It’s no secret that Hollywood can sometimes be an unfriendly place for female filmmakers.
You can see it in the under-representation: Women constitute only four per cent of feature film directors, 11 per cent of writers, and 13 per cent of editors, despite making up more than 50 per cent of the ticket-buying audience.
But talk about under-representation is in the zeitgeist, and this year’s 2016 Vancouver International Women in Film Festival (March 8-13) spotlights the undeniable fact that, despite the ongoing lack of diversity, female filmmakers are still creating fearless cinema.
Packed with women-driven features, documentaries, and short films, VIWIFF offers a fascinating glimpse into the mindsets and artistic practices of contemporary female filmmakers around the globe.
It’s a comprehensive and diverse survey. Canadian and international selections include Crushed, an environmental thriller from Australia about a young woman who returns home to her family’s winery and uncovers the truth about her father’s suspicious death; Kinderwald, Lise Raven’s suspenseful film about the disappearance of two young children from a family homestead in 1854 Pennsylvania; and festival-opener Café Derby, a black comedy, about a man who rents a café during the Pope’s visit to Belgium, that’s inspired by the real-life experience of Belgian/Flemish director Lenny Van Wesemael. But there’s more, much more, and you can find the full schedule at WomenInFilm.ca.
If you’re a lover of locally produced movies, VIWIFF’s got you covered with features and shorts from some of our city’s finest established and emerging filmmakers. Here are our top local picks for this year’s VIWIFF:
Bearded Ladies: The Photography of Rosamond Norbury
Bearded Ladies is an engaged and engaging documentary about Rosamond Norbury, a self-described omnisexual Vancouver photographer who explores gender and identity with a playful wink and a nod. The film follows Norbury as she creates her most recent show, a series of surprising and often hilarious portraits of women donning male drag for the first time. It also presents Norbury’s past work, including her groundbreaking homoerotic cowboy images and her intimate portraits of drag queens. Directed by Sharon McGowan. March 9, 3:30pm
The Birdwatcher
The locally shot tearjerker has its hometown screening at VIWIFF after premiering at the 2015 Whistler Film Festival. The Birdwatcher features two of the city’s finest actresses – Gabrielle Rose and Camille Sullivan – at the top of their respective games as they work with the emotionally rich material that flowed from the pen of screenwriter Roslyn Muir. Sullivan portrays an adult daughter who, after being given up for adoption at birth, seeks out her biological mother (Rose) when faced with the dilemma of who will raise her two kids after her terminal illness takes her life. It’s heavy stuff, but the script, multi-layered performances, and inspired direction of Siobhan Devine infuses the entire enterprise with hope and light. March 9, 8:30pm
I Wanna Date U
Holly (portrayed by the effervescent Laura Adkin, who co-wrote this comic short with Marly Reed) struggles to find a decent date. When she is stood up yet again, it’s up to her heartbroken friend Lucy (the equally effervescent Lisa Durupt) to lend a helping hand. I Wanna Date U serves up a cornucopia of local talent, including Daniel Arnold, Peter Benson, Nicholas Carella, Mackenzie Gray, Anthony Konechny, Kirby Morrow, and Johannah Newmarch. Directed by Lisa Ovies. March 10, 6pm
FSM
In this feature-length drama from writer-director Melanie M. Jones, audiences follow talented and up-and-coming underground DJ Samantha on her journey through the streets of Vancouver. Samantha experiences alienation and isolation, despite the progressively integrated world of music, computers, telephones and social media in which she lives. Confined to a small group of friends and disillusioned with online dating, she seeks a meaningful connection. March 10, 8:30pm
Blood
Set during the Cariboo gold rush, two prospectors – a young man passing through and a shootout survivor on the verge of death – share a critical conversation about regret and redemption. The short film combines strong cinematography with moving and powerful performances delivered by celebrated Vancouver performers (and real-life kinfolk) Ian and Keenan Tracey. Blood was co-directed by award-winning stunt performer Maja Aro (Once Upon a Time; Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters), and Sara Irvine-Erickson, who has worked as a first and second assistant director on The Flash, Continuum, Eureka, and The Twilight Saga: New Moon; the pair won the prestigious MPPIA Short Film Grant at the 2015 Whistler Film Festival for a diesel punk retelling of Robin Hood and Little Red Riding Hood. March 12, 6pm
Summoned
Summoned is an eerie dramatic short from writer-director Victoria Angell. A young girl named Amanda (played by Hope LaVelle) suffers abuse at the hands of her father. When Amanda starts resisting his advances, he turns his attentions to her much younger sister. Amanda channels all her rage into summoning a demon to protect her, but demons respond to your true wishes, which may be darker than she realized. March 11, 4pm
Chaos Management
Screening as part of VIWIFF’s 70% Dark Short Film Program, this 3-minute short revolves around an exhausted female professional who uses a creative solution to deal with an early morning annoyance. From the guide: “What seems an innocuous beginning transforms into the revelations of a surprising character.” Intriguing, amirite? Directed by Michelle Muldoon. March 11, 4pm
Other must-see shorts: Caitlin Byrnes' One Last Ride; Karen Nielsen's Grace; Chiral by Karen Lam; and Madness, co-directed by Shannon Kohli and Michelle Brezinski.
VIWIFF is the brainchild of Women in Film & Television Vancouver. The organization is dedicated to furthering the artistic and professional development of women in the Canadian screen-based media community, and to recognizing and promoting the artistic and professional contributions of women in the Canadian screen-based media community and in the community at large.
The organization’s initiatives run throughout the year, but VIWIFF is WIFTV’s largest annual event – and a can’t-miss one for any cinephile.
The 2016 Vancouver International Women in Film Festival runs March 8-13 at VIFF’s Vancity Theatre. Schedule and tickets at WomenInFilm.ca.
