Film EventsWomen Director Series - GIRLFIGHTThursday, April 23, 2026 at 7:30 PM
GIRLFIGHT (2000) by Karyn Kusama
Bullied by her father at home and feeling adrift at school, Diana Guzman (Michelle Rodriguez) finds refuge in an unexpected pocket of her native Brooklyn—a timeworn boxing gym, where she learns to channel her strength, discovers a sense of community, and falls for a rival fighter. In Karyn Kusama’s raw, understated feature debut, Rodriguez commands the screen with both tightly coiled intensity and deep wells of vulnerability as a young woman hitting back at society’s expectations and her own personal demons. Capturing the full emotional weight of Diana’s journey and the kinetic thrill of bodies in motion, Kusama crafts a singularly uncompromising story of self-realization.
The Feature will be preceded by two shorts...
FULL CONTACT (2004) by Paige Taul
"Blending found footage with oral interviews, Full Contact offers a personal dive into an unseen student's spiritual and bodily relationship with Judo. Also featured is the student's sensei, who discusses their philosophical understanding of Judo." -- Denny Mwuara
MONTESSORI SWORD FIGHT (2002) by Mary Beth Reed - 16mm
A young girl struggles to perfect her new found passion, swordfighting. She discovers her role model when a band of Montessori school children invite her to a demonstration given by a legendary Hollywood master. After intense training, the children's adroit sword play awakens their competitive instincts. They rebel against their teacher, and a harrowing duel ensues. The heroine faces internal turmoil, when the Montessori gang forces her to choose between her master's path and their growing power. The film combines optically printed and hand processed original and appropriated imagery.