Body Shaming, Social Media, Bullying And The Drive To Be Best - Selfies Change The World Says Award Winning Selfie Filmmaker Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein

Dr. Holstein, a psychologist/filmmaker and originator of a unique Selfie Film concept, writes award-winning books, plays and produces short films that offer solutions to problems that impact today's teens and tweens

Social change never comes easily. It is, in the end, a game of numbers. When a sufficient number of people mobilize around a common goal, changes happen. Many of us remember the pictures and films from the protests in the 50's and 60's. The gathering together - of tens of thousands of individuals - impelled those changes. Today, it is no longer necessary to plan marches or come together physically. Today's young people can join together to enact change through social media.

Many people see social media in a negative light, it is in fact the tool that will be used by the next generation to transform the human landscape. Multi-award winning selfie filmmaker Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, an innovator in the selfie film genre, sees selfies as the most important communication tool ever created.

"In an article about the movie 'Eighth Grade,' called 'A Girl's Life in a Funny, Scary World' by the New York Times, Kayla, played by Elsie Fisher, spends a lot of time tethered to a cellphone that serves as her touchingly imperfect portal to the world," Holstein stated. "In the film she often puts up on selfies videos of herself on her online channel.

"The truth is, many of us of all ages are 'doing it'. That is, taking selfie photos and videos and placing them all over. We share, we embarrass, we learn info, we follow characters and strange unreliable news, be it new aliens from outer space or hidden treasure.

"Many have bemoaned and belittled the use of Selfies. As a Psychologist/Filmmaker I beg to differ. Even a fork is lethal if used in the wrong way. A Selfie photo or video is no more or less lethal. In fact it has great potential for kids, tweens and teens both artistically as #selfiesasfilm and politically, socially and morally, as #selfiefilmmakers.

"For several years I have been makings Selfie short films. My most recent, 'Conflict', focuses on drugs, alcohol and bullying as they affect the life and thoughts of a young teen. The 'girl' played by Megan Brown uses her smart phone, as does Kayla, in 'Eighth Grade' to share her pain, confusion and reactions to these problems. A powerful film, augmented in its effectiveness by the fact that the actress filmed scenes herself, unwatched by a crew and able to let loose just as kids do in real life in their bedrooms making a selfie video.

'The Selfie Project' began to emerge a year ago as I saw, as a psychologist, a need to not only make selfie films but a need for kids to have a stronger voice in society. So many problems and issues to face as they grow up, socially, emotionally, personally, academically, etc. How could they be helped? We know they want to contribute to solutions. A prime example of this is how voter registrations numbers have dramatically increased as the result of the efforts of the survivors of the Parkland school shooting in Florida.

"I realized that kids can be empowered if given a voice. Give people a voice, a way to ventilate and share what is on their minds and they thrive, and can even solve the unsolvable. We know that when people are suppressed and have to sit on emotions and thoughts they become discouraged, passive, sometimes violent, depressed, or even worse.

"Kids, tweens and teens needed a new voice. A voice that corresponds to today's culture. A voice beyond the hidden recesses of a diary or tears in a pillow. And that voice is here today for almost all kids. It is the selfie video.

"So I have developed 'The Selfie Project'. This is a project where we constantly encourage kids of all ages to make selfie videos in which they share their feelings, thoughts, concerns, suggestions, hopes and dreams. Kids now have a way to express their inner voices, their anxieties, feelings, thoughts, concerns, ideas for solutions, via Selfie Videos they can make on their own time, in their own ways. The trailer for 'The Selfie Project' tells a little of the story. My monthly podcast show in which I have kids with me or via Skype, Face Time or their Selfie videos discussing what is on their minds, is another outlet for their voices to go worldwide. Also, my website www.selfiesasfilmmakers.com is a great place to share their Selfies. Giving kids a chance to vent emotions in a sensible way of sharing and even problem solving is so critical for mental health and happiness."

Holstein's short films have won numerous awards and accolades.

The Truth A Short Film:

Garden State Film Festival Premier - Best Pop Song 2016
Golden Door Int. Film Festival - Official Selection - September 2016
Grove Film Festival - Showing - May 2017
Female Filmmakers Film Festival - Official Selection - 12th of 92 films
Roselle Park Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection - September 2017

The Truth A Short Short Film:

FilmOneFest Premier - July 2016
Chain Film Festival - Official Selection - August 2016
Jersey City Int. Television and Film Festival - Official Selection - November 2016
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection- May 2017

Secrets A Coming Of Age Selfie Film:

Alice Guy-Blache Women In Cinema Award - Nomination - October 2017, Golden Globe International Film Festival
NewFilmmakers, Manhattan- Official Selection, January 24, 2018
Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series - Best Experimental Film nomination - March 2018
Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series - Best New Jersey Short nomination - March 2018
Brightside Tavern Shorts Fest Film Series - Best Concept nomination - March 2018
Hang on To Your Shorts, Official Selection - April 2018, Nominated for Best New Jersey Drama and Best Experimental Film
Shown March 1 1018 as one of 6 outstanding women’s films at the Behane Center in Jersey City, for Women’s History Month by Golden Door International Film Festival.
Brightside Tavern Film Festival, Season 7 - Best Experimental Film - March 2018
Jersey Shore Film Festival, August 2018, Selected and Nominated for an award.
Actress Megan Brown nominated as Best Actress for Medium Short Films, Brightside Shorts Film Festival, August, 2018

