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Female Eye Film Festival Celebrates Ten Years In June

female eye film fest [1]The Female Film Eye Festival [1] (FeFF) is celebrating its 10th anniversary June 20 to 24th at the Carlton Cinema and the Novotel Toronto Centre. Established in 2001, this distinctive international directors’ film festival supports underrepresented female directors in the film and TV industry. FeFF was originally scheduled this year for late March but was moved to June due to venue and funding issues. Despite these unprecedented challenges, FeFF is proudly returning for its 10th season.
With the motto “Always Honest, not always pretty”, FeFF debuts exceptional international films in various categories including features, shorts and animation, from emerging and established female directors. The festival has two awards categories: best film awards and best screenplay awards. Recipients will be announced at the Closing Awards Ceremony on June 24.

This year, in the Aboriginal Filmmaker Series, FeFF is highlighting aboriginal artists with a tribute to Alanis Obomsawin, one of Canada’s most distinguished filmmakers. The festival will also showcase a series of experimental shorts filmed in Super 8 by first-time female aboriginal directors who have produced their films through the Female Eye Filmmaker Development Workshop mentorship program.

Leading up to the festival are events starting with Alive with Breath, a multi-media exhibit by Jules Koostachin, starting on March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Warc Gallery. This installation celebrates the lives of Mushkegowuk (Cree) elders before being sent to residential schools. Jules mother’s narrative is one of five elders’ stories that are explored in the piece, along with other elders from the Moosonee community in Northern Ontario. Photographs, audio recordings, video clips and personal articles that hold symbolic significance, make up the elements of the installation.

FeFF began as a modest not-for-profit festival featuring a small selection of films chosen from international independent festivals. Founder Leslie Ann Coles was first inspired to create the event while touring over 35 international festivals for her own film. While touring, she found a significant underrepresentation of female filmmakers, which inspired her to create FeFF.

Over the years, FeFF has grown exponentially, attracting an enthusiastic audience that is continually expanding. “The Female Eye does an invaluable service in encouraging women filmmakers and helping to keep their work alive,” said Mary Harron, recipient of the Female Honorary Director Award 2011. The Female Eye Festival has become a landmark in the Canadian film festival scene.

See “Alive With Breath” by Jules Koostachin on Wednesday March 28th at 7:00 pm. Co sponsored by, and presented at WARC Gallery, 401 Richmond Street, Suite 122.

The Female Eye is also seeking donations to support this year’s milestone event. The Female Eye is a registered not-for-profit organisation with a charitable trustee through our community partner Woman’s Art Resource Centre (WARC Gallery). A Female Eye sponsorship proposal is available upon request.

Donations can be remitted directly to the Female Eye Film Festival and we have launched an ambitious crowd funding campaign on indieGOGO [2].