International Women's Day: events for the Preston community hosted by UCLan

UCLan staff and students have come together to mark International Women’s Day by uniting for a picture on the University Square, but as well as this, the university is presenting a wide range of community events to celebrate Women’s History Month, which runs throughout March:

Film screenings

UCLan is presenting a special edition of the International Film Festival between Thursday, March 9 and Sunday, March 12. Open to everyone, the festival will feature a varied range of movies from around the world, celebrating the power of international cinema and paying tribute to the contribution of women.

The festival will screen four different films, each presented in its original language with English subtitles. There will be a talk before each screening, exploring the film's themes and cultural context.

Thursday 9 March, 6.00pm: the launch event offers an opportunity to network with drinks and nibbles. The film is Parallel Mothers, a drama about two single mothers who give birth on the same day.

Friday 10 March, 6.30pm: The Guardian/ Da Hu Fa, animated film which blends traditional and contemporary styles to tell a poignant story of bravery, deep friendship and love.

Saturday 11 March, 6.30pm: FLEE, animated documentary which tells the true story of a young man’s journey as he flees his home country of Afghanistan and seeks refuge in Europe.

Sunday 12 March, 6.30pm: Portrait of a Lady on Fire, a period drama which explores themes of love and desire in the context of an unconventional romance between an aristocrat and a painter commissioned to paint her portrait in 18th-century France.

For more information, including the schedule of events and how to reserve your free seat, click here.

Sofia Anysiadou, UCLan’s Worldwise Centre Manager, said: "We believe that cinema has the power to inspire, educate, and entertain, and we are excited to be showcasing the richness and diversity of global cinema through this festival. As part of UCLan’s celebrations for International Women’s Day, we have chosen two films, Parallel Mothers and Portrait of a Lady on Fire, whose powerful storytelling and representation of women highlight the importance of gender equality, and the need to celebrate and uplift women's voices and stories. We hope that everyone who attends will leave with a greater appreciation for the ways in which international cinema can enrich our lives and broaden our horizons."

Herstory exhibtion

Open to the public, an exhibition called ‘Silenced by history: Herstory’, will be held at the UCLan’s Student Centre between 6-10 March. It’s a collaborative student project, giving visibility to the stories of women across the Globe who have been silenced and forgotten by history. The project is led by UCLan’s Maria Dolores Iglesias Mora from the School of Humanities, Language & Global Studies.

Qigong session

A Qigong (pronounced Chi-gong) session, for women only, is being held in the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre on March 15 between 1-2pm. Developed in ancient China and Tibet, Qigong is a mind-body exercise form that uses meditation, breathing, and movement to increase energy and enable the body to heal itself. The session will encourage the integration of posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound and focused intent to improve participants’ well-being.

Book a Qigong space here.

Chinese tea tasting session

Continuing with the theme of Chinese traditions, there’s a Chinese tea tasting session, open to all, where people will get the chance to familiarise themselves with different types of teas, learn how they’re made, and sample them. It will be held between 1 and 2pm on March 29.

Book Chinese tea tasting here.

Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C. talk

A female-focused talk called ‘Pride of Preston: Dick, Kerr Ladies F.C.’ by Gail Newsham, author and historian for the Dick, Kerr Ladies football club. Gail will tell the story of how, after the Football Association effectively banned women from playing in 1921, the Dick, Kerr Ladies defied the ban and set the football world alight in the 1920s.

Tickets are available here.