For Immediate Release
Contact:
Lydell Thomas
Manager, Marketing and Communications
1.703.519.2057, lthomas@cswe.org
Alexandria , VA, December 18, 2013 – California director Chris Arnold and Pennsylvania producer Mark Schoen are the recipients of the CSWE Audience Choice Award for their documentary Trans, featured at the CSWE 2013 Film Festival.
The film portrays the lives of transgender individuals who come from a wide range of backgrounds and ages. The trailer from Trans may be viewed here.
Trans was one of 14 films selected for the film festival at the 59th Annual Program Meeting as part of CSWE’s continuing efforts to highlight classroom resources for social work educators. Audience members rated the films.
“We would like to thank CSWE for honoring Trans with this award,” stated Schoen on behalf of himself and Arnold. “It is so interesting the overwhelming positive audience response Trans receives from professional organizations, university screenings, and LGBT film festivals. Unfortunately, our film has not been able to make a similar impact on the mainstream media (for whom it was made). We are still waiting for the mainstream to embrace our film the way so many others have. Until that day, the general public is likely to remain terribly uninformed on this important human rights issue, which is the cause of so much discrimination and violence.”
Arnold is president and chief executive officer of RoseWorks, a film production company. Schoen is president of SexSmart Films, which preserves and features films that address sexual health issues.
“We’re pleased to present this award to Mr. Arnold and Dr. Schoen,” said Darla Spence Coffey, CSWE president and chief executive officer. “We hope this recognition may help promote understanding of the challenges faced by the transgender community.”
CSWE is a nonprofit national association representing more than 2,500 individual members as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States.
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