Iron Ladies of Liberia: Independent Lens at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center offers a free screening of the documentary film Iron Ladies of Liberia on Tuesday, February 26, at 7:00 p.m. Part of the Arts Center’s Independent Lens series, Iron Ladies is described by its producer as “the most unabashedly positive story to come out of Africa since Nelson Mandela.” (This comes from a producer whose last experience in Liberia was dodging bullets during the country’s brutal civil war.)
The film is an intimate documentary that goes behind the scenes with Africa’s first freely elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia. Sirleaf is a formal political prisoner who protested the governments of her two predecessors. She’s already overcome tremendous obstacles to become the first woman ever elected president in Africa. Now all she has to do is turn around Liberia—a country devastated by unemployment, debt, corruption, and the legacy of civil war. Follow Sirleaf through her first year in office as she faces angry mobs, ambitious political rivals, and high-ranking members of the international community. Her story is inspiring a new generation of leaders in Africa and around the world.
After the film, audience members are invited to stay and participate in a discussion about the film and how it relates to some of the key social issues facing our own country. Discussions following Independent Lens screenings are open and respectful dialogues that provide an opportunity for further learning.
Airing weekly on PBS, the Emmy award-winning series Independent Lens is like an independent film festival in your living room. Each episode introduces new documentaries and dramas made by independent thinkers: filmmakers who are taking creative risks, calling their own shots and finding untold stories in unexpected places. ITVS, the co-presenter of Independent Lens, presents ITVS Community Cinema, a free monthly screening series, offered in over 35 cities throughout the U.S., including Sheboygan. Preview screenings of Independent Lens films are followed by lively panel discussions that connect communities with relevant organizations, resources and opportunities to get involved in some of today's key social issues.
Call 920-458-6144 or visit www.jmkac.org for more information. For more information about Iron Ladies of Liberia, visit www.pbs.org/independentlens.
