The Rochester Association for Film Arts and Sciences will present a screening of SWEEPING FORWARD, a narrative film about anxiety disorder, set in the world of women’s curling. RAFAS will also host a discussion with director Patricia MacDowell following the film, playing 6:00 PM at the Little Theatre April 23. Tickets are $10, for sale to the general public via http://thelittle.org/films/sweeping-forward
In Sweeping Forward, Anne-Marie Saheb stars as Bess Lavigne, a former curling prodigy who works part time doing cleaning in a women’s shelter and at a local curling club. Her solitary existence is disrupted by intermittent panic attacks… but she’s not the only one with problems. When Bess is asked to give curling lessons to the four troubled women from the shelter, they all learn to overcome their differences and help one another, and ultimately they discover a fierce bond on and off the ice.
One of Patricia MacDowell’s aims in making the film was to help inspire those with mental health issues: “Mental health is such an important and universal subject and it is my hope that people around the globe will be inspired by my story and how, through film, an inspiring, heartwarming story of women with their own troubles, who, through determination and perseverance, achieve their own goals.”
MacDowell, a Toronto based filmmaker, had her own battles with anxiety. “When I was sick I felt really alone. So for this film’s story I created characters who helped each other. Each one had his or her own problems, just like any one of us. It tries to make the point that you can’t judge people solely on their problems, whether those problems involve alcohol, drugs or anxiety issues.
MacDowell also spent time as the manager of the Baie d’Urfé Curling Club. “This film reflects a bit of my own life. I manage the curling club but I don’t curl. But I know that curling is a team sport. Every member of the team must work together, often making on-the-spot adjustments to what is needed at a particular moment in order to help the team achieve its objective.”
Everyone knows someone with anxiety issues, but curling? That’s a topic few know much about. With this screening, RAFAS hopes to inspire interest from the general public as well as those interested in independent filmmaking.
The Rochester Association for Film Arts and Sciences (RAFAS) is a non-Profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to fostering and supporting excellence in Film Arts and Sciences within the Upstate New York Region. RAFAS offers members education and insight related to the film and media industry, organizes and provides information related to local independent productions and cultivates the production community at large in the Greater Rochester Area. RAFAS is a newly combined venture of Rochester Audio Visual Association (RAVA) and Rochester Movie Makers (RMM).
INFORMATION AND LINKS
Sweeping Forward trailer:
https://vimeo.com/118047442
Show Tickets:
http://thelittle.org/films/sweeping-forward
RAFAS website:
http://rafasny.org/
Media Contact:
Zachary Welch
zachary.welch@rafasny.org