excerpts from a conference on Native American women's health issues. Interviews with several native women concerning their personal life stories with regards to their society, cultural assimilation problems, and identity.

Image and Popular Culture (1994)

VC 4069 cass.3
Explains the changing concepts of "ideal beauty" and how twentieth-century American women view themselves. Presents images from film, television, music, dance and art. (Third of three programs in a series on women in the twentieth century.)

In Danku the Soup is Sweeter (1992)

VC 4387
Describes the social conditions of rural women in northern Ghana; also illustrated is the recent phenomena of women establishing small businesses with the aid of international development agencies.

In My Father's House (1997)

VC 11866
Moroccan filmmaker Fatima Jebli Ouazzani investigates the status accorded women in Islamic marriage customs and the continuing importance of virginity. Having left her father's house in Morocco in order to escape the constraints her culture has placed on women, Fatima now returns to confront those traditions, her family and herself.

In Secular India (199?)

VC 3660
A documentary dealing with the rights of Muslim women under Indian secular law and its conflict with Muslim personal law.

Iraqi Women: Voices from Exile (1994)

VC 11418
Documentary about Iraqi women during the 20th century and how their lives changed with the various political regimes from British colonial rule through the rule of Saddam Husayn.

Islam and Feminism (1991)

VC 5377
Film examines the inequities in Pakistan's Islamic law, which does not distinguish among rape, adultery and fornication. Under this law, the testimony of two women is valued as equal to that of one man. A rape victim can be charged under Islamic law with having had extramarital sex. This report examines these contradictions, and introduces efforts of women's organizations to battle the severe discrimination which Pakistani women must endure.

Jeni LeGon: Living in a Great Big Way (1999)

VC 10778
Jeni LeGon overcame barriers to become the first Black woman to sign a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio. She subsequently appeared in over a dozen films, yet despite her talent, there were many hard lessons to be learned in a segregated Hollywood. This film showcases the path that Jeni forged for herself and the gift of inspiration that she gave a generation of dance students.

Jodie (1996)

VC 11518
Discusses how actress Jodie Foster and her on-screen roles have been viewed as a lesbian role model.

Jordan: Democracy for Our Children (1996)

VC 7493 cass.3
Toucan Faisal of Jordan is the first and only woman in the Jordanian parliament. A former television personality, she decided to go into government to rectify the abuses her investigative reports uncovered. Though publicly decried by the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood, despite repeated death threats, she refuses to be intimidated as she speaks out for human rights and democracy.

Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party: a Tour of the Exhibition (1990)

VC 8796
Discussion of Judy Chicago's artwork titled The dinner party which consists of thirty-nine place settings, each of which represents a woman of achievement in Western civilization, on a triangular table that rests on a porcelain floor containing the names of 999 other women of achievement. Contains film footage from Right out of history : the making of Judy Chicago's The dinner party by Johanna Demetrakas.

Juggling Gender: Politics, Sex, and Identity (1992)

VC 10624
Features Jennifer Miller, juggler and director of Circus Amok. Miller speaks of her life and struggle as a lesbian woman who happens to have a moustache and beard. Includes scenes of circus performances, a gay rights parade, Miller interacting with friends, family, and strangers.

Kamala and Raji (1996)

VC 6308
Presents the story of two poor women in Ahmadabad, India and their efforts to improve their lives.

Keep Her Under Control: Law's Patriarchy in India (1996)

VC 7847
Produced and filmed in northeastern Rajasthan, India, this video documents a dispute resolution in a multi-caste village of Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. The film discusses the Meos, a Muslim farming caste, and shows the paradox between a male idealogy that demands the control of women and one woman's resistance to that agenda. (Filmed in 1988; visual material updated by interviews with the main characters in 1996.)

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Lage Jiva Ghar Ghar: a Document on Women and Shelter (199?)

VC 7115
On the socialization of the girl child in India and the limitations of alternative sources of shelter for women.

Life and Times of Sara Baartman: the Hottentot Venus (1998)

VC 8826
A documentary film of the life a Khoi Khoi woman who was taken from South Africa in 1810 and exhibited as a freak across Britain. The image and ideas for "The Hottentot Venus" (particularly the interest in her sexual anatomy) swept through British popular culture. A court battle waged by abolitionists to free her from her exhibitors failed. In 1814, a year before her death, she was taken to France and became the object of scientific research that formed the bedrock of European ideas about black female sexuality.

