With just over six weeks remaining before the 5th Femme Filmmakers Festival kicks off, now is a very good time to announce our short film Competition Selection jury. The 20 exceptional films chosen will be revealed – along with the rest of the short and feature film line-up – on Wednesday 15th July.
This year, our jury members were again carefully plucked from the finest film-loving orchard. And you may well notice some familiar faces from website In Their Own League, a flourishing outlet hurtling towards their first full year in this crazy business. You’ll find the odd journalist, an actress, writers, readers, students – each and every one of them have the same thing in common. Uncompromising passion for film.
As you know, the Femme Filmmakers Festival showcases all manner of films made by women. Our jury members will have the exhilarating task of watching those 20 short films and judging them accordingly. As a group they will determine the winners of the Roll of Honor which takes place on the final day of the festival, on Sunday 6th September.
For full details of the FemmeFilmFest since 2016, check out the official section here. And raise a glass in the meantime to the following ten members of our jury elite – we’re extremely lucky to have them on board.
Kristy Strouse
A passionate, lifelong fan of television and film, Kristy is a writer and film critic, as well as Editor in Chief of FilmInquiry.com. She also has a horror podcast: Go On, Scare Me, and believes that speaking entirely in movie quotes is an acceptable form of conversation.
Rosie Day
Rosie is a Screen International Star of Tomorrow, her extensive credits include starring in Outlander, Down a Dark Hall alongside Uma Thurman and All Roads Leads to Rome alongside Sarah Jessica Parker. Her first short as a writer/director Tracks is currently on the festival circuit where it has picked up many Best Screenplay nominations, and her second Celaine is currently in post with Studio Pow. Her self penned play ‘Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon’ previewed this year, with a second run due in 2021.
Elizabeth Weitzman
Elizabeth has been a film critic for the New York Daily News, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Interview, and the Wrap, among others. She is the author of more than two dozen books, including the recent Hollywood history Renegade Women in Film & TV.
Seana Stevenson
Seana is a journalist and social media producer based in Toronto, Ontario. She is the Creative Producer of the feminist film society The MUFF Society which works to champion women in film and television, and also works as a Social Media Producer for the Toronto International Film Festival.
Caelyn O’Reilly
Caelyn in a writer for In Their Own League and film student. Passionate about bringing more transgender perspectives to the worlds of film and media analysis.
Nicola Jones
Nicola has a Masters in Film Studies from Kings College London. She currently works as a freelance script reader and story analyst in Los Angeles. She is a New Orleans native, dual citizen with the US/UK and is a passionate feminist.
Ellen Chesire
Ellen is a film writer and lecturer and has written books on Jane Campion, Ang Lee, The Coen Brothers, Audrey Hepburn and Bio-Pics, and contributed to books on Silent Film, Charlie Chaplin and James Bond. Ellen has also written on women filmmakers in Silent Women: Pioneers of Cinema, Under Fire: a century of war movies, Counterculture UK- a celebration and a UK Film Studies text book.
Doug Jamieson
Doug is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and the Editor and Founder of The Jam Report. He also regularly contributes to Filmotomy and the AU review, and is a proud member of GALECA: The Society of LGBT Entertainment Critics.
Dominic Corr
For a decade now, Dominic has been a regular film, theatre & arts freelance contributor for several of Scotland & the UK’s largest reviewing publications. A graduate of Film, Media & PR, he has been listed as a feature writer for LGBTQI+ productions and children’s entertainment. From animation, horror and documentaries to amateur features and short films – there’s little which won’t whet Dominic’s appetite.
Laura Wilkinson
Laura is a film and events producer who is passionate about arts and culture. She is an advocate for emerging artists, who believes passionately in increased female representation within film. Laura has worked with many diverse communities to promote the arts such as people with disabilities, LGBT+ and BAME.
