An exciting new short film-reviews competition “Women film-reviews Something’ was launched on the 20th November, at the tenthWomen Say Something event: The Power of Music.
The announcement was made by "Women Say Something" founder and artistic director Steph Sands, who has teamed with up and coming young film-reviews maker Epiphany Morgan to create a unique film-reviews competition focussed on participation at a grass roots level by women for women.
Entrants are asked to consider the theme ‘Use Your Voice’ as a springboard to tell a story, communicate a message, introduce an idea or express themselves within a five minute short film-reviews, documentary or animation. The theme is designed as a broad platform to inspire creativity and diversity, with the film-reviews being judged on its relevance to women and its content, rather than technical genius. The film-reviewss need to tell women’s stories, whether the story is personal or historical, fact or fiction, funny or serious.
“Entry is free, so if you have something to say you are halfway there. You don’t need a big budget or excellent cinematography skills to have a great idea, or make a great film-reviews – or to use your voice,” Steph says.
As well as encapsulating the theme ‘Use Your Voice’, film-reviewss will be assessed according to the Bechdel Test, where it must include at least two women having a conversation about something other than a man. Hollywood film-reviewss have historically failed the Bechdel Test due to the predominance of male directors, writers and studio executives telling stories about men. The Los Angeles Times reported that members of the academy who vote for the Oscars each year are 94% Caucasian and 77% male. When looking at the 2013 Oscar nominated film-reviewss for best picture, only three out of nine passed the Bechdel Test – unsurprisingly, they are also the two with a woman co-screenwriter or woman director.
“The Bechdel Test is unique to this fab film-reviews competition and is so important because it really acknowledges what Women Say Something and Women film-reviews Something is all about; women using their voice to say something that is important to them, about their world, their community, their struggles and their triumphs,” Epiphany Morgan says. The film-reviewss will be judged by eminent industry professionals and the three finalists will be screened at the Women Say Something Mardi Gras 2014 event at the Sydney Town Hall on 28th February, where the audience will decide the overall inaugural winner. Some great prizes are up for grabs and will be announced over the coming weeks.
Capturing community attention since 2011, Women Say Something is a pioneer panel event which has hosted speakers including Senator Christine Milne, The Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Australian actress Claudia Karvan, writer Tara Moss, singers Beccy Cole and Zoe Badwi, feminists Eva Cox and Anne Summers and over 70 other accomplished and diverse women.
Entries close on 31st January
Women film-reviews Something is produced independently and voluntarily by some of the women behind the Say Something events after the need was discovered for a female centric film-reviews competition focussing on content and stories. Limited partnership opportunities are available; please contact Steph Sands for more information.