A Litany for Survival: the Life and Work of Audre Lorde (1996)

VC 8343
Audre Lorde, poet and lesbian-feminist talks about being lesbian and black in New York in the 1950s and her social/political activity. Includes conversations and readings by Lorde and comments by other writers and family members.

Luisa Capetillo: Pasion de Justicia (1993)

VC 6848
Features the life of feminist Luisa Capetillo in late 19th and early 20th century Puerto Rico.

Madame Bovary (1991)

DVD 3623
Emma Bovary is a woman possessed by a burning hunger for life and love--and a passion that can never be fulfilled. Feeling trapped in a loveless marriage, Emma indulges herself in a lifestyle of reckless overspending and a series of shocking affairs which threaten to destroy her and everyone around her. Directed by Claude Chabrol.

Made in Thailand (1999)

VC 10941
A documentary about women factory workers in Thailand and their struggle to organize unions. In Thailand women make up 90% of the labor force responsible for garments and toys for export by multinational corporations. While probing the impact of the New World Order on populations that provide cheap labor in Thailand, the film also profiles women newly empowered by their campaign for human and worker's rights.

Mama Awethu! (1993)

VC 4302
Follows the day to day lives of five black South African women in the townships around Cape Town, revealing the inhuman legacy of the apartheid system.

Mammo (1994)

DVD 2836
Mammo is a middle-aged woman from Pakistan who goes to India to visit her sister. Her sister is aged and lives with her grandson. The film deals with the relationships that develop between the two sisters and between Mammo and the adolescent boy, while also examining the issues regarding the tension between Pakistan and India.

Miss Amy and Miss May (1990)

VC 10753
Presents, by means of interviews and dramatizations, the lives of Amy Bailey and May Farquharson, women's and civil rights activists in 20th-century Jamaica.

Morocco: the Rights of Women (1996)

VC 7493 cass. 3
Aicha Belarbi is professor of sociology at the University of Rabat. When Morocco won its independence from France in the 1960's the new constitution granted women equality, but in reality "family law" based on the Islamic code prevails to this day. Professor Belarbi teaches in the area of gender roles, child welfare, women and power and the modern Muslim woman but along with her progressive outlook, she believes strongly in the importance of traditional family ties of which her own close-knit family is an example.

Mujeres Insumisas (1995)

VC 11814
Frustrated by their confined existences and being mistreated by their husbands, four housewives from a small Mexican town leave their husbands and children behind as they try to build new and more satisfying lives.

My Feminism (1997)

VC 11840
Presents several women's standpoints on feminism and their thoughts as feminists.

A - C | D - F | G - K | L - M | N - S | T - Z

No Handouts for Mrs. Hedgepeth (199?)

VC 10935
Depicts the situation of a domestic worker in Durham, N. C., to illustrate some of the reasons why, in the world's richest country, a woman can work all her life and still be trapped in poverty.

No Time to Stop: Stories of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women (1990)

VC 4737
Narration written and read by Souad Sharabani; featuring interviews with immigrant women ; original music, Judith Gruber-Stitzer.

Not a Bedroom War: New Visions of Leadership for Women (1993)

VC 5005
In July 1992, a historic world gathering of women leaders occurred in Dublin to discuss new visions of leadership. Includes Mary Robinson, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Bella Abzug, Ruth Bamela Engo-Tjega, Anne Summers, Iola Mathews, Azizah al-Hibrl, Bevhan Ras-Work, Devaki Jain, Dame Jocelyn Barrow, Uta Ranke Heinemann, Nora Byrne, Terry Morrissey, Sharon Capeling Alakija, Frances Kissling, Noerine Kaleeba.

Not for Ourselves Alone: the Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony (1999)

VC 9759 / VC 8778
Tells the story of the friendship and work of suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

Not Without My Veil: Women in Oman (1993)

VC 4354
Interviews educated, independent, Islamic women of Oman who dress in the traditional way yet are moving into new areas for women.

