Beyond Boundaries : Aftershock
Mar 9, 2023 7:00pm — 9:00pm
Aftershock, 2022 1 hr. 27 min
Directors: Paula Eiselt, Tonya Lewis Lee
Winner: Sundance Film Festival U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award.
Following the deaths of two young women due to childbirth complications, their bereaved families galvanize activists, birth workers and physicians to reckon with one of the most pressing American crises today: the US maternal health crisis.
In October 2019, 30-year-old Shamony Gibson tragically died thirteen days following the birth of her son. In April 2020, 26-year-old Amber Rose Isaac died due to an emergency c-section. Within weeks of Amber’s death, her partner Bruce made contact with Shamony’s partner Omari, and together they began the fight for justice for their partners with their families and community by their side. Throughout the film, we witness two families become ardent activists in the material health space, seeking justice through legislation, medical accountability, community and the power of art. Their work introduces us to a myriad of people including a growing brotherhood of surviving Black fathers, along with the work of midwives and physicians on the ground fighting for institutional reform.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k63RC0rJEd8
Beyond Boundaries Screening & Discussion Series is a distinctive program at Buffalo State that has been running since 2014. This annual, six-part film series is organized around categories of diversity including, but not limited to race, gender, class, sexuality, and abilities, with an emphasis on intersectionality. It creates an opportunity for open dialogue on social justice issues among college students, staff, faculty and members of the greater Western New York community.
Beyond Boundaries is sponsored by the Office of Equity and Campus Diversity, the Communication Department, and the Burchfield Penney Art Center. All screenings are held in Burchfield Penney Art Center and are free and open to the public.
The series is curated by Professors Ruth Goldman and Meg Knowles