Friday, February 25, 2011
Poster Girl Nomination
Sunday is a big night for Robynn Murray and Sara Nesson a couple of the many film folks coming to Brattleboro the weekend of March 19 and 20 as part of the fest's 20th anniversary special events. On Sunday they will be attending the Academy Awards to see if their film "Poster Girl" wins 'Best Short Documentary.' Just being nominated is honor enough, and this 38-minute film about a high school cheerleader and national merit scholar who volunteers for service and ends up a machine gunner in Iraq deserves the praise. This film is powerful, compelling and important. It should be required viewing for everyone because it depicts what life is like for a growing number of young vets returning from war with health and life challenges those of us who stayed comfortable at home can never imagine. Robynn is the subject of the film. Director Sara Nesson found her when she was shooting a film about vets healing themselves through art. Robynn was featured on a poster for an army publication featuring female vets, and now she is a poster girl for how vets cope with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Vermont has become a national center for the treatment of PTSD. The Brattleboro Retreat just opened a clinic for uniformed service personnel and the national center for PTSD of the Veterans Administration is in White River Junction. Sara and Robynn are amazing people with a story to tell. I look forward to hearing it when they come to the New England Theatre for the 4pm screening of Poster Girl (shown after "To See if I'm Smiling" (60 min), an Israeli film about female soldiers, but more about how abject power corrupts souls).
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
More from the Womens Film Festival
From March 11-20, 2011, Brattleboro, Vermont will host the 20th annual Women's Film Festival.
The festival presents films by and about women, showing women's strengths, aspirations, accomplishments, struggles and tragedies.
One film, which will have its world primiere showing at the Festival, is the documentary My Marilyn. This film shows how Marilyn Monroe became both Hollywoods greatest star and its most vulnerable icon.
Another film, To See if I'm Smiling, presents the frank testimonies of six female Israeli soldiers, who describe how gender, ethics and moral responsibility intersect during war.
Another film, Bhutto, describes the life and legacy of Benazir Bhutto, the first woman to lead a Muslim nation.
39 films are scheduled. Films will be shown at two venues, the historic Latchis Theater and the modern New England Youth Theater.
Several films will be followed by panel discussions.
The Women's Film Festival is run entirely by volunteers. All proceeds go to the Women's Freedom Center (formally known as the Women's Crisis Center). The Women's Freedom Center assists women and their children victimized by domestic violence. It serves the greater Brattleboro area with vital services that, sadly, remain desperately needed.
The festival presents films by and about women, showing women's strengths, aspirations, accomplishments, struggles and tragedies.
One film, which will have its world primiere showing at the Festival, is the documentary My Marilyn. This film shows how Marilyn Monroe became both Hollywoods greatest star and its most vulnerable icon.
Another film, To See if I'm Smiling, presents the frank testimonies of six female Israeli soldiers, who describe how gender, ethics and moral responsibility intersect during war.
Another film, Bhutto, describes the life and legacy of Benazir Bhutto, the first woman to lead a Muslim nation.
39 films are scheduled. Films will be shown at two venues, the historic Latchis Theater and the modern New England Youth Theater.
Several films will be followed by panel discussions.
The Women's Film Festival is run entirely by volunteers. All proceeds go to the Women's Freedom Center (formally known as the Women's Crisis Center). The Women's Freedom Center assists women and their children victimized by domestic violence. It serves the greater Brattleboro area with vital services that, sadly, remain desperately needed.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Announcing the 2011 Lineup!
Women's Film Festival Announces Line-Up for 20th Anniversary with
More Eclectic, Exciting Films than Ever Before
January, 2011, Brattleboro, Vermont: The Women’s Film Festival (WFF) of Brattleboro, Vermont, the longest-running women’s film festival in New England and one of the oldest in the country devoted to films by and about women, announced its special 2011 20th Anniversary line-up today with more entertaining and illuminating films than ever before– films that raise awareness of the struggles, accomplishments and creativity of women around the corner and around the globe. A full list of film and blurbs can be found at the WFF website at www.womensfilmfestival.org.