Nu Shu: a Hidden Language of Women in China (1999)

VC 10801
Nu shu is a secret written language used only by women in the Hunan Province of China. Passed down from generation to generation, it was "discovered" in the 1960s and nearly destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and finally was given serious study in the late 1980s.

NY Beat Generation Show, vol. 2: Women & the Beats (1994)

VC 11682
A panel discussion by women authors who were involved in the "beat generation" of the late 50's and 60's.

Odhni: a Collective Exploration of Ourselves, Our Bodies (1993)

VC 7109
A discussion by Indian women of different ages, backgrounds, and life experiences concerning what they have in common and the social and political empowerment of women in India.

Once this Land Was Ours (1991)

VC 7067
Documentary about women agricultural workers in India and their struggle to provide for their families. Through testimonies and images of women at work, the film explores the feminization of poverty in rural India.

Out of Phoenix Bridge (1997)

VC 7345
Follows the life of three young girls, from the village of Phoenix Bridge, sharing a shack in Beijing.

Packing Heat (1996)

VC 11465
This lively documentary looks at why women want to carry firearms, and at the ethical and practical implications of a gun in every purse

Patently Offensive: Porn Under Seige (199?)

VC 3401
New technologies have catapulted pornography into a $10 billion industry ; despite sustained attacks from feminist and groupd traditionally concerned about the moral environment, porn profits soar. This film examines pornography in its social and historical context, and the debate about pornography that touches many of today's issues: individual rights, censorship, feminist theory, artistic freedom and family values.

Paulina (1997)

VC 9857
Through interviews and reenactments, this docudrama explores the clash of land rights and body rights in a Mexican village.

Peace Train to Beijing: the Fourth World Conference on Women (1996?)

VC 7581
Tells the story of 230 women and ten men from 42 nations who travelled on the "Peace Train" Helsinki to the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Sponsored by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, the Peace Train made stops in such cities as Kiev, Bucharest, Sofia, Istanbul, and Almaty, where travellers met with local women. Also features footage from the fourth World Conference on Women.

Peking Opera Blues (1990)

VC 4612
The story juggles incredible acrobatics, humor, stunning art direction, and political and feminist themes in a story set in 1913 China. The focus is on the experiences of three women, one of whom is a general's daughter involved with revolutionary guerrillas.

Performing the Border (1999)

VC 9052
Examines socioeconomic problems of the Mexican-American border region, focusing on hardships faced by women in newly urbanized areas

Period Piece (1996)

VC 11404
Women of various ages (8-84) and ethnicities share how they felt when their menstrual cycles first started. Old educational films are revisited in new ways to show humorous and historical views of this rite of passage. This film explores the general discomfort around the subject of menstruation and the pain girls experience as they negotiate relationships with their bodies and their culture.

The Pill (1999)

VC 11025
Chronicles little known chapters in the history of the birth control pill. Examines how far the pharmaceutical industry was willing to risk women's health. Interviews women from Puerto Rico who became unsuspecting test subjects. Provides insights from women health activists who questioned the high-dose version's safety, and testimony from scientists who developed the pill.

Politics and the Women's Movement (1990)

VC 1919
Discusses the women's movement in Canada, especially the National Action Committee on the Status of Women. Programs 18 & 19 in the television series: Through her eyes, women in politics, presented by the Institute of Women Studies and the Institute of Canadian Studies, Carleton University.

Pugs 'n Pols: More True Life Video Stories (1990)

VC 11178
The Golden Gloves: A young fighter battles to make his way out of the ghetto through victory in the ring. Election night with Jane Byrne: The historic 1979 triumph of Chicago's first woman mayor over the Democratic machine. Election day, Chicago style: Vignettes from the key Chicago precincts in Jimmy Carter's 1976 presidential triumph.

Punk Pretty (199?)

VC 8829
Documentary about feminist involvement in the punk rock music scene.

Purity: Breaking the Codes of Silence (2002)

VC 11961
Israeli filmmaker Anat Zuria examines the Taharat Hamishpaha, or Taharat HaMishpacha (family purity), religious laws that are often seen as imposed by men to shape women's lives and sexuality. The filmaker and her friends discuss their own struggles with observance and adaptation of traditional practices to their changing lives, exploring the meaning of purity to modern women.

