The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center is gearing up for a celebration of women in film.

From Feb. 26 to March 11, the Ross is hosting “Women Make Movies: Women Changing the World,” a showcase of 12 new movies in the Women Make Movies collection. Women Make Movies is the world’s leading distributor of independent films by and about women. The organization, founded in 1972 to address the under representation and misrepresentation of women in the media industry, is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.

The film series will include appearances by Debra Zimmerman, executive director of Women Make Movies, and Sandra Hochman, author and movie director.

Zimmerman will lead a discussion about women’s involvement in the film industry at 3 p.m. March 7 at the Ross. Zimmerman is also appearing at the UNL Women’s Week Leadership Luncheon, a brown bag/panel discussion series, at 11:30 a.m., March 8 in the Nebraska Union (room posted). Both events are free and open to the public.

Hochman, a Yale Younger Poet and author of 30 books, will take part in a question and answer session following a 5 p.m., March 10 screening of “Year of the Woman.” Hochman served as director for “Year of the Woman.”

A synopsis of each film and complete schedule are available at www.theross.org/wmm. A synopsis of each film and complete schedule are available at www.theross.org/wmm. Tickets to all Women Making Movies films are at regular Ross admission prices.