Powerful Women
Film screening with in-person presentation
Madhvi Dalal, among the film's key subjects, founder of Padmad, social entrepreneur addressing period poverty in Kenya, Somalia, and Malawi.
State Theatre Community Night presented in partnership with Uplift Travel, NMC International Services & Service Learning
October 8, 2025 | 6pm doors | 7pm screening
State Theatre, 233 E. Front St, Downtown Traverse City, MI, in person only
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
6:00 pm doors | 7:00 pm screening and in person presentation
State Theatre, 233 E. Front St. Traverse City, MI
In-person admission |
$10 per person, general admission
Students |
$6 per person
NMC students |
free admission for current NMC students
*This event is not included in IAF membership. Tickets are required.
About the speaker
Madhvi Dalal
Madhvi Dalal is the Kenyan-born founder of PadMad, a social enterprise focused on addressing period poverty in Kenya and other regions. PadMad provides biodegradable, reusable sanitary pads and menstrual health education, empowering women and girls while promoting environmental sustainability. The initiative also creates employment opportunities for marginalized women in Kenya by manufacturing the pads.
About the film
Powerful Women
The film tells the story of three Kenyan women whose lives are intertwined. The women revolutionize the established order and work to change the culture so that future generations of girls can live a life free of violence. The documentary won "Best Woman Film," "Best Director Documentary Short," and "Best Female Director Short Film" at the Cannes World Film Festival in July 2023. Within Powerful Women is a mini-doc named Bleed With Pride. This 2025 documentary follows a story of courage and resilience in which mothers and grandmothers in Kenya transform turbans into reusable sanitary towels. This effort helps to ensure that their daughters and granddaughters do not have to compromise their education and dignity due to period poverty. The film was nominated for two awards at the Cannes Lions Film Festival in 2025.