A Question of Genes: Inherited Risks (1999)

VC 11950
When a woman tests positive for a high possibility of breast cancer, should she consider a preemptive mastectomy? Should it be permissible for companies to use genetic testing to determine insurability? When a single genetic marker implicates more than one disease, should the doctor tell the patient all the possible consequences? This program explores these and other perplexing questions raised by genetic testing. As the Human Genome Project progresses, the uses of genetic research will continue to be hotly debated as the repercussions test society's values and beliefs.

Rachel's Daughters: Searching for the Causes of Breast Cancer (1997)

VC 11322
This documentary follows a group of women, all breast cancer activists who are fighting or have survived the disease, who are on a personal mission to unearth the causes of breast cancer. Incorporates interviews with prominent scientists, documentary footage from high cancer rate areas, and investigates women's personal battles to stay healthy.

Rape: a Crime of War (1996)

VC 11466
Four women share their stories of forced confinement and rape in Bosnia. We meet the men who have perpetrated the crimes, who claim they were acting upon a higher authority. In the Hague, where the International Tribunal is investigating war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, we meet legal consultants who discuss the implications of the trial of a former camp boss, the first person in international history to be indicted for rape as a war crime.

Relationships; the Desired Number; Liberation (1995)

VC 5399
(Rishte) In India Lali Devi and 2 of her daughters take poison to kill themselves because there are 5 girls in the family and no boys. (Desired number) In Nigeria large families are a source of pride. (Ventre livre) Discusses sterilization and status of women in Brazil

Ripples of Change (1993)

VC 4215
Nanako Kurihara came to the U.S. to escape being trapped as a woman in a repressive Japanese society. In New York she met a woman named Fumiko who had been active in the women's liberation movement in Japan. After the death of Fumiko, Nanako returned to Japan to find out what ever happened to the women's movement there.

Rising Above: Women of Vietnam (1996)

VC 5979
A survey of the social and economic progress made by women in Vietnam since, and before, the end of the Vietnamese Conflict in 1975, including sequences showing the participation of women in the Vietnamese Conflict.

Sacrifice (1998)

VC 8377
Each year thousands of girls are recruited from rural Burmese villages to work in brothels in Thailand where they are held for years in debt bondage. The trafficking of Burmese girls is a direct result of political repression in Burma. Human rights abuses, war, and ethnic discrimination have displaced thousands of families leaving them with no means of livelihood. This film, through interviews with the girls, examines the social, cultural and economic forces at work in the trafficking of these Burmese girls.

Science for Survival (1995)

VC 5982
Activist and ecologist Vandana Shiva is the leader of a people's movement in India that opposes "reductionist Western science". She argues that the failure of the Green Revolution was due to the fact that women's knowledge of traditional seed varieties was ignored. The film also looks at the work of Dr. Sharadini Dahanukar who has set out to prove that ayurvedic medicine, which relies heavily on women's knowledge of plants and herbs, has scientific validity.

SEWA: Self-Employed Women's Association (1999)

VC 10790
A portrait of the women's organization in India, called SEWA, that holds to the simple yet radical belief that poor women need organizing, not welfare.

Sex in a Cold Climate (1997)

VC 11826
The film is a disturbing portrait of Magdalene asylums, run by Catholic nuns in Ireland. The purpose of the asylums, named after the repentant biblical prostitute Mary Magdalene, was to correct the supposed sexual deviance of young women. The film follows the stories of four women who were detained in Magdalen asylums between the 1940s and the 1960s.

Sexism and Language (1991)

VC 7085
Presents closely-analyzed examples that show how sexism and anti-sexism may be contained in everyday language use, including song lyrics, conversation, news reports, written conventions, and satire. Includes comments from members of two singing groups, the Au Pairs and the Joeys, with brief excerpts of performances.

Sexuality and Social Justice (1994)

VC 4069 cass. 2
A comprehensive look at women's efforts to shape their own destinies and establish a system of justice for themselves and all Americans. Issues touched upon range from Margaret Sanger's crusade to provide all women a means of birth control to the Women's liberation Movement. (Second of three programs in a series on women in the twentieth century.)

Shackled Women (1999)

VC 8267
Program assesses second- and third-world abuses of women's rights by the male establishment and examines how female collaboration sometimes contributes to their perpetuation.

