Join human rights activists and filmmakers to kick off the 10th annual Women’s Voices Now Film Festival!
2024 Film Festival Kick Off Ceremony – March 26th.
Chelsea Byers
Moderator
Chelsea is responsible for managing WVN programs, and leads partnership development and community outreach efforts both locally and internationally, on behalf of WVN.
Chelsea comes to WVN with a background in creative change making, organizing, and advocacy. A passionate activist on issues regarding gender and sexual-based violence, Chelsea successfully campaigned to overturn California’s statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault in 2017 and co-organized the first #MeToo Survivors March in Los Angeles.
Chelsea is part of the Beautiful Trouble collective, where she facilitates resources development and content creation for an online toolbox that supports organizers and activists around the globe. She has organized countless campaigns and demonstrations for social justice, held vigils for political prisoners and whistleblowers, and earned media for stunts, pranks, and creative disruptions, alongside some of the most innovative and strategic nonviolent activists working in social movements.
Fatimah Hossaini
Keynote Speaker
Fatimah, an Afghan-Tehran born artist and photographer based in Paris, France, is renowned for her captivating work capturing the essence of beauty amidst conflict. As the author of the acclaimed photo book “Beauty Amid War,” published in France and In Italy, she has earned international acclaim.
Beyond her artistic endeavors, Fatimah is the visionary Founder of Mastooraat Organization, dedicated to promoting women’s empowerment through art in Afghanistan. Recognized as the Rising Talent Ambassador for the 2022 Women’s Forum, she is also a recipient of the prestigious Hypatia International Award.
With a background in Industrial Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Photography from the University of Tehran, Fatimah’s expertise extends to staged photography, where she masterfully intertwines narratives of identity and femininity in Afghanistan.
As a lecturer at the Art Faculty of Kabul University and a vocal advocate for women’s and refugee rights on national and international platforms, Fatimah’s impact transcends borders. Her works have been featured in solo and group exhibitions worldwide, cementing her status as a pioneering figure in contemporary art and photography.
Festival Sponsors.
