First Social Work FilmFest Set for March 4 at Gallaudet University

Program will feature Documentary from Renowned Filmmaker Ted Bogosian

WASHINGTON—The first Social Work FilmFest to highlight films by and about social workers will be held March 4 in Washington, D.C. at Gallaudet University's Kellogg Conference Center. The FilmFest will feature a documentary from television and film director, producer and writer Ted Bogosian as well as works by social workers and filmmakers Leslye Abbey and Matt Anderson.

The three-hour FilmFest, which is sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers Washington, D.C. Metro Chapter , will kick off at 6 p.m. It is organized by the chapter and SocialWorkersSpeak.org, a NASW Website that gets social workers talking about and influencing how they, and the issues they care about, are portrayed in the media.

The FilmFest also comes at the start of Social Work Month, a period dedicated to educating the public about myriad services social workers provide.

"Respected filmmakers such as Bogosian are creating films that highlight valuable services provided by social workers and we want the public to get a taste of these works," said NASW Washington D.C. Metro Chapter Executive Director Joyce Higashi, LICSW, LCSW-C, LCSW, DCSW. "People may
also be surprised to learn that social workers are also expert filmmakers."

Bogosian, who has done work for PBS and HBO, will show his latest documentary "What is Love: Pathfinders." That film follows a cancer care program created by NASW member Tina Staley, MSW, LCSW, that is used at Duke University and in Staley's home state of Colorado.

Leslye Abbey, MSW, a clinical social worker who runs the Snowflake Video film company, will show "Experiencing Aging." This film looks at the aging process from the perspective of social worker and educator Catherine Papell.

Matt Anderson, MSW, who is co-owner of the Porch Productions film company, will let the FilmFest air a 15-minute excerpt of his upcoming documentary "From Place to Place" about the challenges facing foster children who age out of the system.

These films demonstrate how social workers are heavily involved in helping the aging, those with chronic illness, and young people.

Bogosian, Staley and Abbey will be available to answer questions from the public and reporters during the FilmFest.