Castlemaine’s Theatre Royal is teaming up with its partners at the Castlemaine Documentary Film Festival to hold a special fundraising screening of Women of Steel.
Theatre Royal operator Felicity Cripps said they were opening the venue especially for International Women’s Day on March 8 to hold the screening, which aims to raise funds for the Centre for Non-Violence.
The Bendigo-based Centre for Non-Violence is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a range of services and programs that respond to and work to prevent family violence and homelessness across the Loddon region, including Castlemaine and Kyneton.
To open the IWD event, Cripps and fellow Royal staffer and talented local musician Maggie Rigby (The Maes) will be treating the crowd to a live musical performance.
The audience will then sit back to watch Women of Steel, which begins in Wollongong in 1980. After being told “there’s no jobs for women” at the local steelworks, a group of women wanting a better life for themselves and their children begin a campaign against Australia’s most powerful company. Their political and legal battle against sexual discrimination and to earn the right to work spanned 14 years and went all the way to the High Court of Australia but eventually changed the rules forever and opened the door for opportunity for women everywhere.
C-DOC director Claire Jager said the IWD film screening would be followed by a Q&A with Women of Steel‘s inspirational director and lifelong activist Robynne Murphy.
Centre for Non-Violence head of media and communications Nicole Ferrie said the CNV was grateful to Theatre Royal Castlemaine and C-Doc for nominating their organisation as the beneficiary of their important International Women’s Day event.
“It is important to showcase stories such as Women of Steel, which not only documents a historic fight for equality – but also demonstrates the power of women when they work together, and their resistance and resilience,” Ms Ferrie said.
“While we have seen many wins such as this, we know there is much work to do before we reach gender equality and an end to oppression in all its forms.
“The funds from this event will help us work directly with women in our region, to learn from their experiences and help amplify their voices in our efforts to achieve gender and social equality in a violence free world,” she said.
The fundraiser will kick off at 5pm. Tickets are $25 and the proceeds go to CNV. To secure your ticket for this very special show visit www.theatreroyalcastlemaine.oztix.com.au
