News
June 2020
Sharon has been invited to the 11th annual American Film Festival in Russia. The “Show Us” festival will be online from June 1st – to June 30th and will feature Balancing the Scales.
An excerpt from the Show Us promotional material in Russia:
“9 documentaries from the USA and Russia are united by the theme of the human genius in all its manifestations. Should it be a talent shown from a young age, like in the case of the culinary wunderkind Chef Flynn, who opened his first restaurant at the age of 16. Or should it be the revealed potential of the world's best athletes in the film In Search of Greatness. Or the belief in justice of the heroines of the film Balancing the Scales, about women lawyers reforming the world of law in the United States.”
A screening of Balancing the Scales was shown at the U.S. Embassy in Tijuana, Mexico recently to both students and legal professionals.
Sharon led the online discussion of gender equality in the legal profession which affects women lawyers around the world.
Sharon Rowen presents her film to students at Hanoi University at an event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Balancing the Scales: An Interview with Sharon Rowen By Paige Williams, Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Tokyo
Sharon has been honored by the Georgia Bar Association for her work in promoting diversity in the legal profession through her award-winning documentary Balancing the Scales.
The Commitment to Equality Award recognizes lawyers who are committed to fostering opportunities for underrepresented groups in Georgia.
“I am honored to receive this award for my work promoting gender equality in the legal profession and for all women worldwide.”
The award will be presented in the Spring at a special ceremony.
In conjunction with American Film Showcase and the U.S. State Department, Balancing the Scales was made available for viewing and three virtual programs were held for Japanese audiences. The first, arranged by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, was comprised of attorneys, businesspeople, and professors.
The second was a group of university students from Ritsumeikan University. The third and final program was arranged by the Consulate General’s office in Osaka for women attorneys in that area. Gender equality is a very important topic in Japanese society, and both the film and programs generated a lot of interest.
The American Film Showcase organizes screenings and workshops with American filmmakers in more than 40 countries. AFS is a partnership between the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
The law firm of SmithAmundsen recently screened Balancing the Scales at its Chicago office and streamed the presentation to eight other offices worldwide.
Partner Michelle L. Casper said, “the movie challenged us to think about ways in which we could change the cultural narrative for the women attorneys and leaders in our firm. It also served as a springboard to our efforts in launching the firm’s Women’s Attorney Group.
Another attendee said, “this was one of the top presentations on diversity that I have attended.”
Click here to book a screening of Balancing the Scales movie
Sharon participating in a panel discussion of “Gender Equality in the Legal Profession” in Laos sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Vientiane.
Sharon recently returned from a week long tour to Ukraine and a month long tour to southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos.
The trips were sponsored by the US Department of State and American Film Showcase. In addition to screening Balancing the Scales, both at the International Film Festival in Kiev and private and public screenings at the US Embassies and other locations, Sharon gave presentations at many universities, government ministries and public forums about gender equality in the US and how to make a difference in developing countries. In addition to meeting with the US Ambassadors to Laos and Myanmar, and with the U S Deputy Chief of Mission in Vietnam, she had discussions regarding the rule of law with local legal and human right civil society organizations. Finally, Sharon conducted filmmaking workshops for young filmmakers who were trying to promote social change in their country through their films.
Sharon being interviewed at the opening night of the American Independent Film Festival in Kiev sponsored by the U.S. State Department and American Film Showcase.
Sharon and students in Hanoi following the screening of Balancing the Scales.
Sharon and Myanmar filmmaker Sein Lein, discussing the importance of changing culture through film.
Have Women Lawyers’ Expectations Changed in the Past 50 Years?
This was one of the most poignant questions asked at a recent viewing of “Balancing the Scales" in Las Vegas.
Read the article written about Balancing the Scales by Kristin Tyler for Attorney at Work
Sharon was selected by the American Film Showcase and the U.S. State Department to screen her award-winning film "Balancing the Scales" to audiences around the world, and to give presentations about gender equality and filmmaking to filmmakers, lawyers, journalists and students. Her first stop was in Kiev and other cities in Ukraine, screening at the American Independence Film Festival, where she was introduced to the audience at the Festival premiere by the US Ambassador to Ukraine. Sharon told the audience, "We are thrilled to take part in this discussion and hear voices from around the world"!
Sharon will be traveling to several countries in southeast Asia this spring as part of the American Film Showcase program. Stay tuned!
Sharon is pictured with student filmmakers from Ukraine at Indie Lab. Sharon and filmmaker Andrea Nevins spoke to the students and had the opportunity to watch and comment on the students’ films.
Sharon is pictured with student filmmakers from around the world. This picture was taken at the Indie Lab where they watched the students’ films and discussed the art of filmmaking.
Sharon being interviewed by international press corps about her experience attending the film festival. — with American Film Showcase at Kiev.
Sharon being introduced to the audience by Ambassador Yovanovitch at the premiere.
In honor of International Women’s Day, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, along with the Association of Corporate Counsel hosted a screening of Balancing the Scales.
Sharon is pictured with Tori Payne, Jill McAlpine, and Adrienne Hamilton.
The turnout was great and the after-screening questions were outstanding.
Sharon was invited to screen her film at Foley & Lardner in honor of International Women’s Day.
Balancing the Scales was shown to twenty-two offices worldwide, including Los Angeles and Tokyo via video conference. The audiences asked really great questions including the how-to of practical steps that firms can take to reduce the attrition rate for women and minority lawyers.
Women in Law Should Not be Invisible: An article written by Sharon Rowen for the ABA for Law Students online magazine.
The American Association of Law Libraries recently reviewed “Balancing the Scales” movie in the 2018 edition of the Law Library Journal, Balancing the Scales movie was heralded as a must by law professionals.
Balancing the Scales has been added to the 2018-2019 American Film Showcase.
In March, Sharon Rowen received an award from the Diversity Law Institute for her groundbreaking work on the film “Balancing the Scales.”
Balancing the Scales was featured at the Gates Foundation event “Driving Diversity in the Legal Profession.” The event was presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in partnership with R&K Productions.
Balancing the Scales was featured at the Verizon summit held at the DeLoitte headquarters in Washington D.C., as Michelle C. Ifill, Senior Vice President & General Counsel of Verizon Corporate Services Group and filmmaker Sharon Rowen presented a panel discussion on challenges facing women in the legal profession.