The 2017 Lady Filmmakers Festival Season is now open! We are
accepting submissions via Film Freeway! We are looking for Short and Feature
Films, Narratives and Documentaries, Art for an Art Show, and Music made and performed with/by women!
Submit HERE for Early Bird Deadline! 

​

Devi Snively - Writer/Director
Congratulations to Devi for her selection to the AFI Fox Filmmakers Lab Initiative!
A partnership between AFI and 20th Century Fox, the Lab aims to increase the number of women directing major studio films — which was even lower last year than it was in 2015 — by giving them the chance to direct short films based on Fox titles: “Alien,” “Die Hard,” “The Omen,” “The Fly,” etc.
Julia Camara - Writer/Director
Congratulations to Julia for receiving the Best Screenplay Award from the Idyllwild International Festival of Film for her film "Occupants". She and the director, Russ Emanuel, also received the Excellence in Filming Award.
More Details HERE. 


FEE WAIVER OPPORTUNITY FOR LADY FILMMAKERS ALUMNI FILMMAKERS!
The team at the Bentonville Film Festival has extended 40 fee waivers to Lady Filmmakers! Don't Miss Out!!
BFF’s mission is to champion women and diverse voices in media. A research- based and commercially focused platform that proactively supports diverse storytellers, BFF features the only film competition in the world that offers guaranteed distribution to it’s winning films to include a theatrical release in partnership with AMC theaters, television in partnership with STARZ and LIFETIME and digital and retail home entertainment distribution in partnership with Walmart.
WAIVER INSTRUCTIONS
https://www.withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festival_id=14359

1. Select the appropriate category to submit to, and click "Submit Now”
2. On the "Submission Details" page, locate the "Payment" section
3. Do you have a waiver? Answer - Yes
4. Special Waiver - Answer - I have received a Fee Waiver
5. Who granted the waiver? Answer - Summre Garber
6. Waiver code - NHXYUQV
7. Complete the remaining sections of the page, and then click Send Submission &
   Continue.

And please don't forget to fill out our Research Questionnaire as part of the submissions process! Your film will not be In Consideration until this is received! https://goo.gl/forms/6cLn2iIBiQw5Y0qE3 

​
SHOP AT AMAZON SMILE
When you shop at AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price to Lady Filmmakers Foundation. Bookmark the link http://smile.amazon.com/ch/47- 3349531 and support us every time you shop.
Thank you to all of our volunteers, sponsors, filmmakers and donors! We are grateful for all of you! Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Lady Filmmakers
www.ladyfilmmakers.com 

Hello! Thank you for your continued support of Lady Filmmakers. We have a lot of exciting announcements!  Our next fun-filled event is on August 27th in Beverly Hills featuring French Women Winemakers. The FINAL submission deadline is August 15th! We are green lighting our first Script 2 Screen Film! We need your help to make the remaining two Script 2 Screen Films. Lady Filmmakers thanks Sabrina Arnold for selecting a Mentee!  
DONATE TODAY


The 7th Annual
​Lady Filmmakers Festival, Fall 2015

FINAL CALL!! Submission Deadline is 
​August 15th!

* Short Screenplay
* Short Films
* Feature Films
* Documentaries
* Animation
* Art
* Music

SUBMIT HERE



"The Bay Laurel" is GREEN LIT!
Written By Jan Militello
Directed By Brenda Fies & Lis Fies

Thanks to the generous donations of equipment, volunteers, contributors, and the efforts of Directors Lis & Brenda Fies Lady Filmmakers' first Script 2 Screen Film will go into production September 2015! For more details on the script and filmmakers GO HERE.

*Sponsors to be announced soon!



LET'S NETWORK!!

HAPPY HOUR August 27th, 2015
6pm-8:30pm

Enjoy Happy Hour wine tasting pricing at Heritage Beverly Hills. Free to attend.

* Featuring French Female Winemakers 
   * $20 in advance $25 at the door
   * 2 reds, 1 white, 1 rose

* Extended Happy Hour Menu til 8:30pm
   * Wonderful selection of French Wines

*Light accompaniments for patrons such as gourmet cheeses from the Beverly Hills Cheese Shop and Crudites. 

* Get FREE Tix to attend.
​
* Pre-Purchase Wine Flight Tix.