This year the festival is bigger than ever: Over 10 days in March (Women’s History Month) 39 films will be screened at the historic art-deco Latchis Theater and the modern New England Youth Theater in Downtown Brattleboro, a cultural magnet town voted one of the top 25 small cities for art in America by American Style magazine.
The festival opens on Friday, March 11 with “Women Without Men” a surreal and exquisite drama from Iranian-American filmmaker and artist Shirin Neshat and closes on Sunday, March 20th with the world premiere of Allan Holzman’s “My Marilyn,” examining the dark psychological corners of Marilyn Monroe’s life.
An opening gala will be held during Brattleboro’s monthly Gallery Walk on Friday, March 4 where women’s digital art and an overview of upcoming films will be spotlighted at the Latchis Theater. On Saturday, March 26, the festival will officially close with a repeat showing of the ‘Best of Fest’ audience favorite and new high school video competition winners at the New England Youth Theater.
First-time screenings include: “Bhutto,” which will include a post-film discussion (Sunday March 13 4:00 pm) with Vermont State Senator and diplomat Peter Galbraith, a close friend of the slain Pakistani leader; “Poster Girl,” a hard-hitting documentary about a high school cheerleader turned gunner in Iraq shortlisted for an Oscar nomination; as well as films that deal with family issues, the environment, food, aging, art and many other topics. Several films will be accompanied by Q&As with directors and experts following the screenings.
To celebrate its 20th year, the 2011 WFF will also devote some screenings to the best films of festivals past, such as the acclaimed musical-drama “Joanna D’Arc of Mongolia” (featured on the festival poster), audience favorites “I, Doll, The Story of Barbie,” “Heart of the Sea” and Agnes Varda’s acclaimed “The Gleaners and I.”
This is the first year WFF is collaborating with the Center for Digital Art to highlight women’s digital art and mount a national “Min Vid” competition through You Tube for high school students. There will be cash prizes and special screenings awarded to the top
entries illuminating the theme ‘Woman’ in less than two minutes. Details on entry can be found at the Women’s Film Festival website under the heading “High School Video Contest.”
The festival is unique in that it is fully volunteer run and 100% of proceeds benefit the Women’s Crisis Center, a non-profit organization that helps women and children from southern Vermont and surrounding areas protect themselves against domestic violence while educating the community about everyone’s role in stopping the cycle of violence all around us.
WFF chooses films over the winter through a committee process that offers a final roster of cream-of-the-crop features and cutting-edge documentaries from festivals around the world; and a call-for-entries that yields surprising gems. Over the years the festival has had area premiers for much-lauded films such as "Born Into Brothels" and "Bend It Like Beckham"; numerous films screened at the festival have gone on to receive Academy-Award nominations.
In 2010 the WFF received a prestigious grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to provide free access to members of youth, elder and multi-cultural organizations, bringing greater diversity to festival audiences.
Brattleboro itself is reason enough to come and celebrate WFF’s 20th year. Nestled in the Green Mountains in the south-east corner of the state only two hours from Boston and three hours from New York City, this creative hub features its own art museum, fine restaurants, unique boutiques, four independent bookstores, and many other arts venues. One may enjoy the charm of the town while taking in top-notch film fare that may never make it to the local multiplex. The manageable size of the festival makes it a stress-free experience that offers a roster of women’s films unsurpassed by larger festivals in big cities.
The festival should come with a warning: whether you are a man or woman -- you will not leave unmoved! Tickets can be purchased ahead of time. Full details, the film line-up and a continually updated calendar of events related to the WFF can be found at the Women’s Film Festival website at www.womensfilmfestival.org.