Shakuntala Kazmi (1997)

VC 6939
Women -- India -- Social conditions.

Shroud of Silence: Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan (1998)

VC 10038
Documentary video presenting the current condition of women and girls under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

The Silent Feminists: America's First Women Directors (1993)

VC 4344
A documentary of America's first women directors. Profiles Alice Guy-Blaché, Lois Weber, Kathlyn Williams and Dorothy Arzner. Includes an interview with Margery Wilson.

Silk and Steel (1996)

VC 7362
Examines the role of women in reshaping the culture of Indonesia. Discusses the obstacles and victories of three Indonesian women--a rock star, a lawyer, and a TV journalist--as each finds a new path.

Sisters in the Struggle (1991)

VC 8865
Examines the roles of Black women in the struggle for human rights and features woman who are active in community organizing, electoral politics and labor and feminist organizing. Focusing on events in Canada since the 1970's, the women articulate some of the challenges they face going into the 1990's.

Slowly but Surely: the Story of the Women of Kotra (1995)

VC 11272
Documentary of the struggle of a tribal community in Kotra, India to take control and establish collective management of natural resources and improve their living conditions. Focuses on the participation of women in this endeavor, from their fight for a fair wage for harvesting tendu leaves to the establishment of collectives, local banks, and petitioning the government for a school.

Some Spirit in Me (1993)

VC 6746
Shows the effect of the women's movement on the lives of several women of diverse backgrounds who, although they were not activists, felt the effect of changing gender roles.

Song of Umm Dalaila: the Story of the Sahrawis (1993)

VC 11175
This film takes place in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria against the historical backdrop of Spanish colonialism and the Morroccan invasion of the Western Sahara. Documentary highlights the experiences of the Sahrawi women, who make up 80% of the adult refugee population. Interviews with various women reveal how they came to assume primary responsibility for the survival of the refugees.

The Southern Sex (1992)

VC 3012
Talks with Merlene Davis, newspaper columnist, Anita Madden, horse farm owner, and Debra Hensley, activist for the homeless, examine not only the portrayal of Kentucky women, and women in general, in television and movies, but also the whole gamut of issues affecting women.

Stolen Moments (1997)

VC 7350
Giving voice to stories that have been scattered or buried, rendering a shadowy history visible, this film weaves together the lost threads of lesbian history. Here lesbian writers share their insights on lesbianism, sexual politics and feminism against a backdrop of women's motorcyle clubs, the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival, the Vancouver Gay Games, lesbian stand-up comedy and gay bars that were once the only public meeting places available to lesbians.

Stories of Honor and Shame (1996)

VC 6833
The Gaza Strip endured 27 years of Israeli occupation and a prolonged Palestinian uprising. It is now partially administered by the Palestinian National Authority. This behind-the-scenes film reveals the hidden lives of the Palestinian women who live there. Fifteen women reveal their roles in a patriarchal Islamic society where men dictate most aspects of life. Shows the resilience and courage of women who, despite very difficult circumstances, all speak with enormous dignity and grace.

Step by Step: Building a Feminist Movement (1998)

VC 7614
Traces the gradual emergence of contemporary feminism through the life stories of eight women who helped make it happen from 1941 to 1977.

A - C | D - F | G - K | L - M | N - S | T - Z

Talking 9 to 5: Woman & Men in the Workplace (1995)

VC 10700
Discusses how understanding conversational gender differences in style can improve communication in the workplace.

Thank God I'm a Lesbian (1992)

VC 4881
Lesbians of various backgrounds are asked to express their feelings and thoughts on being a lesbian, coming out, relationships, feminism, outing famous people, s&m, bisexuality, and history of the gay movement.

These Hands (1994?)

VC 6718
Surveys a typical workday in the lives of women in Tanzania, some refugees from Mozambique, who manually mine gravel used for making concrete for urban building projects.

Things I Left in Havana (Cosas que dejé en La Habana) (1997)

DVD 2825
Three young, charming and beautiful sisters leave Cuba in search for the good life in Spain. Once in Madrid, they move in with their aunt who owns a sweatshop that makes fur coats. Since they lack work permits, their aunt plans to marry them off to suit her own interests. But a friend of their aunt's decides to protect the girls from these manipulations. That is until the friend and one of the sisters ends up falling in love with the same man.

