Women’s Aviation Doc Selected For Festival Competition
The documentary film Beyond the Powder: The Legacy of the First Women’s Cross-Country Air Race has been selected for screening and competition at the 8th annual Chagrin Documentary Film Festival. The festival will be running October 4-8, 2017
Beyond the Powder: The Legacy of the First Women’s Cross-Country Air Race is a one-hour film documenting the 1929 Women's Air Derby, and the women who continue to fly the cross-country race today as the Air Race Classic . The film highlights the societal and aviation challenges women faced in 1929, exploring the rich history of the race, while comparing the competition as it is flown today.
Narration provided by Law and Order: SVU and NBC's Aquarius actress Michaela McManus .
The first Women’s Air Derby in 1929 was flown from Santa Monica to the finish line in Cleveland, kicking off the National Air Races. The eyes of the country watched as these brave women made history flying cross-country, breaking into a competition that was thought to be for men only. They encountered sabotage, death, and all the difficulties of flying at the dawn of aviation.
The so-called “Powder Puff Derby” continues today as the Air Race Classic . The modern day racers carry out the legacy of the original pilots with their adventurous and rebellious spirit. Showing that they were more than just their make-up, the original Derby contestants have inspired those flying today to truly push beyond the powder .
Screening Times
Saturday, October 7th, @ 12:00pm - Chagrin Falls Town Hall
Sunday, October 8th @ 1:10pm - South Franklin Circle
(screening times and locations are subject to change)
The Chagrin Documentary Film Festival is dedicated to educating audiences and empowering talented filmmakers to tell their stories. The Festival is a 5-day celebration of the art of documentary film, at venues in and around the century village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. This inspiring event draws audiences from all over Northeast Ohio, the US and the world to experience documentary films and the compelling art and culture they highlight.
Hemlock Films & Western Reserve PBS produced Beyond The Powder , airing the film nationwide on American Public Television. NE Ohio-based Hemlock Films is a multi-Emmy winning film production company, specializing in aviation history. The filmmakers from Hemlock Films , Kara Martinelli and Adam White , will be on-hand at the Beyond the Powder festival screenings.
Beyond the Powder: The Legacy of the First Women’s Cross-Country Air Race was made possible through generous support from the Ilsababy Foundation and Parker Aerospace.
