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Bluestocking brings strong, complex female protagonists to Los Angeles this week

6/19/2017

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by Kyna Morgan

What is a bluestocking? from Gitgo Productions on Vimeo.


Bluestocking Film Series has for seven years been a leader in the film community and the building of a global movement to represent, celebrate, and cultivate strong and complex female protagonists in film. This year, Bluestocking is going on the road to take the program to different cities, and coming up in a few days is the Los Angeles screening of Bluestocking 2017 (presented by CineFemme). Read on for an interview about the festival with Kate Kaminski, founder and artistic director of the Bluestocking Film Series. 

Kyna Morgan: This year is the seventh anniversary of Bluestocking. After now having passing your early 'start-up' years, what drives you to continue this endeavor?

Kate Kaminski: Bluestocking is mission-driven, meaning I'm driven to continue because I believe women's voices and stories are culturally important and they must be told in equal numbers. But, as we know, this equity has not been reached (yet). I am also a film lover and the majority of what I see playing at the movie theaters features male protagonists. Hollywood's obsession with superheroes and gun play, not to mention the dearth of meaty, meaningful featured roles for diverse women of all ages, make the films seem recycled and tired, if not downright awful. I want to see a full range of women and girls represented on-screen in fresh stories and situations, you know, like life!

KM: You're also a filmmaker and an instructor of film in Maine. What do you see going on with New England filmmaking or even your own students, (some of whom will be the filmmakers of tomorrow), that interests you or that you find exciting, especially with regard to how women and girls are represented on screen?

KK:  In terms of indie filmmaking in New England, I'm not as up on that as I could be but your prompt makes me realize I better get on it! I don't see an uptick in fuller representation of women and girls onscreen or behind the camera in Maine, where the community is still overwhelmingly white male-dominated. I would like to help change that and, as an educator, I'm deeply committed to mentoring my students (of all genders) to understand that the hegemony in cultural storytelling leaves out so many vital voices. Students often have this "wow" moment when I expose them to that deceptively simple fact. Then they realize what’s missing, and I’ve had many tell me they can’t look at films the same way anymore.

KM: How do you see the conversation around women's representation on screen and in the film industry changing over the past few years, and where do you think it's going? 

KK:  I think mainstream awareness of the ugly reality of gender inequality in the U.S. film industry has become more prevalent. Social media seems to be a prime mover of that awareness, but it’s broken through in the mainstream press, too. More and more people are coming to understand that women and girls have not been given a fair share of screen time (again, whether behind or in front of the camera). I'm not convinced this awareness has yet deeply permeated into the top floor offices, to those (primarily) older white men who make decisions about which films will be made and by whom. I’m sure you know that neither Fox nor Paramount has a single woman-directed project on their rosters for 2018, so that doesn't bode particularly well for female representation on cineplex movie screens in the near future. But they won’t be in charge forever, and I remain highly optimistic that indie filmmakers can have a huge impact (and influence) working outside “the system.” We consumers can also have a big impact on gender inequity by showing strong support for women-directed, female-driven films at the box office and on the small screen. We have the power to demand better stories and fuller representation if we exercise it.

KM:  Where can people find Bluestocking this year?

KK:  Bluestocking will spend 2017 traveling to towns across Maine, the country and around the world. The whirlwind begins on June 23 in Los Angeles at the historic Egyptian Theatre when we’ll premiere our 2017 selections. Our goal for this year’s traveling exhibition of female-driven short films is to put Bluestocking’s mission in front of as many new audiences as we can. With luck, we’ll be back in Maine for the full festival experience in 2018.

Connect with Bluestocking Films:

(The June 23 screening in Los Angeles is currently sold out through Fandango, but get in touch with Kate Kaminski through the social media or website links below to inquire about possible ticket availability)

Twitter
Facebook
Website
​CineFemme


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Bluestocking Review

7/23/2015

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By Kionna Clayton
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It was our first time to Portland (Her Film Project founder Kyna Morgan) and also our first time to Maine when we flew in to be at the Bluestocking Film Series and its fifth anniversary this year. Bluestocking celebrates women’s stories on screen and is the only film festival in the world to require submissions to pass the Bechdel Test.  Headed up by exuberant, passionate, and totally punk rock Kate Kaminski, the series takes place every year over the course of two days. This year, we enjoyed seeing the films in the SPACE Gallery, with both nights completely sold out. 

