(FVR Team L-R): Maria Akay (Producer), Catherine Delaloye (Founder/Executive Director), Kira Leinonen (Producer)
Female Voices Rock Film Festival has wrapped their highest attended festival to date this past weekend with their 4th annual event celebrating the best new films by female, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ filmmakers.
Female Voices Rock’s mission is to incite and inspire change that builds a foundation of equality and diversity within the film industry. The festival, created in 2019 when women comprised only 20% of all directors, writers, producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 US domestic grossing films, works to ensure every underrepresented storyteller's diverse voice is heard and championed.
With over 700 attendees and 32 exciting short films over the weekend, this one-of-a-kind film festival kicked off on Friday, May 5th with its Opening Night Party at La Diaspora Bar in New York City, and continued throughout the weekend at the Wythe Hotel in Brooklyn. Guests and fans traveled across the country to attend the festival with international filmmakers flying in to represent countries like New Zealand and China.
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Broadway Star Krystal Joy Brown at the Opening Night Party
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Filmmakers from the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and Netflix supported films at the Opening Night Party
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The festival spanned for three days, featuring various sold out screening blocks, networking opportunities and informational panels aimed at educating and supporting short film filmmakers.
Produced by accomplished filmmaker Kira Leinonen, the panels explored topics such as developing your first feature and career advancement with a short film, including Using Your Short As A Stepping Stone Panel, featuring panelists Caryn Coleman, Lin Que Ayoung, Misha Calvert & Liz Sargent, and Producing Your First Feature Film Panel, featuring panelists Alexa Ginsburg, Kate Barry and Gabriella Moses.
Attendees were able to mix and mingle between attending the screening blocks, spanning dramas, comedies, coming of age films and much more, including: A Family Affair, What Happens After Dark, Choice And Motherhood, Love Is…, & Embracing My Voice.
The festival wrapped on Sunday, May 7th with its Awards Ceremony at the Wythe Hotel and Closing Party at Isla & Co. in Brooklyn.
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(L-R) FVR Executive Director/Founder Catherine Delaloye and Jury Member Eva Lipman at the Closing Night Party
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The winning films consisted of:
Best International Short Film:
Resurrection - Directed by Luiza Budejko
Best Short Film:
Anniversary - Directed by Lain Kienzle
Best Director:
Americanized - Directed by Erica Eng
Best Cinematographer:
Leaving Yellowstone - Shiyu Li
Best Original Score:
Ro & the Stardust - Rolando Gori
Best Lead Actor:
Angela Wong - Leaving Yellowstone
Audience Award:
Resurrection - Directed by Luiza Budejko
Best Short Script:
DUST - by Kareline Castor
Best Pilot (Screenplay):
“Northport Nannies” - by Brittany Worthington
Grand Jury Prize Winner (Screenplay):
About Face - by Robin Cloud
The winners were determined by a jury featuring filmmakers and producers. Past jury has consisted of Emmy Award-winning & Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and producer Eva Lipman, Julie Christeas, Charlette Kilby, Tracy Kopulsky, Audrey Knox, Margarita Murolo, Alison Mann, Monica Lago-Kaytis, Halle Mariner, Helen Huang, and Academy Award-winning writer Diana Ossana.
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Best Short Film Winner: Director Lain Kienzle - Anniversary
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Download high-res photos from this year’s Female Voices Rock Film Festival here
Photo credit: Dan Bassini, @danbassini
About Female Voices Rock
Female Voices Rock is dedicated to supporting diverse female storytellers in the entertainment industry. Our mission is to incite and inspire change that builds a foundation of equality and diversity, ensuring that every voice is heard and championed. Female Voices Rock launched a one-of-a-kind film festival in 2019, when women comprised only 20% of all directors, writers, producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 US domestic grossing films, to spotlight women in the film industry and champion the inclusion of underrepresented storytellers and diverse voices. BIPOC, LGBTQ+ voices, and other marginalized voices are not given equal space and have been left to fight for themselves for too long. We are using our platform to create space for the important stories that need to be told, the films that have not be seen, the creators who have not been given an opportunity, and we are here to support filmmakers to the fullest of our abilities through educational programming, workshops, webinars, and networking events. By uplifting those that have been left in the background, we are committed to increasing the diversity in the industry and revolutionizing the filmmaking space.
Through our annual Female Voices Rock Film Festival, we encourage filmmakers to connect and share their stories. We also encourage filmmakers to submit their work. We understand that part of the issue is often financial, so if any filmmakers feel they are financially unable to apply, please contact us. We provide waivers and financial assistance for your application. It is our responsibility to make change and Female Voices Rock will work to ensure that every voice is heard.
Press Contact:
Erica DelGenio | Big Picture Media
212.675.3103 | Erica@BigPictureMediaOnline.com
Sam LaPare | Big Picture Media
212.675.3103 | Sam@BigPictureMediaOnline.com
Becky Kovach | Big Picture Media
212.675.3103 | Becky@BigPictureMediaOnline.com
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