Lights, camera, Easthampton!

The Easthampton Film Festival returns May 12 – May 26, 2023, with independent film screenings at Abandoned Building Brewery, E-Media (aka Easthampton Media), Luthier’s Co-op, New City Brewery, and The Marigold Theater in Easthampton, MA.

Tickets are on sale now online at easthamptonfilmfestival.com, and cost $5 per screening. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Seating is limited, and capacity varies by venue.

And Brace Yourself!  Seriously!  The Horror Shorts program called Brace Yourself starts at 

6:00pm on Sunday, May 14th at New City Brewery.  PENNY, by WIFVNE Board Member Rachel Thomas-Medwid is part of the program (be sure to say hi to Rachel!). 

About the Easthampton Film Festival (EFF): Chris Ferry, the festival’s founder and organizer, has produced and participated in making several independent films. He moved to Easthampton from New York City with his family in 2020. Eager to join the thriving artistic community here, he connected with local filmmakers. The Easthampton Film Festival showcases the work of up-and-coming filmmakers from around the world (Canada, Finland, France, New Zealand, Turkey), with a particular focus on celebrating regional talent and themes (MA: Amherst, Cambridge, Easthampton, Gloucester, Northampton, and Waltham, as well as films from CA, ME, NJ, NY, RI, and SC).

This year’s film selections represent several genres, including: animation, comedy, documentary, drama, and horror. Panel discussions with attending filmmakers will follow screenings. More detail on each screening here.

This year, EFF offers filmmaking workshops in addition to film screenings. Each costs $250; registration and details can be found on the festival’s website.

For media inquiries or to volunteer, please email:  info@EasthamptonFilmFestival.com

A phenomenal turn out for the WIFVNE sponsored session of shorts at the Boston International Film Festival (April 13-18, 2023). 

Eight incredible films, all either directed or produced by women (pictured below), were shown during Session 4 on April 14 at the AMC Theatre in Boston, most notably Waysland, written and directed by WIFVNE member Lyria Garcia. Other films: These Old Bones 3 min; The Inevitable Search For 3 min; Angels 6 min; Savage Dawn 10 min; Maria 12 min; Second Chance 18 min; A Particular Minute 20 min.

 

WIFVNE thanks BIFF director, Patrick Jerome (below, pictured with WIFVNE Board member Jaci Kjernander), for allowing us to be a part of a great festival. WIFVNE  looks forward to returning in 2024!

WIFVNE is a proud sponsor of the Mass Reality Check, Salem Film Fest's documentary shorts showcase for MA college and university students and recent graduates. The showcase took place Saturday, March 25, 2023 with students from Bridgewater State University, Boston University, Emerson College, Fitchburg State University and Massachusetts College of Art and Design!

Congratulations to Valentyn Arden (above, right) and Zack Furnari (above, left) first-place winners for their project SAVED BY LOVE, a film which follows an American couple navigating the process of adopting a child from the Ukraine while overcoming societal pressures surrounding their sexuality in pursuit to create a family.

First place: SAVED BY LOVE, Co-Directed and Produced by Valentyn Arden & Zack Furnari. Logline: An American couple navigates the process of adopting a child from the Ukraine while also overcoming societal pressures surrounding their sexuality in the pursuit to create a family.

Second Place: In Cod We Trust, Directed by Raphaël Edwards and Seonghoon Eric Park. Logline: Fishing has been a pillar of life in the community of Gloucester since the 1600s, but recent government mandated fishing quotas in response to environmental pressures have put in question the future of the industry.

Third Place: WANDERING FOR LIFE, Co-Directed by Claire Collins and Abbey Frias, Produced by Aniyah Forney. Logline: This short follows a man’s journey of living life on the road, redefining the meaning of home, happiness, and success.

