WIFVNE Board member Rachel Thomas-Medwid (left) at the Shawna Shea Film Festival. 

Rachel was one of the winners of the Shawna Spirit Award.

The Shawna Shea Film Festival (SSFF) took place Septemebr 20-23, 2023 with four packed days of films and events. Multiple WIFVNE members took home awards from the festival, which celebrates independent films and the people who make them. Established in 2012 as a program of the Shawna E. Shea Memorial Foundation Inc., SSFF honors Shawna's unique independent spirit by bringing audiences films that share the same quality.

Congratulations to all the filmmakers and screenwriters!  WIFVNE members who were winners are listed below: 

Shawna Spirit Award Winners

Individual

• Rachel Thomas-Medwid

Feature length movie

• Wallie's Gals by Mary C. Ferrara

Short movie

• Ocean Child by Marilyn Swick

Screenplay

• Jaw by Miriam Olken

Best Local Horror Short

• The Devil on Derby Street by Luke St. Germaine

Best Mobile Device

• One Room by Rachel S. Thomas-Medwid

Short Length Screenplay

• Jaw by Miriam Olken

Feature Length Screenplay

• Girl Aloud by Mary C. Ferrara

Congratulations to WIFVNE Members Caitlin McCarthy and Jennifer Rapaport, whose screenplays have been selected for table reads as part of the WIFVNE Showcase Event at Lonely Seal International Film Festival! Excerpts of their scripts will be performed live during the festival at the historic Regent Theater in Arlington, Massachusetts.

Caitlin McCarthy's script is Resistance:

• Logline: The Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia and the horrors of Auschwitz are seen through the eyes of one girl, forced to grow up quickly as she moves from the school yard to the concentration camp, working for the Resistance along the way.

Jennifer Rapaport's script is Pending:

• Logline: In a conservative Texas suburb in June of 2022, a 40-year-old mother in a teetering marriage discovers she is pregnant and must confront her soon-to-be-ex-husband and the fast approaching Dobbs decision to get the healthcare she needs. 

In addition to the table reads, there will be a member film block and a networking hour with coffee and bagels. Come for the table read, check out some films, and network with writers, actors, filmmakers, and other WIFVNE members!

The WIFVNE showcase will take place on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Light refreshments served. The Regent Theater is a WIFVNE member. 

On August 3, 2023, WIFVNE’s panel discussion, How to Market Your Film, was well-attended at the Woods Hole Film Festival.

Moderator Kristen Falso-Capaldi, WIFVE Board member and RI state chair, spoke with the panelists about topics such as understanding how your end goal informs your marketing strategy, new approaches to marketing in today’s climate, and issues concerning AI.

WIFVNE thanks the panelists for bringing their experience and insight to Woods Hole Film Festival:  (from left to right) Christine Merser, Managing Partner of Blue Shoe Content; Gia Galligani, Executive Producer/Showrunner and Development Executive; and John Edginton, Documentary Film Director/Producer/Executive Producer.

Special shout out and thank you to WIFVNE Member Jill Poisson (on left, Award-Winning screenwriter, director, and editor) who joined Patricia Chica (Film Director, Producer Award-winning filmmaker, speaker, coach, entrepreneur, super-connector + energy influencer and the author of the upcoming book "Empathy is Bullsh!t) for a conversation about supporting and empowering female voices/perspectives in the film industry.

Recap courtesy of WIFVNE Board member Yael Beals:

The Rhode International Film Festival 2023 was a remarkable celebration of storytelling, creativity, and global culture. The festival took place in the heart of Providence, Rhode Island, which provided a charming backdrop. The venues were well-chosen and offered a cozy yet immersive atmosphere. The organizers thoughtfully arranged seating to accommodate both intimate discussions and large screenings, ensuring a comfortable experience for all attendees.

A diverse array of genres, themes, and cultures were showcased. From thought-provoking documentaries to captivating narratives, the range of films was impressive. One of the highlights of the Rhode International Film Festival was the engaging Q&A sessions with filmmakers. These sessions offered valuable insights into the creative process and the stories behind the films.

The festival provided ample opportunities for networking and connecting with fellow film enthusiasts, professionals, and aspiring filmmakers. The festival was meticulously organized, with schedules adhered to rigorously. The staff and volunteers were helpful and approachable, making the entire experience seamless. 

I left the festival feeling inspired. Kudos to the organizers, filmmakers, and everyone involved in making this event a success. I can't wait to see what films the Rhode International Film Festival will bring next year!

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