by Beverly Aarons

The 2020 Social Justice Film Festival (October 1–11) is streaming online now. This year’s theme is Transform: Another World Is Possible. Individual tickets and festival passes are available on a sliding scale. Dozens of films from around the world are grouped into 25 topic blocks: reproductive rights, environmentalism, Black Lives Matter, poverty, trauma, “good vibes,” and more. Four film panel discussions will be live-streamed via Facebook at no cost to the public. Since its inception, the Social Justice Film Festival has continuously expanded its cinematic offerings from independent and first-time filmmakers exploring important social issues. Originally launched as a festival that featured films from prisoners, the Social Justice Film Festival has grown to include numerous human rights issues under its banner. I had an opportunity to speak with the festival’s Managing Director, Aurora Martin, and one of the participating filmmakers, Gilda Sheppard.