WIFVNE VP Wendy Wilkins and WIFVNE Board Member Nerissa Williams Scott served on the jury for the Mass Reality Check.  WIFVNE Advisor Emily Abi-Kheirs was the Assistant Program Director for Salem Film Fest 2023. She moderated the Q&As for FINDING HER BEAT, ART AND PEP, 1946: THE MISTRANSLATION THAT SHIFTED A CULTURE, and KASH KASH: WITHOUT FEATHERS WE CANNOT LIVE.

Competition photos are courtesy of Paulina Villarroel Cruz

WIFVNE Board Member Kathryn Taccone (of Opel Pixel Studios) spoke at the Vermont Animation Festival at Northern Vermont University in March (March 24-25, 2023).

Attendees listened to engaging conversations with industry leaders, watched a selection of animated films from the region and beyond, and participated in workshops. If you're a WIFVNE member attending a New England film festival, let WIFVNE know so we can spotlight your engagement!

Boston Underground Film Festival--one of the top genre festivals known for celebrating unconventional stories, idiosyncratic voices, fever dreams, nightmarish visions, and all manner of cinematic forms--took place March 22-26.

A number of WIFVNE members were able to attend BUFF at the Brattle Theater to represent their films. Rachel S. Thomas-Medwid’s film Penny and Miriam Olken’s film Petunia screened in the Dunwich Horror block and WIFVNE members involved in the films included Alyson Muzila, Lynn Weismann, Maddie Staszak, Paul Kandarian, Shahjehan Khan, and Brian McDonald.

CineFest Latino Boston is back live and in-person September 28 – October 1, 2023! Submissions are now open.

Founded and led by WIFVNE Member Sabrina Avilés, the Cinefest Latino Boston Film Festival is committed to using the power of film to break stereotypes, bring cultures and communities together and reveal the complex issues affecting the Latinx community in the United States, as well as communities in Latin America and Spain.

Submit on FilmFreeway.
April 10, 2023:  Earlybird deadline
May 15, 2023:  Regular deadline
June 15, 2023:  Late Deadline

The 6th Annual Mystic Film Festival will take place October 19-22, 2023 in beautiful Mystic, Connecticut and surrounding areas.

Mystic Film Festival is an annual event that showcases independent feature-length and short-form narrative films and documentaries from around the world.

The festival is now accepting film and un-produced screenplay submissions and offering a 50% discount on submission fees to WIFVNE filmmakers and screenwriters. WIFVNE Members, please log in to see the discount code. 

Earlybird Deadline - February 28, 2023

Regular Deadline - April 30, 2023

Late Deadline - May 28, 2023

Extended Deadline - June 18, 2023

Notification Date - July 17, 2023

For details and to submit, visit FilmFreeway.

The Mystic Film Festival Jury will recognize the top films in competition: Best Narrative Feature, Best Feature Documentary, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, Best International Narrative Feature, Best International Feature Documentary, Best International Narrative Short, Best International Documentary Short, Best New Director, Best New England Film, Human Rights Award, Best Conservation Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Student Film, Lifetime Achievement Award, Grand Jury Prize Narrative Feature, Grand Jury Prize Narrative Short, Grand Jury Prize Feature Documentary, Grand Jury Prize Documentary Short, Best Screenplay Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay Narrative Short, Audience Choice Award (festival-wide), and Audience Choice Award (Student Film Showcase).

The festival will also be offering awards for the top five winners of their screenplay competition such as a meeting with a literary manager and ISAConnect Membership. Some additional prizes will be announced soon.

Questions? Please email info@mysticfilmfestival.com.

The Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay and Music Festival showcases “Stories Aching to Be Told.” Prizes include showcases for Worldwide Buyers at Cannes, prominent placement on a new crowdfunding platform, Final Draft software, strategic advice, and other career-enhancing gems. Submit now for a chance to be a part of the WIFVNE showcase (more details to follow)!

WIFVNE Members receive a discount on submissions.  Submit on Film Freeway.

Just to name a few of the Prizes and Awards:

Grand Prize – A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes, one year of development advice, and one year of strategic financing and distribution advice. The Grand Prize also includes a cutting-edge website with two years of hosting, Final Draft software, and prominent placement on Hourglass24, a new crowdfunding site.