As a summer intern with Her Film Project, the experience was totally new to me. I’m interested in arts and journalism, and travel, too, but had never been so exposed to film before. Also, it was my first time meeting filmmakers. We were invited to the filmmakers breakfast which included directors Brittany Shyne from the U.S. (who brought her film The Painted Lady), Lucy Griffin from Australia (who brought her film Sunroom), Maureen O’Connell from Ireland (who brought her film Girls) and Carin Brack from Sweden (who brought her film Stovlarna (The Boots)). Some flicks that I loved were Mother’s Day by Nico Raineau (@NicoRaineau), American Gladiators by Lara Jean Gallagher (@LaraJeanGal), The Painted Lady by Brittany Shyne, and Gabi by Zoé Salicrup Junco.  I didn’t realize how developed stories could be in such a short format (all the films were shorts). 

I was really invested in the main character in Mother’s Day who was stuck with a stranger’s kid all day while she had to work as a housekeeper, and it had a funny twist at the end I didn’t see coming (no spoilers here, though)! The Painted Lady was incredibly deep and dealt with the subject of menstruation in a nine-year old girl’s life. I liked the Puerto Rican film Gabi as well. The color palette was really warm and it helped to establish a feeling, despite the main character Gabi’s problems with her family, that everything would be alright in the end.  American Gladiators was completely relatable, sibling-wise, because I have a younger brother!
Before going to Bluestocking, I didn’t know about the different genres of movies. One of the films we saw was experimental: Osveta by Reggie Burrows Hodges which screened the first night. I actually found that film off-putting, but it was interesting nevertheless. I hadn’t seen an experimental film ever before.

We heard from filmmakers in Q&As on both nights, and it was interesting to hear from Prize Juror, Kellee Terrell (also a filmmaker who previously brought a film to Bluestocking) talk about the double responsibility she feels as a woman filmmaker and an African American filmmaker. Through her work, she is trying to normalize Black films and women-focused films, which I find inspiring!

Bluestocking was a great experience for me; it’s opened doors for me I didn’t know existed and has sparked a new interest for me in film and filmmaking.
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Bluestocking 2016: Road Movie

7/19/2015

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Start gearing up for next year's amazing Bluestocking Film Series in Portland, Maine, a champion of the all too often elusive #complexfemaleprotagonist. At one of the most unique and empowering film festivals around, all films chosen for the program must pass the Bechdel Test. That means that there have to be:
  1. two women (or girls)
  2. who talk to each other
  3. about something other than a man
If your film passes that test, watch the Bluestocking Film Series website and follow @BluestckngFilm and their facebook page at /bluestockingfilmseriespage for the call for entries. Maybe you want to go out and MAKE a film for the 2016 series!  Carol Capomaccio made Going Down? specifically for BFS!

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Tricky Women 2016: Call for Entries

7/19/2015

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Filmmakers, it's time to gear up for the 2016 International Animation Filmfestival Vienna! The fest has recently issued its call for entries and has introduced a special call for shorts focused on the topic of work and also animated featured for the non-competitive sections of the festival.  The festival has said they "are looking for subversive, powerful and expressive animations with a unique visual style!" 
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The festival runs from March 2-6, 2016, in Vienna, Austria. The call for entries is now open but will close on October 10.

Visit the Tricky Women website for more information.
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Upcoming film festival submission deadlines

4/11/2015

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Bluestocking Film Series
Call for shorts: Narrative category and Blue Collar Heroine Challenge
May 1 (late) / May 22 (extended)
Films must pass the Bechdel Test

High Falls Film Festival
April 17 (early) / July 31 (regular) / August 21 (late) / September 3 (extended)

Women's Independent Film Festival
April 21 (late) / May 5 (late late) / May 12 (WAB)

Broad Humor Film Festival
April 24 (early) / May 29 (regular) / June 30 (late) / July 31 (WAB)

London Feminist Film Festival
April 30

Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival + Lecture Series
April 30 (early) / June 10 (final)

Toronto International Film Festival

May 1 (late) / May 29 (extended)

Stony Brook Film Festival
May 1 (no entry fee)

Vancouver International Film Festival
May 1 (early) / June 26 (regular) / July 3 (WAB)

