Shaping Global Cultures through Screenwriting

This book tells inspirational stories of women who have worked with and within communities to bring stories to life through screenwriting. As such the book evidences that women's work is important; that 'films can change lives'. The collection divides the chapters according to worlds, in recognition of the fact that though we live on one planet, the conditions of existence are vastly different between first and third worlds; between the wealthiest and the poorest.

Each chapter shows how attitudes have shifted, policies have been rewritten, and life experiences and horizons have been altered for specific communities through these instances of screenwriting. The themes touched upon include gender, race, disability, culture, war, colonization, labour relations, political ideologies, to name a few. The parallels found amongst these themes across national, religious and cultural divides, are also telling. The book is wide in its scope, considering screenwriting a skill which can apply to games, social media, music videos, virtual reality ... in fact, any of the burgeoning formats alive on our devices and through constantly evolving platforms. All are considered screenwriting.

The book is a celebration of the female writers who have told screen stories that educate and heal.

The book suits readers across disciplines, including screenwriting, filmmaking, women's studies, history, sociology, and many other areas.