Little Stones

Sophia Kruz takes the title of her documentary from a saying by suffragist Alice Paul about the women's movement being like the stones that make up a mosaic. Fatou Diatta, aka Sister Fa, uses hip-hop to shed light on the cultural practice of female genital mutilation. On a radio show, she explains that she moved from Dakar to Berlin to be with her Austrian husband, but her travel schedule contributes to their separation during the film. Panmela Castro, a graffiti artist in Rio de Janeiro, describes Brazilian street culture as a macho scene, but she has earned the respect of her male compatriots, bringing other women along with her. Panmela’s independence stands in stark contrast to a past dominated by domestic abuse, but since Brazil had not yet enacted domestic violence legislation, her ex-husband never faced any legal ramifications. Sohini Chakraborty, a dance movement therapist in Kolkata, believes that dance can prove helpful to victims of sexual abuse. Over the past 10 years, she has trained five students to become instructors themselves. Anna Taylor, who founded the clothing company Judith & James, works exclusively with seamstresses in Nairobi. Although she hails from Little Rock, AR, she spent much of her youth in Kenya, inspiring her to create job opportunities for women in the area. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of United Nations Women, believes that art is an empowering mechanism, because it is universal. While the profiled women have had to make personal sacrifices during their careers, they have all found ways to help other women through their art. An inspiring documentary, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)