International Black Women's Film Festival
May 4 (early) / August 3 (regular) / August 10 (late)

St. John's International Women's Film Festival
May 15 (late) / May 22 (WAB)

imagineNATIVE film + media arts festival

May 15 (free deadline) / June 1 ($25 deadline)

San Diego Film Festival
May 15 (official deadline) / June 16 (late) / July 3 (online only extended deadline)

Lady Filmmakers Film Festival
May 15 (late) / June 15 (extended) / July 15 (final)

International Images Film Festival for Women
May 31

Paris International Lesbian & Feminist Film Festival
May 31

Chicago International Film Festival
June 19 (regular) / July 6 (late)

Busan International Film Festival

June 30 (shorts - less than 60 minutes) / July 31 (60 minutes or more)

Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival
June 30

Montreal World Film Festival
January 1-July 6 (features) / January 1-July 15 (shorts & films less than 60 minutes)

Underwire Film Festival
July 31


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DEADLINES: Calls for Submissions to Women's Film Festivals Around the World

9/27/2013

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by Kyna Morgan

Deadlines for several women's film festivals in various countries around the world are coming up in the next couple of months.  If you want to submit your film, be aware that some deadlines are soon!  Click on the links or the images to learn about the calls for submissions.
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IAWRT Asian Women's Film Festival 2014 (India)

Deadline: September 30

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Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival (USA)

Deadline: October 1 (WAB Extended)

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WOW Film Festival (Australia)

Deadline: October 4 (Regular) / October 31 (Late)

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Crankyfest (Canada)

Deadline: October 15

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San Francisco International Women's Film Festival (USA)

Deadline: October 15 (Late: Dec. 15)

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Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (Canada)

Deadline: October 15 (Late)

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Tricky Women Animation Film Festival (Austria)

Deadline: October 18
Special call: Fair Play -- Films about social justice, solidarity and equal opportunities

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African American Women in Cinema Film Festival (USA)

Deadline: October 25

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Seen & Heard Film Festival (Australia)

Deadline: October 25

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Filmmor Women's Film Festival (Turkey)

Deadline: November 1

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Internationales Frauenfilmfestival Dortmund | Cologne (Germany)

Section: Panorama 
Section: desired! -- film lust & queer
Deadlines: November 29

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Festival International de Films de Femmes (France)

Deadline: December 15

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Women's Voices Now (USA)
Theme: "Women Bought and Sold: Voices United Against the Violence"

Deadline: December 31
Call for Submissions (PDF)

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World premiere of new film H & G: Interview with filmmaker Danishka Esterhazy

9/26/2013

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by Kyna Morgan

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Breazy Diduck-Wilson as “Gemma” and Annika Elyse Irving as “Harley”. Photo by Rebecca Sandulak.
Canadian filmmaker Danishka Esterhazy's latest film, H & G, will be given its world premiere this weekend at the Vancouver International Film Festival (details).  A new look at the 200-year old Brothers Grimm fairytale, Hansel and Gretel, director and co-writer Esterhazy delves into some even deeper and as equally dark material as witches and cannibalism, injecting a contemporary social consciousness into the story as she deals with child neglect, murder and more in this neorealist film. 

Based in Winnipeg and well-known within as well as outside of Canada, Esterhazy has directed over a dozen films and television programs.  Fairytales aren't new territory for her, though, having made the short films, The Snow Queen, a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story, and The Red Hood, a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood (also by the Brothers Grimm), and setting them both in the Canadian Prairies.  She made her feature film directorial debut with historical drama Black Field which premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2009. 

Red Czarina is the production company for H & G, founded in 2012 by Esterhazy, Rebecca Sandulak, Ashley Hirt, and Rebecca Gibson, who co-wrote H & G with Esterhazy.  Watch a video feature on the production of H & G.

In a recent interview, we discussed her new film, working outside of film industry centers in Canada, and how she creates a tone on her film set.
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Annika Elyse Irving as “Harley”. Photo by Rebecca Sandulak.
Thank you for visiting with Her Film Project!  Your new film is H & G, a retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story, but it’s not the first time that you’ve taken on a project that reimagines a fairytale.  What is it about fairytales that you find so appealing? Do you think that there is something inherent in them that make them so enduring?

