Join PRSA Rochester, the Rochester Media Association, Rochester Movie Makers and Rochester Women’s Network in an engaging screening of the critically-acclaimed film, “MAKERS: Women in Hollywood,” on Thursday, March 10, 2016 at The Little Theatre.

About the Movie:
WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD showcases the women of showbiz, from the earliest pioneers to present-day power players, as they influence the creation of one of the country’s biggest commodities: entertainment. Audiences hear from actress-producer-activist Jane Fonda, television powerhouse Shonda Rhimes, who created Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal; screenwriter Linda Woolverton, who re-imagined the traditional Disney princess by making Belle (Beauty and the Beast) a self-possessed, strong-willed young woman; writer-director-actress Lena Dunham, who mines comedy and drama gold by exploring what it’s really like to be a young woman today, and six-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close. The film is narrated by Julia Roberts. 

This second-annual event is a collaboration of local organizations in honor of Women’s History Month, and in recognition for the need to continue conversations to inspire and engage women to take on influential roles within their community.

After the screening, attendees are invited to join a local panel discussion in the theatre with several area women leaders in media and entertainment, including:

Susan Gibney

Born in Manhattan Beach, California, Susan Gibney moved to Webster, New York at a young age. She graduated from Buffalo State College with a major in theater and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale. Living in New York after school, she appeared in several off-Broadway productions. After working in Los Angeles for three years, Gibney returned to New York to refresh her theatre roots. She landed a permanent place in Hollywood in 1996, appearing in lead and recurring roles in dramatic and sic-fi TV series and films including 2015’s breakout horror hit “We Are Still Here”.

Linda Moroney

Linda Moroney (Producer/Director/Programmer) was a producer on the independent feature-length documentary, RAM DASS FIERCE GRACE, named by Newsweek magazine as one of the five best non-fiction films of 2002, and broadcast nationally on PBS (Independent Lens).  Currently, she is producing and directing TURN THE PAGE, and producing a documentary on the Dalai Lama, for director Mickey Lemle. Ms. Moroney is the programmer for One Take: Stories Through the Lens a monthly documentary series at the Little Theatre, founder of the Rochester Documentary Filmmakers Group, co-founder of the Rochester Teen Film Festival & the Rochester Teen Film Camp, and teaches documentary film at St. John Fisher College.

Sasha-Ann Simons

After enrolling in Ryerson University’s Journalism program nearly a decade ago, Sasha-Ann Simons quickly turned her passion for news and current affairs into a series of internships and paid gigs working in Toronto - Canada’s largest media market. She has held various positions both in front and behind the camera, and was part of the award-winning Global News team. Today, she works as a Multimedia Reporter, Producer and fill-in Host at WXXI News in Rochester.  In June 2015, Sasha-Ann took on the role of Treasurer of the Rochester Association of Black Journalists. 

Tina Chapman DaCosta

Tina Chapman DaCosta worked for IBM as a Systems Engineer and Marketing Programs Manager before becoming a college professor and performance artist. Tina was a professor in Computer Networking at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) before earning her MFA in Film with a concentration in scriptwriting in 2014. Tina has created and taught classes in acting, script writing, and museum theatre. She helped curate the RIT exhibition Resistance, Rebellion and Renewal: Narratives of Progress and Poverty in Rochester and launched a new RIT performance program called Diversity Theatre. Tina was appointed the Diversity Theatre Program Developer in 2015. Tina founded Mended Wings, a media production company, and she has written, directed, and produced several short films and plays. Tina is also an accomplished actor in film and theatre.  

Ellen Rosen, Moderator 

Ellen Rosen is director of University News Services at Rochester Institute of Technology. Prior to joining RIT in 2012, she served six years as vice president of marketing, communications and membership for the Rochester Business Alliance, and 25 years as a reporter and editor at the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. She is an experienced public speaker, having moderated the first Eyes on the Future panel and served as host for the Democrat and Chronicle’s Unique Lives and Experience series, held at Nazareth Arts Center. Additionally, Ellen serves as the ethics chair of PRSA Rochester and co-chair of the membership committee.

Event Schedule:
6:00-6:40 p.m.: Networking and registration in The Little’s main lobby and café.
6:45 p.m.: Welcome and opening remarks, followed by the film.
7:50-8:50 p.m.: Local panelist discussion and community Q&A following the movie.

Parking: Ample street parking is available in the East Ave. neighborhood near The Little. In addition, the event organizers also suggest the conveniently-located nearby Scio St. Garage as another alternative, with covered parking.

Ticket Sale Details:
- $7 for all members of participating sponsoring organizations
- $10 for all other attendees
- $5 student rate
- Online Registration Instructions: For all non-PRSA members, (which includes other participating member organizations) please select the "Guest" option on the initial registration link, and then proceed to enter your information and choose your ticket category- RMA member, RMM member, RWN member, or “guest,” if you are not a member of any of these organizations.
- Tickets will be sold ONLINE ONLY (all major credit cards accepted): on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets will NOT be sold at the door: please register online in advance, and we will check your name off at registration. *Attendees are not required to bring a copy of their registration page on-site, but please do remember to sign-up online in advance.

*This event does have a cap, so be sure to register early! 

Event Contacts:
For any additional questions, please contact:
Lisa Famiglietti ([email protected]), for Rochester Media Association
*For any general online registration questions, please email the PRSA Rochester web team, [email protected]