Going up the Stairs: a Portrait of an Unlikely Iranian Artist (Iran, 2011, 52 min., color, DVD, Subtitled) Warm, revealing and often surprisingly funny, Iranian filmmaker Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami's portrait of an unlikely artist shows us that true talent will refuse to be stifled and you don't need an education to channel your emotions into art. Akram is an illiterate 50 year old Iranian woman who became a painter unexpectedly when her young grandson asked her to work on a drawing; that simple act tapped into an explosion of powerful, primitive and colorful paintings, which she hid under the carpet from possibly disapproving eyes. She finally tells her Western educated children about her work and they arrange for her to have an exhibition in far-off Paris. The only hitch in this plan is that Akram must obtain permission from her husband - who she married when she was 8 and he was in his 30s - in order to attend. Their comfortable bickering covers up Akram's frustrations and fears that her chance for recognition of her magical talent lays completely in the hands of this conservative and traditional Iranian man. An inspiring resource for courses on contemporary Muslim and Islamic studies, women's studies, art and more. The Power of Art: Women’s Voices in Africa (Canada, 2007, 51 min., color, DVD) Culture is no longer a static body of knowledge, values, practices and expressions shared and passed on by a community. It is a dynamic reality. “The Power of Art / Women’s Voices in Africa” explores how contemporary African women who choose to be professional artists claim their position, and deal with the stereotypes associated with being an African and a woman. The film also focuses on the role professional artists may play in addressing the challenges women are faced with on the African continent. Be sure to check out the Folklife Center’s new exhibit, Celebrating Women’s Creative Hands and Spirits, from now until April 30, 2014