Lifetime Networks invites female filmmakers to submit their original short films at http://www.mylifetime.com/sweeps/ewfc/submit.php.  In 2006, women comprised only 15 percent of all directors, executive producers, writers, cinematographers and editors working on the top 25 domestic-grossing films. Lifetime Movie Network — the only movie channel dedicated to women and the #2 network for women, second only to Lifetime — is working to change those statistics by offering you, the next generation of female filmmakers, the chance to be discovered.

So takepart and visit http://www.mylifetime.com/sweeps/ewfc/submit.php to submit. Deadline for entries is July 8. The winning contestant will have their short shown on Lifetime Movie Networks and receive a cash prize of $5,000 plus the opportunity to attend networking events and festivals.

The Women’s Freedom Song Contest is looking for the best song for Women’s Day March 8, 2010, to be sung by women all around the world at the same time, on the same day.

According to the site womensfreedomsong.com:

This is a groundbreaking event in the history of women’s fight for freedom and equality throughout the ages. Imagine the world echoing with the voices of women everywhere singing to demonstrate their unity. Surely we will be heard up to the heavens! And if the men folk want to join in, they are welcome too! Just start practicing your harmonies!

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Mother’s Day is this Sunday (don’t forget!), so be sure to take a look at some of the great posts we’ve put together in celebration of moms everywhere! Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Katie Halper:

Top 10 Mother’s Day E-Cards

Hillary Andrews Will Not Lick Bob Stokes’ Swizzle Stick

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Nicole Hughes:

Top 10 Green Gift Wrap Ideas For Mothers Day

Peak Oil Strip Tease

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Andy Kondrat:

Tornado Devestated Town Rebuilds As Green Model Community

Radiohead Attempts An Eco-Friendly World Tour

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Jon Popham:

Nepalese Art Photography: Rubin Museum of Art

America’s First Wind-Powered City

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Giulia Rozzi:

Women For Women International Celebrates Mothers Day

Even More on the Kentucky Derby

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Gina Telaroli:

Video Blog: The Week In Social Action

The War Now Tomorrow and Forever

This Mother’s Day, change the life of a woman miles away by making a donation to Women for Women International. Women for Women International has empowered over 153,000 women survivors of war to move toward economic self-sufficiency with their year-long program of direct aid, rights education, job skills training and small business development. They have distributed $42 million in direct aid, microcredit loans, and other program services. Since 1993, Women for Women International has mobilized more than 125,000 women and men in 105 countries worldwide to reach out and support women survivors of war - one woman at a time. Check out this video featuring an uplifting story of Bobette and her mother Marie-Claire in Rwanda.

When you honor a special woman in your life by making a gracious Mother’s Day donation to Women for Women International, they’ll send a card to the woman of your choice, telling her that you made a generous gift in her honor. and give to http://www.womenforwomen.org/.

I realize some folks may disagree with the literary magic I put online. Well, welcome to the pros and cons of the Internet, a place where everyone is a writer, journalist, pundit, superstar. Such freedom leads to articles like this: “How to Recognize the Biggest Mistakes Women Make at Work”.From cleaning up the break room to having a post work drink, this “expert” writer tells gals the reason’s why women fail in the workforce.

Well my oh my, thanks for the 1920’s etiquette lessons, however I recommend if you want to visit breaktheglassceiling.com for a resource that really assists individuals empower themselves in the corporate workforce.

Last month I blogged about the upcoming debut of the film The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo a shocking exposé of a ic of Congo (DRC). Now you can take even more action and join hundreds of activists and viewers across the country to watch the premiere of this HBO documentary. The organization ENOUGH has teamed with HBO to coordinate and organize house screenings across the U.S. to view and discuss the film together on Tuesday, April 8th at 10:00 PM EDT.

The ENOUGH project is a group that uses in-depth knowledge to create clear, viable policy recommendations, and engage activists to apply pressure on the perpetrators and well-meaning governments whose own inertia prevents them from taking the steps necessary to stop genocide and

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A group of over 20 female singers, including Anya Donelly, Britta Phillips, Lori McKenna, Jill Sobule with John Doe, Veruca Salt, Kristin Hersh, Josie Cotton, and The Watson Twins are joining musical forces to record new versions of Neil Young’s most popular, pre-1980 acoustic ballads. Proceeds from the collection, titled Cinnamon Girl, will benefit Casting for Recovery, a cancer charity.

As explained on their site Casting For Recovery (CFR) is a national non-profit support and educational program for women who have or have had breast cancer. They provide an opportunity for women whose lives have been profoundly affected by the disease to gather in a beautiful, natural setting and learn fly-fishing, “a sport for life.” Just as importantly, they offer an opportunity to meet new friends and have fun. Their weekend retreats incorporate counseling, educational services and the sport of fly-fishing to promote mental and physical healing. Founded in 1996, Casting for Recovery has been offering free retreats across the country.

CFR relies heavily on volunteers and donations to offer it’s free retreats, so and visit castingforrecovery.org to get give or get involved.

Mediarights.org has a great interview with Lisa F. Jackson, director of the film The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo which will premiere on HBO April 8th. The film, which won a Special Jury prize from Sundance this year was shot in the war zones of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006. The documentary breaks the silence surrounding the tens of thousands of women and girls who have been kidnapped, raped and sexually tortured in that country’s intractable civil war.

Just viewing the short trailer below sent chills through my body. I feel infuriated and disgusted by the horrors these poor victims of war have faced and continue to face. I can only imagine the powerful impact this film will have on viewers.

and visit the links page for The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo which features a comprehensive list of organizations working to help women in the Congo.

Fellow Takepart blogger Katie Halper recently talked about the annoying, backwards notion expressed last year in Vanity Fair that women aren’t funny and then the follow up piece in 2008 basically saying “woopsies! We meant to say to say that women are funny.” The while Vanity Fair discussion for lots of folks talking as bloggers continue to write about this absurd and annoying topic.

Can we just drop the lame debate that women are somehow comically inferior to men? Enough already. Yes some female comedians, as Christopher Hitchens says “often talk about things that women can relate to–relationships with men, babies, periods, shopping, love. As a man, I can’t relate to all that.” Well guess what? Some male comedians often talk about things that men can relate to-relationships with women, babies, their dicks, sports, love. And as a woman, I can relate to all that. I may not have the exact same experiences with some “men” topics but I can relate to the emotions behind those topics the same way an intelligent audience member should be able to relate to “women” topics. Our experiences may differ but most feelings are universal.

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. This week we celebrated some of our own favorite top 10 bloggers who work night and day to provide us up-to-date info on films, literature, and feminist news. Don’t miss these exciting and informative blogs, as well as some of our most popular stories of the week.

Katie:

“La Misma Luna Under the Same Moon,” Not the Same Old Movie

Top 5 Eco-Friendly Gadgets for Under $50

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Nicole:

Top 10 Literary and Book Blogs

NBC11 First Wind Powered TV Station

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Giulia:

Top 10 Feminist Blogs

Horton: The New Mascot for Pro-Life

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Gina:

Top 10 Film Blogs

Top 10 Films I Would See If I Was At SXSW

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Kerry:

Our Pharmaceutically Fouled Water Supply

Top 7 New Sins Against God’s Green Earth