DE: I think that I am fascinated by fairytales because I loved them so much as a child yet I find them so frustrating as an adult. The portrayal of girls and women in traditional fairytales is so negative and yet the lure of the stories remains strong for so many of us. I enjoy taking the elements of traditional fairytales and reworking them.

Why did you think that H & G was an important story to tell?  

DE: The original fairytale of Hansel and Gretel deals with serious issues: child poverty, child neglect, and child murder. Unfortunately, these are issues that are still important concerns for modern society. These are topics worth exploring.

Read More
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Her.Stories: Saudi Arabia, Ghana, China, TIFF, Tribeca, Mumbai and more

9/22/2013

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by Kyna Morgan
Saudis seek Oscar glory for female director who defied death threats
"A lot of Saudi girls…have this huge potential, but give up because the culture is very rigid, and they are afraid to challenge everything."

– Haifa Al Mansour, director

Saudi's First Female Film Director Says Women Aren't Victims (with audio)

Trailer for Wadjda:

Ghana to host African Women in Film Forum
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Akosua Adoma Owusu, Ghanaian-American director of "Kwaku Ananse" which won an Africa Movie Academy Award in 2013

First US woman director for Chinese film

Trailer for My Lucky Star:

European Women’s Audiovisual Network Bows Pitching Course
 
Mumbai Women’s International Film Festival starts on 8th October

Women’s issues in focus at Kolkata’s first independent film fest

10 Canadian directors and actors honored at TIFF  

Tribeca Film Acquired Marion Vernoux's Bright Days Ahead

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Still from Marion Vernoux's "Bright Days Ahead" starring Fanny Ardant

Chinese Woman’s Rom-Coms Boost $2.8 Billion Film Industry
"There are more female directors making movies in China than any other country." – Jin Yimeng, writer-director

Actress-Filmmaker Aparna Sen on the ‘Role of women - On and off screen and the road ahead’

Why This Actress/Writer/Director Saw a Need to Make a Comedy Film About Women in Their 40s

Talking About Women's Roles With Director Kat Coiro of And While We Were Here

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Interview with filmmaker Kararaina Rangihau

4/29/2013

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by Kyna Morgan
In July 2012, I attended a film festival on Waiheke Island outside of Auckland, New Zealand.  Invited by a colleague who worked for a big film organization at the time and helped organize the event, this was the first ever festival of films made by Maori women.  Named the Whiti Whitiāhua Wāhine: Māori Women's Film Festival, it was part of the nationwide Matariki Festival which ran for several weeks.  Several of the filmmakers attended and introduced their work, among them Kararaina Rangihau who is devoted to making films in the Maori language.  On the ferry leaving the island for Auckland, I was able to catch a few minutes with her so she could talk about her film, Taku Rakāu e, which explores the story behind a well-known waiata (a Maori song that preserves the wisdom and knowledge of ancestors).  Rangihau's film was produced by the late Merata Mita, the legendary and extraordinarily influential filmmaker.  Mita was one of the earliest Maori women filmmakers and helped to influence many filmmakers both within and outside of New Zealand.
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Her.Stories: McCarthy and Bullock, Palestine's first female director, women at Tribeca, mentoring directors and more 

4/20/2013

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Melissa McCarthy, Sandra Bullock defend women in comedy 'what cave do you live in?'
at Entertainment.ie
A plea from Palestine's first female director
at The Independent
Tribeca Film Festival to Honor Memory of Nora Ephron
at Reel Life with Jane
Spotlight on Women Directors at Tribeca Film Festival
at Reel Life with Jane

Girls on Film: Of course we need more female directors!
at The Week
Women of Influence: A director empowering women in film
at Portland Business Journal

Kathleen Kennedy Accepts 2013 Pioneer of the Year Award at CinemaCon
at Indiewire

Malgorzata Szumowska's film about gay priest wins at International Women's Festival in Dortmund
at Polish Radio

Cannes Unveils 2013 Line Up With One Female Director in Main Competition
at Women and Hollywood

Only Two Percent of 2012's Top Films Were Shot by Women
at Jezebel
Tribeca: Elaine Stritch On (Not) Wearing Pants, Being Hungover With James Gandolfini and Hating The Title of Her New Documentary
at Indiwire

How Battlestar Galactica sets the standard for feminist television
at Nashville Scene
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