SEX POSITIVE –
On Sunday, Nov. 8, 5 pm, join Reel Sisters for a LIVE virtual conversation on Unlearning Sex directed by Zanah Thirus and Cupcakedirected Courtney Grace. Film lovers can view the films online and attend the panel Q & A, which will focus on the issues of cultivating sex positive perspectives, dealing with sexual trauma and a woman’s power in owning her sexuality. Mo Beasley, the founder of UrbanErotika, will moderate the panel.
Unlearning Sex
Writer: Zanah Thirus
Director: Zanah Thirus Producer: Zanah ThirusDuration:
39 min., Doc.
A front-row seat to a survivor’s six-month journey through sexual-trauma therapy and healing, and reclaiming her body.
Cupcake
Writer: Obiageli Odimegwu
Director: Courtney Grace Producer: Courtney Grace and Kathleen Gardner
16 min., narrative
Simone is an intelligent and independent high-school student on a journey of self-discovery. When her conservative religious community learns she had sex with her longtime boyfriend, Joshua, Simone must learn to reconcile her sense of self-worth with her beliefs, reject the objectifications being placed on her, and learn to trust herself again
ABOUT MO BEASLEY – MODERATOR
This Boston-Born/Miami Beach-based “Universal Man” in the world of live theater and performing arts is an award-winning performance poet/published author/activist/arts educator/public speaker/stage manager for Broadway’s Bring In Da Noise/Bring In Da Funk, Off-Broadway’s Blue Man Group/founding producer of NYC’s long running neo-burlesque variety show UrbanErotika, and one of “50 Unsung New York Heroes” according to The New York Daily News, in 2006. All accomplished during his 20 year stint as a resident of Brooklyn, NY. in 2018 Mo took his love for live arts, activism, and education to South Florida as a Technical Director for The Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts.
Courtney Grace (Director/Producer, Cupcake): Courtney Grace is an award-winning director, writer, and producer from Atlanta, GA and M.F.A Graduate of USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program. In 2018, she received the Stark Special Project Grant to produce and direct Cupcake, along with her producing partner Kathleen Gardner. Currently she is the Researcher on The CW’s Legacies and continuing her mission to tell stories that have a strong, positive socio-political impact on society. Her strategy is to follow her motto “Aut viam inveniam aut faciam:” “I will either find a way or make one.”
Kathleen Gardner (Producer, Cupcake): Kathleen Gardner is an award-winning Producer from Washington D.C., currently residing in Los Angeles, California. She received her undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Virginia and her MFA through USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program, during which time she produced four short films. Prior to USC, Kathleen was the Associate Producer of a feature length documentary about HIV in South Africa and worked as a Coordinating Producer/Junior Editor for a D.C. based production company, overseeing projects for clients such as National Geographic, Discovery Channel, HGTV and others