Congratulations Moriah Burton!

Moriah has been selected for the first Lady Filmmakers Mentorship! She was hand-picked by Sabrina Arnold and will get to spend a day on set of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

More updates on Moriah's mentorship to come!



We Need Your Help!

Help Lady Filmmakers with their goal to launch a scholarship program, produce the Script 2 Screen Films 2015 & 2016, support a mentoring program, and produce the Film Festival. 

How can you help?

* Cash Donations
* In- Kind Donations for the short films
* In-Kind Donations for Festival Filmmakers,
  VIPS, & Honorees

* Prizes for Filmmakers
* Volunteer to be a Mentor
* Volunteer for the festival
* Volunteer for Script 2 Screen
​* Join a Committee
​
EMAIL US FOR MORE DETAILS!
LADY FILMMAKERS ALUMNI FAMILY NEWS


Judy White, Writer
"Lies I Told My Little Sister"
Best of Festival Winner 2014

Congratulations to "Lies I told My Little Sister"! Lies has a great distribution deal for North American rights with ARC Entertainment after a successful festival screening at the Bentonville Film Festival.

ARC Entertainment also has recently teamed with Alchemy to strengthen their
distribution reach. Alchemy is now the largest non-studio distributor in the world, and Lies will get the full advantage of that association.

​Lies will be released on October 6, 2015.


Christine and Christopher Kezelos
Writer, Director, Producer
"Zero" and "The Maker"

"The Sasquatch of Jackson Farm" is the first feature film from husband and wife filmmakers Christopher and Christine Kezelos.Their films "Zero" and "The Maker" screened at hundreds of festivals across the globe, picking up 37 awards (including "Best of Festival" at the Lady Filmmakers Film Festival) and has also received over 13 million views online. 

They have just launched a Kick Starter campaign to raise funds to create a development package for their feature project, a fantasy film for the whole family. Please show your support by donating and sharing the details HERE. 


Julie Cobb (right)
Writer, Director, Producer
"Night Vet", Best Ladies First Winner

Julie was featured with her daughter Rosemary Morgan this past week at the recent Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas. Julie was the first female "Red Shirt" ever to be killed on the hit TV Show. Julie Cobb played Leslie Thompson in Star Trek Original Episode "By Any Other Name". Rosemary Morgan was Piri in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "The Chute". See their Mother's Day article highlighting them the duo.

Seri de Young
Writer, Director, Producer, Actress
"In Touch", 2014

Seri's film "In Touch" is now online to enjoy! Read the great interview and film festival insights that Seri shared with Pyragraph. 

Watch the film "In Touch" HERE.


Lance Still
Producer & Festival Speaker
"Operation Barn Owl",
Best Romance Film Winner 2014

Lance and The Weinstein Company are producing the return of the Lexus Short Films Series!

For the first time ever, Lexus and The Weinstein Company will crowd source director submissions from the filmmaking community worldwide for the third series of the Lexus Short Films.

Four filmmakers will be selected to each write and direct a short film produced by The Weinstein Company and participate in a tour of top film festivals around the world to promote their films.

Read More and Submit Today!

Dear
Lady Filmmakers
Family & Supporters!

We hope all of your endeavors have been successful so far this year. have launched the new Script 2 Screen Program Indiegogo Campiagn! We have a lot of great news from our Alumni too!

Script 2 Screen Program 2015

Exciting things are in the works! The launch of our Indiegogo campaign to fund our three short screenplays for the Script 2 Screen program is finallly here!

Our goal is to raise $70,000 within 30 days and we're up for the challenge! Please spread the word! Every tweet, every share, and every dollar counts. Not to mention, we have some awesome perks depending on the level you wish to donate! Use #fundladyfilmmakers when sharing on social media please!

We are also happy to announce the three directors who will help bring these scripts to life. Congratulations directors Cecilia Peck, Heather Shepherd, and the sisters Brenda & Elisabeth Fies!

Selected Directors

Filming Summer 2015


PYNE Director, Cecilia Peck
Synopsis: A young thief wrestles against the temptation to steal again, when he encounters an unusual dog that is seemingly able to determine his future.



