Successful Intercontinental Event Fosters Cross-Cultural Exchange on Gender Narratives in Cinema.
SEDARVP Ghana successfully joined forces with international partners from Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus, Uganda, Kenya, and Malawi for the groundbreaking “DIGE FILM FEST – Gender on Screen!”. The virtual event, which took place on Thursday, September 12th, 2025, served as a vibrant platform for critical dialogue and intercultural learning.
Funded by the European Union under the Digit@lly Together for Gender Equality (DiGE) project, the festival lived up to its promise, taking over 50 participants from seven countries on an engaging deep dive into how cinema shapes societal perceptions of gender.
The SEDARVP Ghana team, alongside Ghanaian youth participants, played an active role in the discussions, contributing a crucial African perspective to the analysis of global film tropes. The event moved beyond simply identifying problems, focusing instead on empowering attendees to imagine new, inclusive narratives for the future of storytelling.
“A key takeaway for our team was the universality of certain stereotypes, but also the unique ways they manifest in different cultural contexts,” Hearing a facilitator person from Spain and another from Uganda dissect the same Hollywood trope was a powerful reminder that while film is a global language, our interpretation of it is beautifully local. This is where the real learning and unlearning happens.
A Dynamic and Interactive Agenda: The two-hour online event was packed with interactive activities that kept participants engaged from start to finish:
- A Dynamic Movie Quiz: Kicked off the energy as teams competed on their knowledge of iconic films and famous quotes, breaking the ice in a fun, competitive spirit.
- An Interactive Historical Journey: Facilitators guided attendees through the evolution of women’s roles in both European and African cinema, highlighting both progress and persistent stereotypes.
- Critical Discussions: Ghanaian participants contributed passionately to breakout room conversations, challenging gender stereotypes perpetuated by film and sharing local examples.
- Gender Bingo: A festival highlight, this participatory game had attendees spotting common tropes and clichés in real-time, leading to laughter and moments of collective revelation.
The “DIGE FILM FEST” successfully used the universal power of cinema to bridge continents and foster a deeper understanding of gender equality. It underscored the importance of critical media consumption and the role of youth as catalysts for change in shaping more equitable narratives.
SEDARVP Ghana extends its gratitude to the DiGE project, all partnering organizations, and every participant who contributed to making this event a resounding success. This is just one of many steps in our ongoing commitment to using digital tools and intercultural dialogue to promote gender equality.
This innovative festival, organized under the Digit@ally Together for Gender Equality (DiGE) Project funded by the European Union brought together youth workers, and cinema enthusiast from seven countries, Ghana, Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus, Uganda, Kenya and Malawi.