EIU Feminist Fest taking entries
From December 18, 2013:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SUBMISSIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS FEMINIST FILM FESTIVAL
CHARLESTON, IL (December 18, 2013) – Filmmakers are invited to submit entries for the 2014 Central Illinois Feminist Film Festival (CIFFF) to be held on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on March 17-20, 2014.
The CIFFF Council and the Women’s Studies Program at EIU are looking for films of high artistic quality that satisfy at least two of the following criteria: films created with an emphasis on gender and/or social justice issues; films that link local and global issues; films created by people underrepresented in the media – women, people of color, queer/transgendered people, people with disabilities – and films made by people from the central Illinois area.
While there is an emphasis on local filmmakers, honors have previously been awarded to directors in Illinois, Virginia, Vermont, Canada, Iran, Australia, and India. Subjects have included the diverse history of women’s political activism, art as a tool to help women overcome oppression in the United States and around the world, and a Depression-era story of a young woman trapped in an abusive marriage.
“The Central Illinois Feminist Film Festival welcomes submissions from students and aspiring filmmakers. Student work will be highlighted in both documentary and fictional film categories,” said CIFFF committee chair Robin Murray.
Filmmakers are welcome to submit their work using Vimeo, Dropbox, or YouTube, Murray said. E-mail Murray at rlmurray [at] eiu [dot] edu with a link to the film and include a letter of explanation.
Filmmakers may also send a DVD of the film and a cover letter to: Central Illinois Feminist Film Festival, Women’s Studies Program, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Ave., Charleston, IL 61920, Attn: Robin Murray. The DVD should be labeled with a name, address, e-mail address, and title of the film. The cover letter should explain how the filmmaker or the film fits the criteria and also include a two- to three-sentence synopsis. After sending the film, an acknowledgment should be e-mailed to Murray.
Submissions should be short films of no more than 60 minutes in length. There is no submission fee for the film festival. The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2014. The films will be screened on March 19, 2014.
CIFFF takes place each year in March during Women’s History Awareness Month (WHAM). The WHAM schedule at EIU also includes the Women’s Studies Annual Awards Ceremony, a keynote presentation titled “How Animals Grieve” by Barbara King, a living history performance, and an exhibit at the Tarble Arts Center, among other events. This year’s theme for WHAM is “Wo(men) in Nature and Nurture.”
Now in its seventh year, the film festival promotes the mission of the EIU Women’s Studies Program, which is to promote an understanding of how issues related to gender, age, race, economic status, sexual identity, and nationality affect women’s lives and the communities in which they live. In order to promote an equitable and sensitive environment for all persons, Women’s Studies also responds to issues affecting women on the EIU campus and in the local community.
Additionally, the CIFFF Council invites local organizations or members of the community to host a film screening and/or discussion. Those interested in doing so may contact Murray for more information or to share ideas.
To learn more about the CIFFF, visit the film studies minor page at EIU on-line or its dedicated Web site.
CONTACT
Robin Murray
Chair, Department of English, EIU
rlmurray [at] eiu [dot] edu
Sarah Miller
Department of English, EIU
smiller [at] eiu [dot] edu
(217) 581-2428
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