Advancing the Frame
Advancing the Frame
Advancing the Frame is a film club and series, presented by the Old Greenbelt Theatre, for teen girls of all identities. The club and events will use film to explore topics of gender representation in our society and to build awareness of these issues, strengthen communication skills, and develop leadership qualities in teen participants.
Participation is limited and available by application only. Participants under age 18 need parental permission to participate, and participants and parents should be aware of the sensitive nature of material presented throughout the seminar. Films are carefully curated and designed to evoke thoughtful dialogue around important issues, and as such, in some cases films may contain profanity, nudity, sexual situations, gender and sexual identity exploration, violence, drug and/or alcohol use, and other adult situations.
While there may be costs for participation in the club and events, The Old Greenbelt Theatre is committed to providing quality educational programming at an affordable cost. If the participation fee is prohibitive for you, please reach out to us directly and we will work together to make it accessible to you.
For specific details about upcoming events, please check back here for session dates, film titles, and film synopses.
Below are some of the films we selected for previous events and sessions.
Crush | Director: Sammi Cohen
When a young artist is forced to join her high school track team, she uses it as a chance to pursue the girl for whom she’s been harboring a crush. But she finds herself falling for an unexpected teammate and discovering what real love feels like.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15096128/
Halftime | Director: Amanda Micheli
HALFTIME offers an intimate peek behind the curtain revealing the grit and determination that makes Jennifer Lopez the icon she is, from her performances onscreen and on stages around the world, to her Super Bowl Halftime show, to the recent Presidential inauguration. The documentary focuses on an international superstar who has inspired people for decades with her perseverance, creative brilliance, and cultural contributions. And it’s only the beginning. HALFTIME serves as the kickoff to the second half of Lopez’s life, as she lays bare her evolution as a Latina, a mother, and an artist, taking agency in her career and using her voice for a greater purpose.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/halftime
Plan B | Director: Natalie Morales
After a regrettable sexual encounter, a straight-laced student and her best friend have 24 hours to hunt down a Plan B pill in South Dakota.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/plan-b
Petite Maman | Director: Céline Sciamma
Following the death of her beloved grandmother, 8-year-old Nelly accompanies her parents to her mother’s childhood home to begin the difficult process of cleaning out its contents. As Nelly explores the house and nearby woods, she is immediately drawn to a neighbor her own age building a treehouse. What follows is a tender tale of childhood grief, memory, and connection.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/petite-maman
Half the Picture | Director: Amy Adrion
This woman-directed documentary about the dismal number of women directors working in Hollywood uses the current EEOC investigation into discriminatory hiring practices as a framework to talk to successful women directors about their career paths, their struggles, their inspiration, and their hopes for the future.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5713994/
Beba | Director: Rebeca Huntt
First-time feature filmmaker Rebeca “Beba” Huntt undertakes an unflinching exploration of her own identity in the remarkable coming-of-age documentary/cinematic memoir BEBA. Reflecting on her childhood and adolescence in New York City as the daughter of a Dominican father and Venezuelan mother, Huntt investigates the historical, societal, and generational trauma she’s inherited and ponders how those ancient wounds have shaped her, while simultaneously considering the universal truths that connect us all as humans
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14965578/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1