We are re-centering our voices and shifting the gaze toward a collective imagination. Join us this Saturday, October 1, 2022 at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and St. Nicholas Park for our third annual Black Women’s Film Conference. Gessica Généus is an actress, singer and director from Haiti. She began her career when she was 17 years old. After the earthquake in 2010, she became actively involved in the reconstruction of her country and she started working for the United Nations. She then won a scholarship to study at Acting International in Paris. She returned to Haiti and created her own production company, Ayizian Productions, to develop her own work. Between 2014 and 2016 she directed “Vizaj Nou”, a series of short portraits of major figures from contemporary Haitian society. In 2017, her documentary film “Douvan jou ka leve (The Day Will Dawn” won seven awards. It continues to be shown around the world. “Freda” is her first feature film. ✨🇭🇹✨✊🏽✨👭🏽✨🌄✨ Freda, a young University student full of dreams and ambition, resides with her Mother and Sister earning a living from their small street shop. Faced with precarious living conditions and the rise of violence in Haiti, each of them face the agonizing choice of whether to stay in the country amidst the civil unrest or seek another life somewhere else. ✨Link in bio to register✨ Accessibility: We are committed to providing accessible programs and services for attendees with disabilities. All facilities and entrances at the Schomburg Center are wheelchair accessible. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation is available upon request. COVID-19 is still impacting our communities everywhere and we strongly encourage attendees to wear masks and practice social distancing throughout the event. For those joining us from home, you can access the conference through Schomburg’s YouTube channel. In partnership with The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and Rooftop Films. With support from The Ford Foundation, Black Public Media, ITVS, BlackStar Projects, and 200+ supporters like You. Film Stills: From "Freda" by Gessica Généus