* Our Grand Prize may be awarded to ANY FILMED PROJECT in our festival.

SPECIAL AWARD

Best Female Filmmaker - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes, development advice, strategic financing, and distribution advice.

SCREENPLAY AWARDS

• Grand Prize Screenplay Winner - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes, one year of development advice, and one year of strategic financing and distribution advice. The Grand Prize includes Final Draft software and prominent placement on Hourglass24, a new crowdfunding site.
• Best Short Screenplay - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes and strategic advice.
• Best Script Accessible Feature Screenplay - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes and strategic advice.
• Best Script Accessible Short Screenplay - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes and strategic advice.
• Best Teleplay - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes and strategic advice.
• Best Play/Musical - A showcase for cinema buyers at Cannes and strategic advice.

KEY DATES

• The regular submission deadline is April 30, 2023.
• The late submission deadline is May 31, 2023.
• The extended deadline is June 30, 2023.

Submissions are NOW OPEN for the 2023 Topaz Film Festival! 

For 22 years, Women in Film Dallas has provided a platform for independent women filmmakers to promote their work through its annual film festival.

The Topaz Film Festival is an extension of the Women in Film Dallas Scholastic Grant Fund, a 501c3 that provides financial support through grants and scholarships to women in the pursuit of media arts degrees and those in the productions of film, television and screen-based media. Proceeds from the festival will serve to fund the scholastic grant.

This year’s program is tentatively set for October 12-22, 2023 and will consist of a minimum of 4 short film blocks (Texas, comedy, student, and other shorts) and at least one centerpiece feature film (dependent upon submission volume). The 2023 Topaz Film Festival will present in-person and virtual screenings. Virtual screenings will be limited to certain geographic regions as determined by the festival directors.

Early Submission Deadline is March 16, 2023. Regular Deadline is June 1, 2023.

Visit FilmFreeway to begin the submission process!

If you have any questions regarding the festival, please email topazfilmfest@gmail.com.

Over 60 Film Screenings and Industry Panels at 3rd Annual Norwalk Film Festival

January 20-22, 2023

The 2022-23 Norwalk Film Festival will run Sat-Sun, with an opening night party for filmmakers on Friday night. Screenings, panels and networking opportunities will be held at the Wall Street Theater and Norwalk Public Library (Belden Ave). Both venues are conveniently aligned in the Wall Street area of the City to take advantage of the walkability of Wall Street; attendees can easily move between events, and enjoy the historic district.

In addition to the screenings, a myriad of informative workshops, educational panels, and student and filmmaker networking opportunities will be featured throughout the festival. The full festival schedule is available on the website: www.norwalkfilmfestival.org.

One such panel is the Art of Screenwriting, which will take place on Sunday, January 22 at 1pm. This panel will focus on the experience of screenwriting: the inspiration, process, and culmination in creating winning screenplays and scripts. Led by Marga Costa, this panel will feature WIFVNE Board Member Dusty Noval and WIFVNE Member Sharbari Ahmed. Sharbari was on the writing team for season one of the TV series Quantico on ABC, writing two episodes and contributing to the rest. She is currently one of the head writers of the show Kriya Karam to be released on Voot (Viacom/Paramount) in India in 2023, internationally soon after. Shabari adapted the middle grade novel, Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Bose Perkins for the screen, the adaptation of which has won several awards.

The NFF was founded by and operates with a grassroots community of volunteers comprised of filmmakers, cultural leaders, and movie lovers living and working in Norwalk. The festival leadership believes that cultural equity is a key component to long-term viability of a diverse and thriving artistic community. The goal of the NFF team is to bring together local communities and stimulate ongoing dialogues generated by the power of cinema.

To purchase tickets, visit www.norwalkfilmfestival.org. WIFVNE Members receive a discount on tickets. 

The Norwalk Arts Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that seeks to improve the general public awareness and appreciation of arts, culture, and education in Norwalk, serves as the fiduciary sponsor for the Norwalk Film Festival.