New York Premiere of FRONTRUNNER with Dr. Massouda Jalal in Person

Join Vital Voices and WomenRULE next Monday the 30th of March for the New York premiere of Virginia Williams' amazing film, Frontrunners, presented by the Paley Center for Media. 

In 2004, Williams and her film crew gained unmitigated access to Dr. Massouda Jalal's run for president of Afghanistan in that country's first-ever democratic election.  By stepping into the fray where no woman had been allowed before, Jalal paved the way for hundreds of Afghani women to run for parliament a few months after the elections.  Needless to say, Dr. Jalal is a mesmerizing figure--articulate, soft-spoken, highly intelligent with a sharp sense of humor--an incredible inspiration to millions of Afghani men and women.

Since the time of that election, the media has reported that there are increasing acts of violence by Taliban insurgents, a growing concern about the democratic movement being squelched by this fundamentalist group's efforts.  A panel called Change Amidst Adversity: Women's Progress in Today's Afghanistan, will take place after the screening to discuss the reality behind these reports and how this instability will affect the progress Afghan women are making in local and national politics, in business and in the domestic sphere. 

From 6:00 - 6:30 p.m., there will be an appetizer reception at Bamiyan Restaurant and then at 6:45, Frontrunners will screen at the Paley.  Directly after the film at 8:00, the panel will begin with special guest, Dr. Massouda Jalal.  It will be moderated by David Marash, special correspondent for PBS' Worldfocus, and will include panelists, S.K. Guha, Program Specialist, UNIFEM; Shireen Zaman, Vital Voices' Director, North Africa and Middle East; and other guests to be announced soon.

Tickets can be purchased online now by clicking here.