More Eclectic, Exciting Films than Ever Before
January, 2011, Brattleboro, Vermont: The Women’s Film Festival (WFF) of Brattleboro, Vermont, the longest-running women’s film festival in New England and one of the oldest in the country devoted to films by and about women, announced its special 2011 20th Anniversary line-up today with more entertaining and illuminating films than ever before– films that raise awareness of the struggles, accomplishments and creativity of women around the corner and around the globe. A full list of film and blurbs can be found at the WFF website at www.womensfilmfestival.org.
This year the festival is bigger than ever: Over 10 days in March (Women’s History Month) 39 films will be screened at the historic art-deco Latchis Theater and the modern New England Youth Theater in Downtown Brattleboro, a cultural magnet town voted one of the top 25 small cities for art in America by American Style magazine.
The festival opens on Friday, March 11 with “Women Without Men” a surreal and exquisite drama from Iranian-American filmmaker and artist Shirin Neshat and closes on Sunday, March 20th with the world premiere of Allan Holzman’s “My Marilyn,” examining the dark psychological corners of Marilyn Monroe’s life.
An opening gala will be held during Brattleboro’s monthly Gallery Walk on Friday, March 4 where women’s digital art and an overview of upcoming films will be spotlighted at the Latchis Theater. On Saturday, March 26, the festival will officially close with a repeat showing of the ‘Best of Fest’ audience favorite and new high school video competition winners at the New England Youth Theater.
First-time screenings include: “Bhutto,” which will include a post-film discussion (Sunday March 13 4:00 pm) with Vermont State Senator and diplomat Peter Galbraith, a close friend of the slain Pakistani leader; “Poster Girl,” a hard-hitting documentary about a high school cheerleader turned gunner in Iraq shortlisted for an Oscar nomination; as well as films that deal with family issues, the environment, food, aging, art and many other topics. Several films will be accompanied by Q&As with directors and experts following the screenings.
To celebrate its 20th year, the 2011 WFF will also devote some screenings to the best films of festivals past, such as the acclaimed musical-drama “Joanna D’Arc of Mongolia” (featured on the festival poster), audience favorites “I, Doll, The Story of Barbie,” “Heart of the Sea” and Agnes Varda’s acclaimed “The Gleaners and I.”
This is the first year WFF is collaborating with the Center for Digital Art to highlight women’s digital art and mount a national “Min Vid” competition through You Tube for high school students. There will be cash prizes and special screenings awarded to the top
entries illuminating the theme ‘Woman’ in less than two minutes. Details on entry can be found at the Women’s Film Festival website under the heading “High School Video Contest.”
The festival is unique in that it is fully volunteer run and 100% of proceeds benefit the Women’s Crisis Center, a non-profit organization that helps women and children from southern Vermont and surrounding areas protect themselves against domestic violence while educating the community about everyone’s role in stopping the cycle of violence all around us.
WFF chooses films over the winter through a committee process that offers a final roster of cream-of-the-crop features and cutting-edge documentaries from festivals around the world; and a call-for-entries that yields surprising gems. Over the years the festival has had area premiers for much-lauded films such as "Born Into Brothels" and "Bend It Like Beckham"; numerous films screened at the festival have gone on to receive Academy-Award nominations.
In 2010 the WFF received a prestigious grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to provide free access to members of youth, elder and multi-cultural organizations, bringing greater diversity to festival audiences.
Brattleboro itself is reason enough to come and celebrate WFF’s 20th year. Nestled in the Green Mountains in the south-east corner of the state only two hours from Boston and three hours from New York City, this creative hub features its own art museum, fine restaurants, unique boutiques, four independent bookstores, and many other arts venues. One may enjoy the charm of the town while taking in top-notch film fare that may never make it to the local multiplex. The manageable size of the festival makes it a stress-free experience that offers a roster of women’s films unsurpassed by larger festivals in big cities.
The festival should come with a warning: whether you are a man or woman -- you will not leave unmoved! Tickets can be purchased ahead of time. Full details, the film line-up and a continually updated calendar of events related to the WFF can be found at the Women’s Film Festival website at www.womensfilmfestival.org.
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