MINERVA'S WAR Director, Heather Shepherd
Synopsis: The story of a feisty, elderly woman, who feels trapped by the choices she’s made. Confined to a wheelchair in a palliative care home, she unleashes her anger against anyone within striking distance of her sharp tongue. It’s only when she remembers her younger, wiser, and gentler self, that she begins to soften and understand that she can die with grace.


    
THE BAY LAUREL Directors Lis Fies & Brenda Fies
Synopsis: A social climbing detective veers through Hollywood’s glamorous façade and gets ensnared in his own dangerous plot to marry a Hollywood starlet.

DONATE TODAY!


**To Sponsor or to be a part of the production EMAIL US!



Festival News
* Do you have filmmaking action-shot photos that you would like to see featured on our website & social media? Please send to Julie HERE.

* Submissions are OPEN!

*  SUBMIT HERE!

* The next deadline is June 30th.

* Do you have news to share with the community? Please submit HERE!  DONATE TODAY!!

3 Scripts, 3 Directors,
1 Cause!


Alumni News!
 
Feature Documentary "Brave Miss World" 2013
Congratulations to director Cecilia Peck (right) and producer & editor Inbal Lessner (left), on their empowering feature documentary 'Brave Miss World' for making into the Taormina Film Festival! 'Brave Miss World' is a documentary about Linor Abargil, who was a victim of rape just six weeks before being crowned Miss World, how she gained courage to speak up, fight back, and inspire others. The team was also invited by Selma Hayek's organization, the Kering Foundation to be roundtable guest speakers at Cannes on "How can cinema help improve women’s rights?” For more information, and to catch a peek of the panel discussion, please visit HERE.


 Shahari Moore
Co-Director of "Swimmin Lesson", 2013 
Lady Filmmakers Programmer and Director of Diversity
 
Shahari is Co-Director with Christine List on new film "B Love". Set in Chicago, B Love is an experimental romantic short film! It features an unique marriage of storytelling and vibrant cinematography. The story explores a love triangle between Bernard, played by Eamonn Walker (Chicago Fire, Cadillac Records, HBO's OZ), Victoria, played by Brely Evans (Being Mary Jane, Sparkle, Just Wright) and Julius, played by Corey Hendrix (Empire, Chicago PD and Sirens) who each deliver stellar performances!  Upon their first encounter Bernard notices Victoria for her color, scent and shape. Unbeknownst to Victoria, Bernard is in pursuit of her attention as he relentlessly attempts to thwart her budding relationship with Julius. To support their fundraiser go HERE.  View Trailer.
 

Heather Shepherd
Director of "Modern Love", 2012 
Heather Shepherd is the writer and director of "Modern Love" which was recently selected for the Cannes Film Festival Marche Du Film and Cannes Short Film Corner. For more information, please visit HERE. 


Sandy Marquis
Lady Filmmakers Programmer

Sandy is Producer on short documentary film, "Raising Ali". The film premiered in Lewiston, Maine on May 25th where a special message from Muhammad Ali was delivered before the audience by the Honorable John Jenkins. 

On May 25, 1965 - Lewiston, Maine hosted one of the most controversially and famous sporting events of all time - Ali vs Kiston II. Forever Immortalized in the Neil Leifer photograph of an animated Ali, standing over a prone Liston as Ali screams "get up and fight". "Raising Ali", brings to light the events leading and surrounding the fight of May 25, 1965. "Raising Ali" takes us behind the scenes, shares rare footage, personal memories, explores civic and cultural identity, and the inevitable change that comes with time. Follow them on Facebook. To help support their film go to their GoFundMesite.

Inbal Lessner
Editor, "A Tale of Love and Darkness"

In addition to receiving attention for being producer / editor for "Brave Miss World" which won best of festival and best documentary at Lady Filmmakers, she is an editor of Natalie Portman's new film, "A Tale of Love and Darkness", which just premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

 
Sheila Rabizadeh
Actress, "Love At First Sight", 2011

Sheila is Co-Producer on feature film "Freedom" starring Cuba Gooding Jr opening in theaters June 5th.

Two men separated by 100 years are united in their search for freedom. In 1856 a slave, Samuel Woodward and his family, escape from the Monroe Plantation near Richmond, Virginia. A secret network of ordinary people known as the Underground Railroad, guides the family on their journey north to Canada. Watch the Trailer.


