Director, Gillian Armstong, named patron of the WOW Film Festival.
The World of Women’s Cinema (WOW) Film Festival will take place in Sydney this year with director Gillian Armstrong as patron.
An initiative of Women in Film & Television (WIFT) NSW, the festival will be held throughout various venues in Sydney from April 28 to May 1, as well as touring to a number of venues and locations throughout Australia between May 2016 and May 2017.
Gillian Armstrong, acclaimed Australian director, has been announced as WOW Film Festival Patron for 2016.
Her seminal 1979 drama, My Brilliant Career, has been selected to screen at the WOW Film Festival opening night gala.
The festival will also hold a special 25th anniversary screening of Ridley Scott’s iconic 1991 film Thelma and Louise.
WOW Film Festival is now in its 21st year, with its ultimate goal to celebrate and recognise films by and about women, by Australian and international creative teams.
The festival will also facilitate important conversations around increasing access, participation and recognition of women in all aspects of the film industry.
The program features eight curated programs of short films as well as four international feature premieres.
POW-WOW, a large series of masterclasses and panel discussions will also run alongside the screenings, offering film goers and makers the chance to learn firsthand from some of the most experienced and celebrated individuals in the Australian film industry.
As well as these key discussion-based initiatives, an exciting new development opportunity has been created by the new WOW FF Team.
Festival Director Sophie Mathisen today announced “On the Table” as part of the new WOW FF line-up, which will offer one female screenwriter the chance to have their unproduced feature screenplay read by Sydney actors in front of a live audience during the 3-day event.
Mathisen said there were hundreds of submissions for Screen Australia’s Brilliant Stories initiative.
“By showcasing one new work, we hope to provide emerging screenwriters with the impetus to continue to develop their work irrespective of the result of their funding applications," she said.
“This is an important step in lifting the veil on the wealth of Australian talent not currently spotlighted and we hope that the feedback gained from the table reading can aid an emerging writer develop their work further.”