The Kavanaugh hearings will make history for many reasons. Never have we been exposed to such levels of detail - a he said/she said situation played out and immortalized in national media. Teens drinking at a party, unwanted advances and conflicting versions of events as presented by Kavanaugh and Ford are not normally the type of events that make news. Yet these kind of issues lie at the very heart of the core message Barbara Becker Holstein, Positive Psychologist and multi-award winning selfie filmmaker, presents to her audiences via her multi-award winning selfie films. In her films she gives young people a voice and allows the rest of us to see what kind of effects these situations have on our children and grandchildren. Through her cutting edge, award-winning selfie films, bridges are built and the generational gap is narrowed. Holstein's films shine a bright light on subjects many of us have preferred to keep in the dark.
"The country has been transfixed with the tumult going on in the Senate over the next Supreme Court Justice," Holstein stated. "Some are concerned over Judge Kavanaugh's qualifications. Others worry about his possible political biases. And many of us wonder - how much did he drink in college and did he really hold his hand over Dr. Ford's mouth while lying on top of her? There are so many of women, just beginning to come out of hiding with their #Metoo stories, deeply concerned that women are still trivialized after being treating inappropriately by males. Conversely, many men are concerned that no man can be safe anymore. Drinking at a party, 35 years ago, maybe even doing some inappropriate stuff, does it really matter?
"As a psychologist I don't pretend to be able to decide if Judge Kavanaugh should be appointed to the Supreme Court. However, I can say that our country has become divided on many issues. One of those issues is blatantly evident in the hearings - the issue of how should we view the earlier, potentially dangerous behavior of someone who may undertake a position of great importance to our country. Many people see the antics of teens as merely antics that are outgrown. But many others worry and for good reason. We have a serious alcohol and drug problem in our society. Many teens have sexual experiences that are damaging. Rape and unwanted pregnancy are serious consequences, but any sexual experience that is not consensual can lead to problems. So too can a drug experience or being drunk. All of these 'routine' coming of age events are far from routine.
"Kavanaugh and Ford have given us a golden opportunity to think about what our kids, tweens and teens are exposed to in our culture. How can we make it better for the current and next generations?
"That is the essence of my work as a psychologist and as a filmmaker. In my film 'Conflict', which is one of my latest coming of age Selfie films, the girl is exposed to drinking and drugs when she is far from ready. At the end of the film, the girl throws it back onto the audience to help her. What would you do as her parent? Her teacher? Her grandparent? Her friend?
"In the future, more and more films will utilize smart phones and selfie filmmaking. My films are on the cutting edge in that the actress, in this case Megan Brown, films all of her scenes with her smart phone. She, like millions out there, is taking Selfies all the time. They have become our diaries, our record of our lives, our source of humor, our portfolio of adorable pets, our easy ways to capture both the drama and nonsense of life. I think actors filming their own parts in films with smart phones will be done more and more in the future. I'm interested in giving real people a chance to share with the rest of the world what they film with their smart phones."
Dr. Holstein's award winning selfie film 'Conflict', http://www.selfiefilmmakers.com/conflict/, deals specifically with this subject.
Dr. Holstein is currently developing "The Selfie Project" to help kids share their feelings and thoughts in a meaningful way via Selfies that can reach millions. "The Selfie Project" provides a way for young people to go public on a number of subjects. Bullying is real, school violence is real, drama because of social media is real for kids.'The Selfie Project' is giving voice to those subjects. A pilot TV show is in the development phase. Teens will have a chance to discuss via their Selfies and in discussion with Dr. Holstein, various topics that affect their lives, from friend drama to fear of assault weapons. As of this moment, teens can share a link to their Selfies and Dr. Holstein will consider them for inclusion on her website, SelfieFilmmakers.com.
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
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 to premiere at the New Jersey International Film Festival at Rutgers University on June 9th, 2018
Semi-finalist in the JELLY Fest Film Festival, June, 2017
Angst:
Official Selection for the Brightside Tavern Film Festival in early August, 2018
Selfie:
Official selection at the One Minute Film Fest, Teaneck, New Jersey, September 8, 2018
'Secrets' was been 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.
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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