 Samantha Laidlaw
Producer, "Breathless", 2011

Samantha was recently Assistant Production Coordinator on the blockbuster film "San Andreas" starring Dwayne Johnson.

She worked alongside the production office team which was a great way to learn the processes involved in such a large-scale, visual effects and special effects heavy film. For "San Andreas", she was assigned to coordinate for the Grips, Electrics & Rigging departments and had the brilliant experience supporting and learning from some of the best crew in Australia - a lot of whom had just finished filming on "Mad Max: Fury Road".

 

EVENTS

* Entry to panels are for certain indiegogo campaign supporters as PERKS! For more details about the speakers please go HERE.


Legal Advice for Independent Filmmakers

• Ivy Keagan Bierman, Attorney - Loeb & Loeb
• Tara Kole, Attorney - Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown, Inc.
• Ghen Laraya, Attorney - VP, Business and Legal Affairs, Digital Turbine, Inc.

June 22nd, 2015 5:15 pm - 7:15 pm. Location: Aidikoff Theater, Beverly Hills

*$5 donation to Women In Film with each indiegogo donation that includes this perk.


Navigating the Film Festival World Panel

• Mike Viayra - Co-Founder and Festival Director of Lady Filmmakers Festival
• Patricia DiSalvo Viayra - Co-Founder and Executive Director of Lady Filmmakers Festival
• Conrad Bachman - Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Louisville, Kentucky International Festival of Film

June, 2015. Location: Aidikoff Theater, Beverly Hills
*Panelists subject to change. We have a lot of fun perks for your generous donations! Thank you for checking them out!


Thank you for all of your support
and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Cheers!

The Festival Team




                                                          

Dear Festival Family & Supporters!

We hope your year is off to a great start! Thank you to those who came out to our Holiday party in December! It's always great catching up with filmmakers, actors and supporters throughout the year!

The festival team is back into full swing planning a great year ahead including the launch of the brand new Script to Screen Program!


Script to Screen Program 2015
We are proud to announce Executive Director
Patricia DiSalvo Viayra is partnering with
Romell Foster-Owens of Jowharah Films to produce up to four winning screenplays from Lady Filmmakers 2013 and 2014!

We are pleased to announce Romell Foster-Owens is joining the
 Lady Filmmakers Festival Team as Director of Industry Relations.

The festival will produce these short films and plans to premiere the films at the 7th Annual Festival in September 2015. Filming is scheduled for April 2015 in Los Angeles. 

How You Can Help & What We Need! 
* Sponsors
* Industry Support
* Women Directors (Preference to Festival Alumni)
* Key Leadership
* Crew

**To Sponsor or to be a part of the productionEMAIL US!
 

Festival News
* Do you have news to share with the community?               Please submit HERE!

* Submissions are OPEN! SUBMIT HERE!
* Thank you to Porta Via in Beverly Hills
   for a great Holiday Party!


Alumni News!
 
 Julia Camara, Director of "House Cleaning" & "Bikini Blues" is proud to announce her latest project "Occupants" starring Star Trek Voyager's Roberto Picardo is currently in post-production and a sci-fi found footage film. The film is about a documentary filmmaker who discovers a parallel version of herself while filming her latest project. This is Julia's third feature film.
 
Diane Namm, Director of "Finding Hope" is a producer at Malibu Playhouse.
She produced and directed a SOLD OUT event / benefit of LOVE LETTERS with Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross in December!

Watch this promo for the Malibu Playhouse with Pierce Brosnan by Diane HERE.
 
 Rodrigo Garcia , Director of "Tired of Being Funny", premiere's his latest feature film "Last Days In The Desert" starring Ewan McGregor at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Scheduled for release in April 2015.

More details HERE.

 Wanda Lepionka, Producer of "The Last Night", is proud to announce "The Last Night" received three nominations for the New Zealand Film Awards 2014 - Best Self-Funded Short Film, Best Actor in a Short Film (Cohen Holloway) and Best Cinematography in a Short Film (Mathew Knight). http://www.nzfilmawards.co.nz/ 
Thank you for all of your support
and we look forward to seeing you soon!


Cheers!

The Festival Team