Curious about film but not quite sure where to direct your interest? Well, a film festival dedicated to bolstering the careers of female filmmakers is set to take place this month in Toronto. The four-day event boasts a collection of eclectic movies directed by supremely talented women from across the globe.
Film director Leslie Ann Coles founded the Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) 23 years ago after growing tired of wading through a sea of predominantly male counterparts in the industry.
In 2001, following the release of her award-winning debut short In The Refrigerator: Spirit Of a Haunted Dancer, Coles galvanized as many female directors as she could to gather at what was supposed to be a one-off festival to promote the work of women filmmakers; they and many others have now come together almost every year since.
In 2002, FeFF presented 42 films, and 70 per cent of its participants were local Toronto directors.
Today, FeFF is a well-respected international non-profit organization dedicated to kickstarting the careers of emerging and established women directors, and known for its annual globally recognized film festival.
Each year, the Toronto-based event offers a thoughtfully selected slate of quality, independent films across a broad range of genres, including documentary, shorts and features that may not be accessible in mainstream cinema.
Festival goers can also attend Q&As, script readings where audience members and film experts provide feedback, script development programs for all, pitching sessions, networking opportunities for industry folk, panel discussions featuring professional film-makers and awards and prize ceremonies.
Helmed by Coles, the festival has grown alongside her tenured career, which includes stints on numerous global panels as a juror and guest curator at KIN International Women’s Film Festival, Porto Femme, The Flying Broom, Beirut International Women’s Film Festival, Los Angeles Women’s International Film Festival and FemCine.
An accomplished director in her own right, Coles knows the value in seating women behind the camera.
“Women and female-identifying filmmakers bring a fem-centric lens to cinema, both in story and in crafting and the way in which the stories are told visually,” she told Now Toronto in an interview.
“What I’ve found over the years is that with women directors there’s nothing gratuitous, in terms of on-screen violence or sex, it’s often what you don’t see, and when you do see it, it’s from the female perspective,” she explained.
This year’s festival begins on July 18 at the Paradise Theatre with a selection of programming including dramatic shorts, foreign features, and documentaries which includes a film called The Canadian Dream which follows the challenges faced by immigrants coming to Canada and other countries.
On July 19 and 20, the festival will host late night thrills and chills screenings of horror shorts, and its gala feature presentation, Katie’s Mom at TIFF’s Bell Lightbox.
The festival runs from July 18 to 21. Flex passes, which grant access to five programs are available for $80, while general admission tickets are $20.
The Female Eye Film Festival promises a riveting line-up of top-notch films that unveil the momentous lives and masterful minds of women the world over. Witness their brilliance for four days only from July 18 to 21.
For information and to view the full programming schedule, click here.
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