Nearly 50% of the features being screened at the 2015 Woodstock Film Festival will be directed by women. This is an impressive figure, and one worth celebrating. Twenty-five of the 53 feature-length docs and narratives being shown are helmed by women, which amounts to 47 percent. It should be noted, however, that the women in the documentary-features section far outnumber those in the narrative category.
In addition to boasting a lineup that’s nearly half female-helmed, Woodstock FF will feature a panel addressing gender equality in film and television and the presentation of the 3rd Annual Tangerine Entertainment Award for Best Female Director. The panel’s participants will include director-actress Rose McGowan (“Dawn”) and writer-director Leah Meyerhoff (“I Believe in Uncorns”).
A press release for the Woodstock Film Festival acknowledged Hollywood’s “glaringly evident” gender gap and stated that the Fest “sets a strong countertrend to [the low numbers of women working as directors, writers editors and producers] by providing independent female directors with a bigger platform than ever.”
The Festival selection includes Katie Cokino’s “I Dream Too Much,” Rosemary Rodriguez’s “Silver Skies,” Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s “Incorruptible” and Alex Sichel’s SXSW winner “A Woman Like Me.”
“It is an honor to be able to provide a platform for so many talented women filmmakers this year,” said Meira Blaustein, co-founder and Executive Director of the festival. “I’m thrilled that the Woodstock Film Festival can play a part in supporting the steps towards gender equality.”
The Woodstock Film Festival will take place September 30 — October 4.
Check out all of the female-helmed films below.
2015 Narrative Features
“The Adderall Diaries” — Pamela Romanowsky
“I Dream Too Much” — Katie Cokinos
“It Had To Be You” — Sasha Gordon
“Rendez-Vous” — Antoinette Beumer
“Scout” — Laurie Weltz
“Silver Skies” — Rosemary Rodriguez
“Summer” — Colette Bothof
“There Should Be Rules” — Linda-Maria Birbeck
2015 Documentary Features
“3 Still Standing” — Co-Directed by Donna LoCicero
“The Babushkas of Chernobyl” — Holly Moris and Co-Directed by Anne Bogart
“Deep Run” — Hillevi Loven
“Drawing The Tiger” — Co-Directed by Amy Benson and Ramyata Limbu
“Family Matters” — Noa Roth
“Hot Type: 150 Years of The Nation” — Barbara Kopple
“I Will Not Be Silenced” — Judy Rymer
“Incorruptible” — Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
“Lee’s 88 Keys” — Susan Robbins
“Look At Us Now, Mother!” — Gayle Kirschenbaum
“Mavis!” — Jessica Edwards
“Paradise Is There: A Memoir By Natalie Merchant” — Natalie Merchant
“Shelter” — Barbara Kopple
“The Student Body” — Co-Directed by Bailey Webber
“The Three Hikers” — Natalie Avital
“A Woman Like Me” — Alex Sichel
