WEST Wiltshire Multi Faith Forum, in partnership with Town Hall Arts, is celebrating International Women’s Day this year with a film screening, shared lunch, weaving activity and a dance workshop.

The event on Saturday, March 10 from 12.30pm in at Trowbridge Town Hall is completely free of charge, and aims to welcome women from the local community to get together to celebrate women’s achievements, learn more about each other's cultures and get encouragement to succeed in life.

After lunch from 12.30pm the films begin at 2pm, starting with Sofia’s Portrait, directed by Alejandra Jiménez, followed by Women of the Silk Road, a documentary exploring four women’s lives today in Middle East and Asia along the ancient trade route, directed by Yassamin Maleknasr, the first Iranian woman filmmaker to graduate from the University of Southern California in Film and Television.

Women of the Silk Road tell the stories of four women from Iran, Oman, Turkey and Tajikistan. In words of the director “It is a celebration of life, a lyrical film, that portray the independence and the economic empowerment of these women from the rural areas; the nomads, the bedew and those that go unnoticed.

"I believe these stories represent a different angle from the standard perception of Muslim women. Through centuries generations of women of the Silk Road have lived through their handicrafts connecting East and West but what truly connects us to one another is our commonalities; our love, our dreams, our personal stories.

"In these trying times of mistrust and division between the East and the West I hope that my camera shall act as a source of illumination to enlighten the hearts and minds of all peoples across the cultural divide. Maybe this film, even in a very small way, will be able to promote a better understanding between people of the world.”

Women of the Silk Road was presented in a sold-out event during Film Bath 2017 with the presence of Yassamin Maleknasr. The film is categorised as triple F-Rated, directed by a woman, written by a woman and that features significant women on screen in their own right.

Sofia’s Portrait is the most recent short documentary of Colombian-British filmmaker and Alejandra Jiménez, that presents the inspirational story of a very creative young woman who suffers Leigh Syndrome. Alejandra has supported community film screenings in the Town Hall since the first event in 2017.

After the films, we will serve traditional Moroccan tea and then women can join a weaving workshop delivered by Trowbridge Museum and inspired by the central topic of the film. There is also a multicultural dance workshop run by local women.

The event is suitable for women with children and a crèche service will be available in the same building from 12.30-3.30pm.

The IWD2018 celebration is supported by West Wiltshire Multi Faith Forum, Town Hall Arts, technical support of Cinema For All, Awards For All and Seedbed.