Gender Matters : A Virtual Classroom Discussion on Violence Against Women (Virtual Classroom)

Part 1: A film record of women at the turn of the century and of the suffragette movement's struggle for equal rights. Spearheaded by women like Emmeline Pankhurst, the movement was characterized by imprisonment, demonstrations, and a great following of men and women. Women of all classes, women working during the war, overseas and in North America, are presented in this fine documentary. Part 2: Made in 1958, this part of the film begins and ends in praise of women's acquisition of the vote. In between is a rendition of all the "equal" activities of women (and even more than equal in factory work). Much footage is devoted to the UN Status of Women committee, whose mandate does not extend beyond equal political rights under the law.

The NFB and its community partner, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, present a Virtual Classroom with acclaimed documentary filmmaker and social activist Alanis Obomsawin and community activists Gabrielle Fayant and Brock Lewis. Recorded live at the OCDSB's Aboriginal Learning Center, and moderated by CBC journalist and author Waubgeshig Rice, the event focusses on the topic of social justice in Indigenous communities and the positive shifts brought about by Indigenous youth. The panellists come together to talk about the hot-button social issues that young people in Indigenous communities are facing, with an emphasis on the various ways in which these youth are working to overcome these challenges.

Feminism has shaped the society we live in. But just how far has it brought us, and how relevant is it today? Status Quo? asks these questions and uncovers provocative-at times shocking-answers about the evolution of women's equality in Canada. Interweaving a wealth of dynamic archival material with startling contemporary stories, Status Quo? situates the vibrant Canadian women's movement in its history-making context. In 1967 the landmark Royal Commission on the Status of Women made recommendations to address the inequalities faced by women. Now, Status Quo? zeroes in on key concerns first raised 45 years ago: violence against women, access to abortion, and universal childcare. How much progress have we made on these issues? Status Quo? is crucial viewing for every Canadian, especially those unfamiliar with the vital achievements of the feminist movement. This striking, in-depth documentary pays homage to Canada's feminist forerunners and raises important questions about where and how we should move on from here.