Thousand Pieces of Gold (1992)

VC 6569
The true story of a young Chinese woman torn from her homeland and forced to survive in frontier America. An innocent woman in an Idaho mining town's thriving bordello, Lalu rebels and pays a terrible price for her fight against racism and sexism. Wagered as a piece of property, Lalu is handed over to her new owner, Charlie, who opens the door to a whole new life for Lalu--and for himself.

Through Chinese Women's Eyes (1997)

VC 6739
Presents the transformations in the lives of Chinese women over the 20th century. Documents the attempts to erase gender differences under Mao, today's changing ideas of femininity, and the crystalization of Chinese feminism at the UN Women's conference in Beijing.

A Veiled Revolution (199?)

VC 10002
Egyptian women were the first Arab women to march in political demonstrations (1919), the first to take off their veils publicly (1923), and the first to receive free secular education (1924). But today the educated grandaughters of those early Arab feminists are returning to Islamic dress, complete with full face veil and gloves. A veiled revolution considers possible reasons for this turn back to tradition--the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism, the rejection of western values--as Egyptian women speak out.

Veteran Feminists of America (1996?)

VC 9932
Forum held at Barnard College, New York, Nov. 21-22, 1996. cass. 1-2. Honoring the founders of N.O.W. on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of N.O.W. -- cass. 3-4 Honoring prime movers.

Visionary Voices: Women on Power: Conversations with shamans, activists, teachers, artists and healers (1992)

VC 7432
Features a multi-racial group of women reading excerpts from their interviews in a book by the same title about healthy uses of power encompassing a wide range of cultures and occupations.

Warrior Marks (1993)

VC 3618
Documentary about female genital mutilation in Africa. Includes interviews with victims, activists against female circumcision, and circumsizers.

Watermelon Woman (1996)

DVD 3466 / VC 6987
Cheryl, a young black woman in a video store, is making a documentary about an obscure black actress from the 1930's. When she discovers that the actress (known as "the Watermelon Woman") had a white lesbian lover, Cheryl just happens to fall in love with a very cute white woman herself!

The Way Home (1998)

VC 9457
Over the course of eight months, 64 women come together to share their experiences of oppression through the lens of race. Separated into eight ethnic councils, Indigenous, African-American, Arab, Asian, European-American, Jewish, Latina, and Multiracial, the women explore their stories of identity, oppression, and resistance.

When Abortion Was Illegal: Untold Stories (1992)

VC 3665
Presents the stories of women who had illegal abortions from 1930 to 1960, along with comments of doctors and others who helped them deal with later trauma.

When Women Unite: the Story of an Uprising (1996)

VC 9111
Recreates a piece of history that took place in Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh, India, between 1992 and 1995. Arrack, a type of country liquor, was being manufactured by the government and supplied to the villages through middlemen. Since arrack was easier to obtain than water, the village men were staying intoxicated and becoming more and more abusive to their families. The women of the villages in Nellore District rallied and got the government to stop the sale of arrack in the villages.

Who's Counting: Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies, & Global Economics (1995)

VC 5771
Elected to the New Zealand parliament at the age of 22, Waring eventually became the foremost spokesperson for global feminist economics. This program is an entertaining primer for anyone who suffers from what she refers to as "economics anxiety."

Wilma P. Mankiller, Chief of the Cherokee Nation: Woman of Power (1992)

VC 11722
Profiles Wilma Mankiller in her role as leader of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.

The Witch: Myth or Reality (1999)

VC 10276
Many women and girls in Nepal are accused of being possessed by a witch or of practicing witchcraft. They become victims of physical and mental torture and are compelled to live a life of humiliation and neglect. The first half of the film is a drama based on a true incident that took place in Kathmandu in 1997. The victim of this incident was a 32- year old mother of two young children. The second half of the film provides an examination of the problem through interviews with victims, family members and other community members. Faith healers, medical doctors and astrologers relate their perception regarding the issue.

