Tasveer
Presented by grassroots Seattle non-profit Tasveer in collaboration with the Gardner Center for Asian Arts & Ideas, this weekend’s 2011 Aaina Festival celebrates the art and activism of South Asian women. Featuring films, performances, readings and more, Aania (which means “mirror” in Hindi/Urdu) aims to reflect upon issues critical to the empowerment of South Asian women while also sparking an illuminating community dialogue. The festival’s spotlight event, Yoni Ki Baat (inspired by The Vagina Monologues), is a collection of powerful stories that are sourced, written, and narrated by local South Asian Women. Aaina will also screen films like Afghan Girls Can Kick, which documents the first all women’s soccer club in post-Taliban Afghanistan, and the award-winning documentary Gulabi Gang. Additionally, playwright and actress Asha Magarati will help present Swasnimanache, a dramatic comedy based on the lives of three contemporary Nepali wives. Hosted by the Seattle Asian Art Museum, Aania makes its full run March 25-27. Follow the link for more information on the event, including the complete schedule of programming.