March is Women’s History Month

Honoring women filmmakers, the Women in Film and Television International (WIFTI) 2013 Short Film Showcase marks the 8th year WIFTI joins in on the United Nations celebration of International Women’s Day. Continuing through the month of March, many chapters are showcasing the select group of films directed by women who are members of WIFTI chapters worldwide.

This year’s showcase includes films and filmmakers from all corners of the world: OMG, directed by Siobhan Devine, WIFT-Vancouver, an inter-generational story about a 14-year-old emo-goth, Kaylee, who thinks she is the top of the food chain when it comes to being misunderstood; Olivia’s Birds and the Oil Spill directed by Lynn Cherry, WIFV-DC, a documentary and part of a series, Young Voices for the Planet about the BP oil spill and a rescue plan for the oiled birds; Lady Crush, directed by Hanna Skold, WIFT-Sweden, an absurd, associative tale about love, role-playing and the longing to be seen in a mixture of live and claymation footage; First Kiss, directed by Yulin Kuang, WIFT-Pittsburgh, PA, a film to remember the pressure of wanting that first kiss; Smart Is What You Get, directed by Jennifer Wollan, NYWIFT, the Catherine Ferguson Academy in Detroit where young teen mothers and pregnant teens attend this school with their infants learning more than reading and writing; Raspberry Jam, directed by Courtney Ware, WIF-Dallas, TX, tells the mystical fairytale of Stephen McMurphy who honors an ancient family tradition by having raspberry jam every morning as it symbolizes hope; Reindeer, directed by Eva Weber, WIFT-UK, a poetic study in movement and sound, takes you on a journey where twilight expanses of the Lappish wilderness are home to the ancient practice of reindeer herding or husbandry; The Brazilian, directed by Lindsy Campbell, New Mexico Women in Film, NM-WIF, a look at today’s body image fads clashing with a simple inexperienced girl who finds a long time crush wanting to date her; Dangerous Ride, directed by Linda Niccol, WiFT-New Zealand, when a sex offender undergoing rehabilitation picks up an attractive young girl from the side of the road, his life takes an unexpected turn.

For more information on any of these films or WIFTI Chapters worldwide or how to start a chapter, contact the www.wiftichapters.org or www.wifti.net