NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle Public Library and the Zonta Club of New Rochelle will present a three-part film series, “Extraordinary Women,” on three Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm during the month of March. The free movies will be shown on the big screen of the Ossie Davis Theater.
The award-winning 2014 film, Maestra, will start the series on Thursday, March 2, from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. The movie documents Cuba’s literacy movement that mobilized 250,000 volunteers to teach 700,000 people to read and write in one year, 1961. Nearly half of the teachers were under 18 years old. Over half were women. Maestra explores the poignant and powerful story through the personal testimonies of the young women who went out to teach literacy in rural communities across the island—and found themselves deeply transformed in the process.
Queen of Katwe, released in 2016, will be shown on Thursday, March 16, from 7:00 pm – 9:45 pm
It is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion. Directed by Mira Nair, the Disney film is based on the book by Tim Crothers, The film stars David Oyelowo, Oscar winner and Tony Award nominee Lupita Nyong’o, and newcomer Madina Nalwanga.
Great Unsung Women of Computing: The Computers, The Coders, and the Future Makers will conclude the series on Thursday, March 30, from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Three short documentaries in one, reveal the “hidden” female pioneers who revolutionized the computing and Internet technology we use today. The Computers profiles six women who created the world’s first modern, programmable computer, ENIAC, as part of a secret WWII project. The Coders highlights two women who invented Java and Flash. The Future Makers introduces us to a superstar of today – Andrea Colaço, who invented 3D gesture-recognition technology.