WOMEN IN FILM AND TELEVISION INTERNATIONAL’S (WIFTI)
SHORT FILM SHOWCASE CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2006
TO PREMIERE ON EIGHTEEN CITIES IN FIVE COUNTRIES.
(New York, NY - February 20, 2006)- Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) is proud to announce the simultaneous launch of its first annual Short Film Showcase on Wednesday, March 8 – International Women’s Day 2006 – across eighteen screens in five countries within its network of member Chapters.
For one night only - from Los Angeles, USA to Auckland, New Zealand - WIFTI Chapters worldwide will present an outstanding collection of short films by some of today’s best female filmmakers. The 2006 Showcase is comprised of seven award-winning short films, selected by WIFTI’s international Board of Directors, from finalist shorts from the WOW International Festival in Australia and the NYWIFT/Hamptons International Film Festival’s To The Point: Women Telling Tales Through Media event.
“International Women’s Day commemorates achievements, acts of courage and determination by ordinary women. What better way for WIFTI members and the public to celebrate than with a screening of original, accomplished international short films by and about modern women,” comments Paulina B. Abarca, Showcase Producer and WIFTI’s Chair of Programming.
The seven films comprising the 2006 WIFT International Short Film Showcase are:
KYLIE GOLDSTEIN, ALL AMERICAN / 3 minutes
Director: Eva Saks – USA
MOUSTACHE / 13 minutes
Director: Vicki Sugars – AUSTRALIA
ON THE CLIFFS / 15 minutes
Director: Lisa M. Perry – USA
MÉNAGE À TROIS / 15 min
Director: Kimberly M. Wetherell - USA
THE SCIENCE OF LOVE / 14 min
Director/Writer: Joyce Draganosky – USA
WASP / 23 minutes
Director: Andrea Arnold – United Kingdom
HAND SUM / 8min, 3 secs
Director: Eva Colmers - Canada
Each WIFT Chapter may also add outstanding regional films of their choosing to WIFTI’s 91-minute Showcase.
Together, the seven short films have garnered over fifty international awards including a 2005 Academy Award, a Jury Award for International Filmmaking: Sundance International Film Festival and the Grand Prix The Golden Dragon at the International Short Film Festival, Poland for Andrea Arnold’s WASP; a Best Foreign Film Award at the 2005 Créteil International Film Festival, for Vicki Sugars’ MOUSTACHE; and an IFP Audience Choice Award: Columbia University Film Festival for Joyce Draganosky’s THE SCIENCE OF LOVE.
“These films showcase the talents of directors at different stages of their career. Each has a unique strength, each displays inspired craftsmanship,” said Abarca from Montreal. “Couple them with the ingenuity of our Chapters to present welcoming, highly stimulating events, and you have the makings of a truly fabulous evening.”
WIFTI Chapters Participating in the Showcase and Screening Location:
Women in Film & Television, Alberta, Canada
Calgary: Venue TBA
Edmonton: Venue TBA
Women in Film, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Women in Film & Television NSW, Australia
Sydney: Theatrette, Parliament House, Macquarie St.
Guest of Honour: Dr. Meredith Burgmann MLC T: 61(2) 9230.2301
Bay Area Women in Film & Television, San Francisco, California, USA
San Francisco: Variety Club Screening Room, Hobart Building, 582 Market Street
Women in Film, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Chicago: Esquire Theatre, 58 East Oak Street, Post +
Post-Show Celebration:Le Passage: 937 N. Rush, Chicago – T:312.884.5000
Women in Film, Dallas, Texas, USA
Dallas: The Studio Movie Grill in Addision, 5405 Beltline Rd. Guest Speaker: Elizabeth Glass - T: 972-992-6684
Women in Film & Video, Washington, DC, USA
Washington, DC: Gala Hispanic Theatre-Tivoli, DC3333 14th Street, NW. www.dciff.org
Women in Film & Television, Houston, Texas, USA
Women in Film & Television, Kingston, Jamaica
Women in Film, Los Angeles, California, USA
Los Angeles: The Little Kodak Theatre, 6700 Santa Monica Blvd. T: 310-657-5144.
Femmes de cinéma de la télévision et des nouveaux médias - Montreal, Canada
Montreal: Astral Média Screening Room: 2100 Ste-Catherine W. 2nd Floor. T: 514.482.9496
Women in Film & Video, New England, USA
Brookline: Coolidge Corner Theatre. T: 781.788.6607
Women in Film, New Mexico, USA
Santa Fe: The Film Center, St.Michael’s Village West – Special Guest: Shirley Maclaine - www.nmwif.com
New York Women in Film, New York City, New York, USA*
New York City: HBO Theatre, 1100 Avenue of the Americas T: 212/679-0870 /info@nywift.org
*NYWIFT will present the Showcase on March 22.
Women in Film & Television, Auckland, New Zealand
Rialto Cinemas Broadway, Newmarket T: 378 7271 or office@wiftauckland.org.nz
Women in Film & Television, Toronto, Canada
Toronto: NFB Mediatheque, 150 John St. (at Richmond). T: 416-322.3430
Women in Film & Video, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The 2006 Short Film Showcase is made possible through the invaluable collaboration and assistance of: New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), The Hamptons International Film Festival: TO THE POINT: Women Telling Stories through Media event, the WOW International Film Festival in Australia and;
Femmes de cinéma de la télévision et des nouveaux médias – Montréal
WIFTI is a global network comprised of over 35 Women In Film and Television chapters worldwide and more than 10,000 members. All are dedicated to advancing professional development and achievement for women working in all areas of film, video and other screen-based media. To accomplish this goal, WIFTI provides networking and learning opportunities, scholarships, a film finishing fund, a presence at major worldwide film festivals, as well as offering help and encouragement to women who aspire to work in the film and TV industries. www.wifti.org.