Falling In Love A Coming Of Age Selfie Film:

Brightside Tavern Film Festival-March 2017- Best Experimental Film Nomination, Second Place Award as Best New Jersey Film Short
Grove Film Festival, Official Selection-May 2017
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Best Experimental Film nomination - May 2017
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Best Concept Film nomination - May 2017
Hang On To Your Shorts Film Festival - Megan Brown Rising Star Award - May 2017
Love Shorts Film Festival - Official Selection - February 2018

Conflict:
Official selection premiered at the New Jersey International Film Festival at Rutgers University on June 9th, 2018
Semi-finalist in the JELLY Fest Film Festival, June, 2018
Official selection for the Brightside Tavern Film Festival, early August, 2018

'Secrets' was selected for inclusion in "Passages: Women in Transition," Women In Media - Newark's 2018 Women's History Month film festival, held on March 27 – April 5, 2018 at Rutgers University Newark, New Jersey, and at various satellite venues in the area.

'Falling in Love, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film, is detailed in a new ebook: 'A Selfie Film - Falling In Love' by Dr. Holstein. This ebook presents issues and stories behind the creation of Dr. Holstein's "selfie films", which utilize cutting edge New Media technology. Topics and questions for discussion can be used by a parent and a child, or a group of hundreds as universal subjects of growing up and handling tough issues are presented.

‘Secrets, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film,’ has been selected for screening at the Jersey Shore Film Festival in early August and has been nominated for an award.

Angst:

Official Selection for the Brightside Tavern Film Festival in early August, 2018

Dr. Holstein was featured as an Entrepreneur in the Asbury Park Press, June 11, 2018.

Dr. Holstein makes a number of her books and films available to be used as fundraising tools. She requests that any verified charitable organization interested in raising funds contact her via email. She is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at barbara.holstein@gmail.com. More information is available at her website at http://www.SelfieFilmmakers.com.

Profile:

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, internationally known Positive Psychologist is the creator of The Enchanted Self ®, a positive psychology method for happiness and a pioneer in Selfies as Film. Dr. Holstein's Enchanted Self website was included as one of the best websites in positive psychology. She is in private practice in Long Branch, New Jersey with her husband, Dr. Russell M. Holstein.

Dr. Barbara can be found on the web, interviewed, writing articles and posting video 'TED' style talks on Happiness, Positive Psychology, Relationships and Parenting.

She has been a contributor to Your Tango, Heart and Soul, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Redbook, Real Simple, The Wall Street Journal, Time on line, the Today Show and Family Circle Magazine.

Contact:

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
170 Morris Ave.,
Long Branch, New Jersey 07740
barbara.holstein@gmail.com
732-571-1200
http://www.thetruthforgirls.com
http://www.selfiefilmmakers.com

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Positive Psychologist, Author And Filmmaker Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein To Be Part Of Symposium At American Psychological Association In Washington, DC

Dr. Holstein, a psychologist/filmmaker and originator of a unique Selfie Film concept writes award-winning books, plays and produces short films that offer solutions to problems that impact today's teens and tweens

Positive Psychologist and filmmaker Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein will be a part of a symposium, "Novel Directions: Four Practicing Psychologists' Atypical Pursuit. Their Relationship to Practice", to be held in Washington DC in 2017. The symposium is sponsored by Division 42, Independent Practice, of the American Psychological Association.

"I am so excited to be part of the symposium," Dr. Holstein stated. "Of course I will be talking about my filmmaking and how the films help people understand emotionally as well as intellectually many of the issues of growing up.

"Many of you may know that I recently became a Filmmaker after also becoming an author and playwright. Film making was the natural progression to continue to bring to the public important issues in child and adolescent development and self-esteem that particularly pertain to women. 

"Coming of Age is one of the most important hurdles that a young woman faces, filled with the issues of leaving childhood behind, the storm of the hormones and finding a place for oneself in society that is healthy, productive and fulfilling for whoever the young woman is becoming. Oftentimes it is also filled with disappointment and disillusionment about one's chances in life.  Girls suffer from all sorts of unexpected circumstances, including self-esteem blows, lack of academic opportunities, familiy strife, unexpected early pregnancies, drugs, etc.

"I have been developing new means of sharing many of the above issues through film.

"There are so many new ways to use technology to tell these stories in film. I am proud do be an innovator and originator of a unique Selfie film concept. My innovative films incorporate Selfies as an integral part of filmmaking.  In my latest film, 'Falling in Love, A Coming of Age Selfie Film', I've taken an historically important part of growing up, falling in love, using new Selfie technology to make the film. Megan Brown who plays 'the Girl', used her own iPhone to film all of her scenes. Not only that, she chose her own costumes, chose many of the settings and even improvised lines in some of the scenes. Thus we ended up with a story line that not only gives the audience many subjects to discuss about coming of age and dealing with the realities of a first crush but even gave the actress herself a chance to develop a sureness of herself as a creative person that wouldn't happen in a usual filming situation.  Of course we had a small crew of two camera people for B role shots and scenes.  And the quality of the script had already been assured, as it comes from one of the books I have written for girls, tweens and teens.  This book, 'Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Teen', is published by Sky Pony Press. 

