In the documentary Rebel Hearts, directed by Pedro Kos, a trailblazing group of nuns in 1960s Los Angeles, The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, bravely stood up to the patriarchy of the Catholic Church fighting for equality, their livelihoods, and their own freedom against an all-powerful Cardinal who sought to keep them in their place. Cheer on the sisters during a FREE screening of Rebel Hearts, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021, and panel discussion with several Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHC) members from that era, as well as members of the Rebel Hearts filmmaking team.

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Bold acts of faith, defiance and activism by the IHC nuns turned the Church upside down, helping to reshape our society in ways that continue to resonate today. From marching in Selma in 1965 to the Women’s March in 2018, they challenged the notion of what a nun and a woman were supposed to be. Anita Caspary, Helen Kelley, Pat Reif, and iconic pop artist Corita Kent were devoted to a life of service, not only to other but to themselves—forming a community that empowered each sister to live up to her fullest potential. Their desire to bring the church into modern life was met with forceful opposition at every turn. As each of them discovered their own talents and voices, they full stepped into their roles as leaders in a movement that is still making waves.

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Meet the panelists:

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Academy Award nominee Pedro Kos directed, wrote, and edited the documentary feature film Rebel Hearts, which premiered in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and was released worldwide by Discovery+. 

He most recently co-directed The White House Effect with Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, which premiered at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival. Pedro co-directed the Netflix Original Documentary Short Lead Me Home (2021) with Jon Shenk, which was nominated for an Academy Award. Prior to that he wrote and produced Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer's Netflix Original Documentary The Great Hack which premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for a BAFTA award. His feature directorial debut Bending the Arc (co-directed with Kief Davidson) premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

Pedro is from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and received his B.A. in Theater Directing from Yale University.

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A third-generation Latinx mother and grandmother, Rosa Manriquez grew up in East Los Angeles. She is active in Holy Wisdom Catholic Community and the Immaculate Heart Community. But Rosa’s main focus is outside the walls of the institutional church. Her ministry is for all who are or have been made to feel unwelcome.  In the Immaculate Heart Community, she participates on the Commission on Justice for Immigrants and Refugees and the Antiracism Task Force. Rosa serves on the Antiracism Team and in other areas for Call To Action, the largest national progressive Catholic organization. Through A La Familia, part of the Human Rights Campaign, she has been a trainer and speaker. Recently, Rosa, as part of a group she co-founded called God Mothers of the Disappeared, received a Giants of Justice Award from Clergy and Laity United For Economic Justice (CLUE).

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Lenore Navarro Dowling, IHC, is the daughter of Filipino immigrants. She entered the Immaculate Heart Community in 1950. She holds a doctorate in communications from the University of Southern California and taught English at Rio Hondo College in Los Angeles.  At 95, Lenore continues to be an activist.  You can often find her participating in demonstrations/protests, helping to negotiate contracts for the working poor, present at LA City Council meetings, and writing to the editors of the Los Angeles Times!

LA VOICES is made possible in part through the generous support of Visionary Women.
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