Studio Movie Grill will present the debut of their Shared Stories Film Series. The series will open with Sarah Moshman’s The Empowerment Project for Opening Night and will include 11 films, five panels, and a film-based workshop. Proceeds from paneled films will go to five non-profit organizations serving women in the Dallas area.

Opening night’s The Empowerment Project is an inspiring journey across America to meet the women paving the way in all fields, including an astronaut, athlete, chef, and the filmmakers themselves. The movie will be preceded by an announcement and screening of the winning female created entry of the PSA competition Studio Movie Grill launched with Dallas Film Society’s High School Roundtable Program and Women in Film Dallas.

Studio Movie Grill will also introduce its One Story Movement series. The film will be followed by a panel of successful Dallas professionals including Melina McKinnon, CEO of M3 Films, Kerri Navarro, the first woman President of Dallas Producers Association (DPA), Dr. Candice Bledsoe, executive director of the Action Research Center in Dallas, and teen singing sensation from America’s Got Talent, Kadie Lynn.

Along with Women in Film Dallas, many non-profits are co-presenting films and panels or workshops throughout the series. Ticket proceeds for screenings and panels associated with a non-profit will be donated to that organization. Miss Representation will have a panel of successful female producers, journalists, and artists in Dallas discussing the progress and challenges within their fields. 8 Days will have a panel discussion to be moderated by director Jaco Booyens to discuss the epidemic problem of human trafficking, presented in association with Traffick 911 and Share Together. The Hunting Ground will benefit rape crisis organization, DARCC and host a panel of experts to talk about the legal and emotional aspects of sexual assault. And Escalation is a workshop, led by representatives of One Love Foundation, educating women of all ages about relationship violence.

Closing night will be an exciting screening of Hidden Figures, followed by a panel with the Dallas-based women recently honored as “Hidden Figures of Dallas: Top Women of Color In STEM” by NSBEDFW (National Society of Black Engineers, Dallas). The panel will be moderated by Vice President of NSBEDFW, Quanta Graves. All ticket proceeds to benefit the NSBEDFW Scholarship Fund.

For schedule and more information on participating films, visit https://www.studiomoviegrill.com/Movie/Film-Series/SMG-Shared-Stories-Film-Series.