"What I particularly am excited about in this film is that you can use it as a teaching device, using each segment to further develop discussion and insights about subject material that relates to growing up, such as feeling lonely, anger at one's parents for the decisions they make, jealousy, feeling sad,  feelings of falling in love, recovering from down moods, etc."

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is a visionary who combines Positive Psychology with filmmaking and books to help young girls build self esteem. Dr. Holstein understands at a very deep level the importance of media in the lives of young people. She reaches young people by using the tools they engage with today. Using cutting edge technology, she presents important concepts via New Media films that combine the technology of the video Selfie with a standard film crew. She helps young girls make sense out of a topsy-turvy, selfie-facebook-video-film based reality.

She recently released a new ebook,'A Selfie Film, Falling in Love', based on her successful book for teens and tweens, 'Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Teen'. In that falling in love is undoubtedly one of the most important events in a teen's life, she addresses that issue squarely.

Dr. Holstein believes in the power of the Selfie as a new film art form and as a way for girls to gain power.  One of Dr. Holstein's recent short films, 'The Truth - A Short Film' uses the selfie concept to paint a portrait of a young girl. The new short film shows us how the girl attempts to deal with life changing problems, concerns, challenges and issues all young girls face. The result is an eye-opening, in-depth exploration of her life, giving the viewer the distinct impression that they have been somehow magically embedded into that life. If the selfie concept were be transformed into an art form, 'The Truth' would be the result. This film premiered at the Garden State Film Festival and its song, 'On The Edge of Something New' won the award as the best pop song of 2016.

The short two minute film by Dr. Holstein, 'The Truth, A Short Short Film', premiered at FilmOneFest in July. The film was chosen as an Official Selection in the Chain Film Festival held in Manhattan on August 13, 2016. The film was also selected by the Jersey City International Television and Film Festival (JCITFF), and was shown on Saturday, November 5 2016 at the Jersey City International Television and Film Festival.

'The Truth, a Short Film', a longer 16 minute portrayal of a girl growing up, was officially selected for the Golden Door International Film Festival held in September 2016. The Rahway International Film Festival chose the 2 minute version as an Official Selection.

Dr. Holstein's entire body of work is great for parents, grandparents, older siblings and teachers to establish lines of communication with the tweens and teens in their lives. Her books have received numerous awards. A recent review of Dr. Holstein's book, 'Secrets', stated, "This book should ideally be stocked in the home libraries of families with children and in school libraries worldwide."

'The Truth' focuses on how teens communicate their deepest needs. A trailer from her new short film, 'The Truth', an Official Choice of the Garden State Film Festival, is available at www.thetruthforgirls.com.  The trailer captures the world of technology and its public nature with the intense needs of a young girl to share her most private and most intimate thoughts, feelings, ideas and secrets.

A sequel to 'The Truth',  'Falling in Love, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film', staring Megan Brown, has finished production. In this first film, which will someday be part of  a trilogy, based on 'Secrets, Diary of a Gutsy Teen', a girl shares her feelings and emotions, and pain as she falls in love, making Selfie Videos of herself. Whether these are another form of the old fashioned diary, or whether she is reaching out to a stranger is unclear.  What is clear is her need to find someone or some place where she can share her longings and her hunger to find a home for her intense emotions. She needs to be understood, and to find peace of mind as she works her way through the adolescent storms. Dr. Holstein has already submitted for consideration 'Falling in Love, A Coming of Age, Selfie Film' to several film festivals including the Illuminate Film Festival in Sedona, Arizona and the American Psychological Association Film Festival at the APA convention. Both 'The Truth, A Short Film' and 'Coming of Age' were selected for the Brightside Tavern Short Film Festival, to be held in Jersey City, March 3-March 5,2017. 

Dr. Holstein is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at drbarbara@enchantedself.com. All of her books are available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and all other online retailers. More information is available at her website at http://www.TheTruthForGirls.com.

Profile:

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, internationally known Positive Psychologist is the creator of The Enchanted Self ®, a positive psychology method for happiness. Dr. Holstein's Enchanted Self website, www.enchantedself.com, was just included as one of the best websites in positive psychology. She is in private practice in Long Branch, New Jersey with her husband, Dr. Russell M. Holstein.

Dr. Barbara can be found on the web, interviewed, writing articles and posting video 'TED' style talks on Happiness,  Positive Psychology, Relationships and Parenting.

She has been a contributor to Heart and Soul, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Redbook, Real Simple, The Wall Street Journal, Time on line, the Today Show and Family Circle Magazine.

Contact:

Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
170 Morris Ave.,
Long Branch, New Jersey 07740
drbarbara@enchantedself.com
732-571-1200
http://www.newshortfilmthetruth.com
http://www.thetruthforgirls.com

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