Filmmakers and screenwriters from all over the globe including the United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey, Argentina, France, Sweden, Trinidad, Sierra Leone, Bahrain, Romania, Israel, the US, and Canada travelled to Toronto to participate in and celebrate in the 10th Anniversary Female Eye Film Festival (June 20th – 24th, 2012). In a shaky economy The Female Eye Film Festival held strong with unprecedented screenings, script readings, industry panel discussions and the FeFF 10th Anniversary Photo Exhibit featuring fifty (50) photographs sponsored by VISTEK TORONTO.

FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

The opening night gala film BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR, starring Eric Peterson and John Gray, directed by Barbara Willis Sweete was well-received and featured a Female Eye Best In The Biz Tribute with Sweete as the Honourary Director 2012, sponsored by Creative Women Workshops Association (CWWA) through a WIDC Out Reach Initiative powered by NBCUniversal.

The FeFF honoured Carol Whiteman, President & CEO, Creative Women Workshops Association CWWA, producer, The Women In The Director’s Chair Program, with a Best In The Biz Tribute, moderated by Jinder Oujla Chalmers, and Female Eye 2012 Maverick Award, sponsored by ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society (AFBS)

The FeFF honoured Alanis Obomsawin, Canada’s most distinguished documentary filmmakers with a Best In The Biz Tribute, co-presented in partnership with DOC TORONTO and moderated by Marc Glassman, editor, POV MAGAZINE.

New York City’s multiple award-winning independent filmmaker, Nancy Savoca, was celebrated with a Best In The Biz Tribute, alongside her husband, and producing partner Rich Guay.

Sunday marked the close of the Festival with Savoca’s film UNION SQUARE starring Mira Sorvino and Tammy Blanchard. Following the closing night film, was an intimate conversation with Savoca about the making of the film which has its North American theatrical release July 13, 2012. UNION SQUARE won the much coveted award for BEST OF SHOW at this year’s event.

FEMALE EYE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS

The Female Eye thanks Willie Anicic, designer and sculpture of the Female Eye Award Statuettes.

Female Eye Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award – Alanis Obomsawin (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Female Eye Film Festival Honourary Director Award – Barbara Willis Sweete (Toronto, ON, CAN)

Female Eye Maverick Award – Carol Whiteman (Vancouver, BC, CAN)

Best of Show – UNION SQUARE, Dir. Nancy Savoca (New York, NY, US)

Best Canadian Feature Film – THE HOUSE, Dir. Desiree Lim (Vancouver, BC, CAN)

Best Foreign Feature - BIR AVUÇ DENIZ (A HANDFUL OF SEA). Dir. Leyla Yilmaz (Turkey)

Best Debut Feature – BEAT DOWN, Dir. Deanne Foley (St. John’s, NL, CAN)

Best Documentary – A LOT LIKE YOU, Dir. Eliaichi Sadikiel Kimaro (Tanzania)

Best Short Film – ALONG THE ROAD, Dir. Gabrielle Nadeau (Quebec, CAN)

Best Animation – MOTHER’S COLOURS , Dir. Joyce Borenstein (Quebec, CAN)

Best Experimental Film – THE INHERITANCE, Dir. Vanessa Revard Roman and Sandra Olmsted (St. Louis, MO, USA)

SCREENPLAY AWARDS

Best Screenplay – SITTING ON THE EDGE OF MARLENE, Ana Valine (Vancouver, BC, CAN)

Best Reserve – GOLETA POSTAL, Jennifer Harrison (Anood, NJ, USA)

Best Low Budget Screenplay – A CERTAIN GIRL, Michelle Beyda (Sunnyvale, CA, USA)

Best Fresh Voice – BY ELECTION, Anders Whist (Toronto, ON, CAN)

Audience Choice Screenplay – ME & BOO, Danielle Bourgon (Toronto, ON, CAN)

BEST PHOTO (Audience Choice Award) – SUGAR BEACH, Barbara Hearn (Toronto, ON, CAN)

The Female Eye delivered an outstanding series of INDUSTRY INITIATIVE PANELS, “MAKING IT HAPPEN IN 2012”. Made possible with the support of the Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC)

INDUSTRY GUESTS: Martin Harbury, Film & Television Consultant, Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC); Dan Lyon, Regional Feature Film Executive, Ontario & Nunavut, Telelfilm Canada; John Galway, President, English-Language Program, Astral’s Harold Greenberg Fund; Marguerite Pigott, Head of Creative Development, Super Channel; Steve Arroyave, International Film Distributor, Arrow Entertainment Inc.; Marina Cordoni, Vice President, Movies, Breakthrough Entertainment; Byron Martin, Producer, Byron A. Martin Productions; Avi Federgreen, Producer and Canadian Film Distributor, Indiecan Ent.; Jinder Oujla Chalmers, Writer/ Creator “Combat Hospital”; Angela Argento, Literary Agent, The Associates; Heather Webb, Executive Director, WIFT Toronto; Christine Rutherford, Manager of Agreement Administration, Writers Guild of Canada (WGC); Laurie Januska, DGC Ontario’s Director of Membership; Lisa Fitzgibbons, Executive Director, Documentary Organization of Canada; Heather Allin, ACTRA Toronto President, and Barb LaRose, Steward, ACTRA Toronto; Nikila Cole, DGC Member, Director/AD, Producer and Writer; Anne Frank, Interim Regional Director, Industry Promotion-Ontario & Nunavut Region, Telefilm Canada; and Greg Rubidge, Syndicado Digital Distribution – distributor; Mark Sanders, Producer, Berkshire Axis Media and Carol Whiteman, President & CEO, Creative Women Workshops Association CWWA, producer, The Women In The Director’s Chair Program.

The Female Eye Film Festival would like to acknowledge its sponsors: Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), Actra Fraternal Benefits Society AFBS, Creative Women Workshops Association CWWA, Vistek, ACTRA National, ACTRA Toronto, WIFT, DOC Toronto, The City of Toronto, Writers Guild of Canada, Directors Guild of Canada, WARC Gallery, Platinum Hospitality Group, Garo Group, Carlton Cinema, Skylar Entertainment, PROUD FM 903.9, The Backroom Agency, Steam Whistle, Cherry Colas, Marché, Me to We Style, Co-op Cabs, Auto Share, Precision Waste, Select Wines & Spirits.

ABOUT THE FEMALE EYE FILM FESTIVAL

The Female Eye Film Festival established in 2001, is Ontario’s one and only annual international independent film Festival showcasing films directed by women. The Female Eye presents films by debut, emerging and established directors in conjunction with the Script Development Program, a professional development program for screenplay writers encompassing the Script Reading Series and the Good To Go, pitch session. The Script Development Program is open to male and female writers. http://www.femaleeyefilmfestival.com/