A Woman's Place: Short Stories (1995)

VC 5980
Six 10 minute videos by women about the status and condition of women in 6 countries. [1] In Fiji women are involved in new sea farming projects. [2] In South Africa a literacy campaign gives birth to an effective anti-liquor campaign. [3] In South Africa, the Women's Health Project ensures that women will have a voice in shaping the new health care system. [4] A new generation of Caribbean women are using drama and reggae to focus attention on domestic violence. [5] Thousands of Filipino women are leaving children and country behind to work as domestics in Hong Kong. [6] Guatemalan women widowed in the civil unrest have formed an organization, Conavigua, to conduct literacy classes and encourage political participation.

Women and Islam (1994)

VC 4591
Leila Ahmed argues the case for revision of the widely-held views of the Islamic world about the role of women, using examples from history and the role played by women in the contemporary society. She explains the origin of the veil, and discusses the issue of marriage and women's rights within marriage.

Women & War: Trauma & Triumph of Women in '71 (1999)

VC 11574
The documentary shows the role played by Bangladeshi women during the country's bloody struggle for independence in 1971.

Women in Bangladesh (1995)

VC 5403
This film presents an exclusive interview with Taslima Nasreen who has fled her country and is in hiding. Ms. Nasreen is one the few women in her country who have dared to call for more freedom for the women of Bangladesh. The film puts her story in the context of the condition suffered by women in Bangladesh. The film includes footage of Begum Zia, the premier of Bangladesh who, surprisingly, is a woman.

Women in China (199?)

VC 7449
Documentary on the living conditions of women in China.

Women of the Yellow Earth (1995)

VC 6219
A documentary film concerning the quality of life for rural Chinese women and their families on the remote Loess Plateau. It introduces us to two village women, one who has just delivered her third child and is in trouble with the family planning officials who force her to undergo sterilization. The other is about to be married by arrangements with a matchmaker. Film gives a picture of how the state intercedes in family life, with its regulations and penalties for non-compliance.

Women Outside: Korean Women and the U.S. Military (1995)

VC 11613
Documentary on young South Korean women who work in sex related enterprises adjacent to American military bases in South Korea. Also explores the lives of Korean American women who came to the United States as wives of American servicemen.

Women Serving Religion (1995)

VC 5641
This program traces women's roles in religious tradition and what it means to be a woman in the three great religions today. It also explores the cultural influences of feminism upon religious traditions and the beliefs regarding the ordination of women.

Women, the New Poor (1990)

VC 11022
Follows the lives of four women in Connecticut who have become poor in various ways and explores how they cope with poverty.

Women with Open Eyes (1994)

VC 6233
Profiles contemporary African women in four West African countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and Benin. We meet a woman active in the movement against female genital mutilation, a health care worker educating women about sexually transmitted diseases, and businesswomen who describe how they have set up an association to share expertise and provide mutual assistance.

The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993)

DVD 837 / VC 4861
Interviews with Leni Riefenstahl, now in her nineties, flash-backs and modern film sequences tell the story of the most famous woman film director of all time. Known for her films made during the Third Reich, Riefenstahl's story is a controversial one. Best known for her "Triumph of the Will," the film made of the 1934 Nazi Party Congress, it proved to be her undoing.

Work and Family (1994)

VC 4069 cass. 1
Deals with the struggles of twentieth-century women to balance work, Marriage and motherhood--often a matter of survival.

Work of Sadie Benning (1996)

VC 6808
Various images and ruminations on growing up, lesbianism, and the irrepressibility of desire, from three films made 1989-1990.

Woxmen of Vision: 18 Histories in Feminist Film and Video (1998)

VC 7966 Pt. 1.
Creating an infrastructure: Carolee Schneemann, Pearl Bowser, Julia Reichert, Margaret Caples, Kate Horsfield, Constance Penley -- pt. 2. Lovers, mothers and mentors: Barbara Hammer, Michelle Citron, Susan Mogul, Juanita Mohammed, Vanalyne Green, Victoria Vesna -- pt. 3. Carol Leigh, Frances Negron, Yvonne Welbon, Megan Cunningham, Eve Oishi, Valerie Soe.

Yerma (1999)

DVD on order
Yerma is the lonely housewife of a Spanish farmer. She longs to have a child, but believes she is unable to conceive. Upon learning from an elderly psychic woman that the problem may have more to do with her husband, Yerma rebels against her lonely life and her place in society.

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