A new film festival hits Greenwich Village this weekend with a female-focused lineup that includes the premiere of Harvey Weinstein allegations doc “Untouchable” and a Kathy Griffin docu-comedy special.
Dubbed 51Fest, the four-day festival comes from the Tina Brown-founded Women in the World and Sixth Avenue’s IFC Center. It looks to amplify and celebrate women’s voices. Its tagline: The female majority on screen.
“Women make up 51 percent of the population and yet we don’t have 51 percent of the representation on screen,” program director Anne Hubbell says of the inspiration behind the festival.
51Fest balances screenings of projects by women filmmakers and movies with a strong central female character with sit-down conversations. “It’s all about putting women on the stage, front and center.”
“One of the most unique things about 51Fest is the conversations we’re going to have,” she adds. “The lineup is looking at women from all walks of life.”
The festival is set to feature a screening of “Untouchable,” the Hulu documentary about all the sexual assault allegations made against disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein.
“We’ll have the filmmaker and two of Weinstein’s accusers here. Given that so much of the New York industry knows him or knew the company, and given everything going on with his case, and so many women have been affected by his behavior, having that conversation in this context is very important.”
The lineup includes a sit-down with comedian Kathy Griffin, who faced turmoil in 2017 for posting a gory photo featuring a fake severed President Donald Trump head; and a special conversation about “A Girl from Mogadishu,” a drama exposing gender-based violence.
The lineup aims to highlight “things that don’t get talked about a lot, like female genital mutilation or what it’s like to be a mom in a war zone,” Hubbell explains.
Here’s a look at the inaugural fest’s full lineup. All events are scheduled for the IFC Center, except where otherwise listed. Tickets are $18 per screening ($15 for IFC Center members).
Thursday
“Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story” — 7:30 p.m. (SVA Theatre)
Friday
Women in the World Spotlight: Supermajority — 7 p.m.
“Unbelievable” — 8:30 p.m.
Saturday
“Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins” — noon
“Brittany Runs a Marathon” — 2:45 p.m.
“Official Secrets” — 5:30 p.m.
“After the Wedding” — 8:30 p.m.
Sunday
“For Sama” — 2:30 p.m.
“Otherhood” — 2:30 p.m.
“A Girl from Mogadishu” — 5:15 p.m.
“Untouchable” — 8:15 p.m.
