Selecting films for an event like our Femme Filmmakers Festival requires a good eye for the craft as well as an enthusiasm that more than reaches the sky. And this year’s pristine crew of film-lovers that make up the 7th edition jury for the Competition Selection have those qualities in abundance. Whether residing in Maine, Scotland or Jamaica; be they a podcast host, film graduate or screenwriter; even fans of poet Poe, filmmaker DuVernay or TV hit Glow; these nine volunteers are more than qualified to embark on the 20 short films headlining our Competition Selection.

This year’s Femme Filmmakers Festival is now less than a month away, and this incredible jury have added to their already tight schedules to watch and judge those short films. Their lips are sealed as to potential prizes come Sunday 2nd October, but their filmic brains are working overtime. Some you may know, some you’re meeting for the very first time – either way, say hello to the 2022 jury:

Morgan Roberts

Morgan Roberts (she/her) is a freelance journalist based in the U.S. Morgan writes for In Their Own League, Filmotomy, and other sites. Morgan is a member of CherryPicks and is a Banana Meter certified critic. Morgan’s focus in film criticism is women in film, social justice, and mental health. Morgan can be found on Twitter at @msmlroberts and can usually be found talking about “GLOW,” female filmmakers, and the soundtrack of “Xanadu.”

Kristy Strouse

Kristy Strouse is a Film Critic and Editor in Chief of Film Inquiry. She is also VP. of Genomic Operations at Katch Data. Hailing from New England, US, she loves discovering new and emerging talent, championing short films, giving women directors a platform, and experiencing everything she can within the film world.

Rosa is a Chicana Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. She’s a member of various film critic groups including HCA (Hollywood Critics Association), LEJA (Latino Entertainment Journalists Association), GALECA, and OAFFC (Online Association of Female Film Critics). She’s the founder and co-host of the Latinx Lens podcast (which is dedicated to highlighting Latino representation and contribution in film and tv). She currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Some of her favorite female filmmakers are Agnes Varda, Patricia Riggen, Patricia Cardoso, Ava DuVernay, Penny Marshall, and Dorothy Arzner.

Rosa Parra

Sarah Louise Dean

Sarah Louise Dean (AKA Contrarah) is a screenwriter (People Pleaser), filmmaker (In a Hole), author (Doll’s House) and podcaster (Beyond Bechdel) exploring the relationship between narrative storytelling and video gaming. She’s currently in pre-production on her next short about time travelling best friends.

Chris Watt is an award winning screenwriter and script consultant. His latest feature film screenplay, the psychological thriller STALKER, has its World Premiere at Frightfest this year, starring Sophie Skelton. Chris also has another feature film screenplay, THE MIRE, in post production.

A branch member of BAFTA Scotland, Chris started his career in short films and continues to write them to this day. His most recent short script was BRUISE, which premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh, which was also his first experience of working with a female director, an experience he hopes will be the first of many.

Chris is a huge admirer of the work of Jane Campion and ranks THE PIANO as one of the greatest films ever made. In addition to his own screenwriting, Chris works as a Script Reader and Consultant for a handful of screenplay competitions and festivals, as well as through his own freelance consultancy, The Script Courier. Chris lives and works in Scotland.

Chris Watt

Latoya Austin

Latoya is a London based film reviewer and founder of the online publication, Franglais27 Tales. She is also a member of the Reclaim the Frame initiative organised by Birds Eye View, which spotlights films by women. Latoya is also a member of film critics circles including the Women Film Critics Circle and the Online Association of Female Film Critics. Her favourite female filmmakers include Celine Sciamma, Ava Du Vernay, Mati Diop, Chinonye Chukwu and Nia DaCosta.

Joan Amenn

I agree with Poe when he stated that short stories should invoke one feeling or purpose and I think the same can be said of short films -I am a huge fan of both. That said, neither are easy to do well. I am especially fond of short films by women filmmakers because I love their creativity, originality and empathy. My favorite female filmmakers, in no particular order are Jane Campion, Penny Marshall, Sophia Coppola and Mabel Normand. See also In Their Own League.

Jasmine May

My love for the cinema was first influenced by a Midwestern-born and bred biracial mother who used moviegoing for both entertainment and (cheaper) therapeutic purposes. Fast forward to adulthood, my interest evolved into movies—from fan to eventual Filmotomy critic—after earning a Film BA from California State University, Sacramento. I am currently an MBA candidate at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. My ultimate dream is to open a film production company that supports the work of underrepresented filmmakers both in the U.S. and abroad.

Adoration for short films primarily stems from the greater accessibility that women filmmakers have in garnering the finances to make them. The industry at large is seemingly at an intergalactic distance away from fully embracing what women artists have to offer. We know those gifts and visions are boundless as self-evident truths like the greatest works of my favorite iconic women directors: Agnès Varda and Lina Wertmüller. Or as obvious as the new generation filmmaking heroines Jessica Beshir, Nia DaCosta, Chloé Zhao, and Nanfu Wang. It is an honor to return as a jury member for what I think is the best annual international celebration of women in the cinematic arts: Femme Filmmakers Festival!

Shane Slater

Shane Slater is a freelance film journalist based in Kingston, Jamaica. A passionate cinephile, he particularly relishes the film festival experience, whether it’s covering prestigious fall festivals, serving on juries. or as Programming Director for the Hairouna Film Festival in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He is also a proud member of the African-American Film Critics Association. His favorite female filmmakers include Dee Rees, Mira Nair and Greta Gerwig.