 New Women's Film Festival at SFSU Fills Gender Gap—By Mara Math Published: March, 2005 When Scarlett Shepard enrolled in the well-respected undergraduate film program at San Francisco State University in 2002, she was stunned to find that women filmmakers were conspicuous only by their absence from the curriculum. "When you're in film school, a lot of the time you find someone you admire and try to learn from their work," explains Shepherd, "but with no women filmmakers, we weren't seeing the whole picture of film." Shepard wrote letters to the faculty and administration [see Shepard's op-ed in the November issue of this newspaper, "Where are Women Filmmakers in SFSU's Cinema Department?"]. She talked with them, and the Chair of the Film Dept. asked Shepard for a list of films by women, but progress remained so slow that the 31-year-old student took more direct action: She founded the SFSU Women in Film Festival, which premieres this Spring. The first SFSU Women's Film Festival (WFF) will run April 4-10 at SFSU. To date, more than 300 films have been submitted, from which 30 will be selected for festival screening. Shepard plans to conduct additional screenings throughout the year to show noteworthy submissions not included in the festival. WFF is not only free to the public, but, contrary to common practice, submitting filmmakers do not have to pay entry fees. The local Women of Color Film Festival is one of the only other festivals not to charge filmmakers these fees [see our story, " 'Colorful' Film Fest" in the BABW's February issue, available online]. Shepard is passionate about this policy. "It's this lifework, getting a film made, and then to have to pay to have it screened -- it's like a kind of backhanded slap." Among the genres to be represented in the festival are feminist cinema, women's film history, lesbian film, African American women's cinema, and multicultural cinema. "My goal is to have all voices covered," Shepard says. In addition, "the next wave" of female filmmakers showcases works by SFSU students and alumni, followed by a panel discussion. "I'm really not doing this by myself," she emphasizes, "There is a board behind me, a collective, a lot of volunteers, and a growing number of sponsors." The Film Arts Foundation, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Propville.com, and our own BABW are among the sponsors. Shepard is also grateful to the SFSU Women's Center, which is co-sponsoring the event; without the Center's help, Shepard would not have been able to secure screening space on campus, as the Cinema Dept. was not interested. In addition to screening films, WFF will include panel discussions, guest speakers, workshops, audience prizes, film-related product demonstrations, and more. Terry Cundall of Propville.com will conduct one such workshop, demonstrating how to be use the website-the only local centralized clearinghouse for props, costumes, expendables, locations and production help - for both pre- and post-production work. One particularly apt presentation will be made by Assistant Professor Jenny Lau. Filmmaker and film historian Lau will give a combination screening/lecture on Women in Film History. | ||
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