You are coming to Birmingham — my hometown — for the first time ever this weekend, and I won’t be there. You’ll be in town on Saturday, September 13, for the Behind the Ink book festival hosted by Me Time Book Club. But I’ll be in Orange Beach, Alabama, for the Alabama Writers Cooperative Conference. The irony is not lost on me that I’m missing a chance to meet one of my favorite writers because I’m attending a writing conference.
I wrote an article about the event that’s bringing you to the Magic City and the woman who worked hard to make all this happen — K. Reshay Williams. But I also wanted to write this blog post, which is really an open letter, to say all I would try to say if I had a chance to meet you this weekend.
The 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama, is in full swing. Opening night of Sidewalk weekend is tonight – Friday, August 22 – but I’ve been trying to #sidewalksohard since Monday – attending spotlight nights, which highlight some of the must-see shorts and feature-length films in the following categories: Alabama Shorts (films by or about Alabamians), Life & Liberty (films that explore a number of issues related to the human condition), SHOUT (films that center the LGBTQ+ experience), and Black Lens (films that center Black culture and issues).
This week I also had the chance to interview Lauren Melinda, writer and director of Before You, a short film that follows a couple in the wake of a decision they never thought they’d have to make: ending a planned pregnancy. Before You, which stars Tony-nominated actress Tala Ashe and features Adam Rodriguez, will screen on Saturday, August 23rd at 8 pm, as part of the Sidewalk Film Festival. In addition to the screening, Melinda and her team have also helped organize a panel conversation at the festival on Sunday, August 24th at 5 pm, which will feature filmmakers and local advocates discussing the role that film plays in the fight for reproductive justice.
The opening night film, Stolen Kingdom, delves into the irreverent world of YouTubers, ‘urban explorers’, and other misfits who investigate the forbidden off-limits locations behind the scenes at the Orlando Disney theme parks. The film reveals that “bad things happen at the happiest place on Earth!”
For my fellow writers, there are three films screening this weekend that feel made especially for us word nerds. While I think all films can help make us better storytellers, these films take that a bit further.
Here are three 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival picks for writers:
When filmmaker Lauren Melinda couldn’t find a story like her own, she decided to create the film she needed to see.
Melinda’s film Before You follows a couple in the wake of a decision they never thought they’d have to make: ending a planned pregnancy. With restrained storytelling and emotional honesty, this short film explores the intimate—and often invisible—grief of pregnancy loss.
Before You, which stars Tony-nominated actress Tala Ashe and features Adam Rodriguez, will screen on Saturday, August 23rd at 8 pm, as part of the 27th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. In addition to the screening, Melinda and her team have also helped organize a panel conversation at the festival on Sunday, August 24th at 5 pm, which will feature filmmakers and local advocates discussing the role that film plays in the fight for reproductive justice.
See Jane Write had a chat with Melinda as she prepares for the upcoming screening.
On Tuesday evenings, I usually host “Write On with Javacia” for members of the See Jane Write Collective. It’s a time for us to check in, chat, and then write. But I played hooky last night because it was release day for Bones at the Crossroads, book two of the Blood at the Root series by LaDarrion Williams. The series centers on Malik, an African American teenage boy who discovers, through a traumatic event, that he has magical powers. He lands at an HBCU for other Black kids with powers, where he begins to learn how to control his powers while also uncovering secrets about his family and even the school. LaDarrion, who’s an Alabama native, had a book signing and Q&A at the downtown branch of the Birmingham Public Library and I had to be there!
Last night, LaDarrion said so many things about the importance of representation that had me wanting to yell “Amen!” But the thing that stuck with me most was his statement that he’s healing his teenage self by writing the BATR series.
We often talk about healing our inner child, but what about our inner teen? I don’t know about you, but mine definitely needs some TLC.
What can you do, what could you write, to help heal your inner teenage self?
Editor’s Note: See Jane Write publishes guest articles by writers who identify as women, non-binary folks, and our allies. Learn more here.
By: Isabella Francis
For many women writers, there are so many deadlines, so many edits, and an endless amount of stories to tell and they do all this while managing home responsibilities, coffee refills, and, let’s be honest, some healthy doses of self-doubt. Between all the hours spent in front of our desks and the mental gymnastics it takes to build characters and formulate plots, physical activity is often neglected. Going to the gym might even, at times, seem like a time commitment that cannot be afforded.
But the truth is that being active does not have to be hours spent on machines or high-intensity workouts. It is a matter of incorporating movement into our lives in ways that nourish our creativity, health, and ability to tell compelling stories. But for women, many of whom may be experiencing recovery from surgical procedures or other physical limitations, fitness can be gentle, exploratory, intuitive, and ultimately a powerful motivator.
Let’s jump into realistic, accessible fitness routines specifically made for busy women writers because your wellness should be a priority and not an afterthought!
