The Foster Care Film and Community Engagement Project (FCFCEP) and City Living NY invite you to join us on October 10, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. for a special free screening to celebrate the PBS premiere of Absence/Presence, a documentary short film that highlights the stories of youth growing up in the foster care system.

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. In the spirit of this year’s theme, Celebrating the Power of Community Kindness, join us for a FREE screening of Absence/Presence, a half-hour documentary ﬁlm which celebrates foster youth, showing how school, extended-family and the kindness of strangers can help a child ﬁnd their path in life.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film participants and representatives from our partner organizations as well as a preview of the trailer for our upcoming feature-length documentary, Together. Stick around after for drinks and conversation in the attached bar!

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ABOUT THE FILM:

Absence/Presence highlights the stories of two young women, Charell and Camilla, who end up in the NYC foster care system as youth but refuse to let their situation deﬁne them. Although their paths into foster care are strikingly different, both young women turn to school, friends, and their families-by-choice to create the support systems they need. Tackling issues such as substance abuse, parental incarceration, grief, and loss, Absence/Presence provides an inside look into the impact of the foster care system through the eyes of those who have experienced it ﬁrst-hand.

TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/811871881

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EVENT DETAILS:

Tuesday, October 10

Wythe Hotel Screening Room and Bar

80 Wythe Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11249

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Screening and Q&A begin at 7:00 p.m.

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TICKETS:

Tickets are FREE, however pay-what-you-wish contributions will be accepted. Registration is required and seats are limited, so sign up now to secure your spot.

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Thank you to the Wythe Hotel for donating their screening room and bar for this event!

For more information about FCFCEP, visit www.fostercarefilm.com and follow @fostercarefilm on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

To learn more about City Living NY visit www.citylivingny.org

Absence/Presence is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and is also sponsored by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, with funding administered by Brooklyn Arts Council. This event is also sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers Foundation. Additional funding is provided by the Puffin Foundation.

Absence/Presence Screening and Q&A