With just under two weeks to go until the Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF), organisers unveil the full programme of films and events for the third festival plus an announcement of celebrity endorsement from award-winning Sussex-based actress Greta Scacchi.
The Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF), supported by FilmDoo, will take place on September 16 & 17, 2017 at the Sallis Benney Theatre, University of Brighton, 58-67 Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 OJY in Brighton.
WOFFF is an international film festival aiming to redress the age and gender imbalance that older women face in the film industry.
Actress Greta Scacchi, who lives in a village near to Brighton, is supporting this year’s event because of what she has seen happening in Hollywood.
She said: “I am delighted that Women Over 50 Film Festival is here to upset the Hollywood apple cart that accepts actresses playing ten years older while actors can play ten years younger. This festival is unique in celebrating rather than hiding or ignoring older women in film. WOFFF rejoices in our older stories, older faces and older hearts and it is my pleasure to be associated with the Festival.”
WOFFF champions women over 50 in front of and behind the camera, and this September’s interactive, engaging, entertaining weekend of films and activities for older women and their friends it the largest event yet, with 55 films being screened from over 150 submissions from around the world – the largest number of submissions ever received.
For a full list of films being shown during the festival, click here:
This year’s festival includes work from filmmakers in Afghanistan, Iran and Egypt as well as the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, USA and Canada. There’s an impressive lineup of onscreen talent; stars like Maureen Lipman, Denise Welch, Anita Dobson, Miriam Margolyes, Carrie Cohen, Ewan MacIntosh, Sheila Reid & Maureen Beattie are front and centre on the WOFFF screen, showing that women over 50 are here to stay.
As well as eight programmes of over 50 short films, there is an all-female panel event, filmmaker Q&As, a lecture about older women’s representation on-screen and a variety of practical workshops. There are workshops to interest filmmakers and non-filmmakers alike. Sessions include How to Make a Film on your Smart Phone and How to Navigate Digital Distribution and Self Distribution.
For a full list of workshops, click here:
Festival Director Nuala O’Sullivan, said: “We’re excited to see the depth and breadth of talent on display, both on-screen at the festival and in our other events. We’re delighted to have film industry professionals, like Felicity Beckett and Claire Lamond, on our jury panel and University of Brighton film academics, Vanessa Marr and Louise FitzGerald, hosting workshops and delivering lectures at this year’s WOFFF.”
Veronica Slater, a Brighton-based visual artist, and Leah Thorn, a performance poet, are collaborating with the festival. Veronica is exhibiting her work Caravan to Castles throughout the festival and Leah has written a poem especially for WOFFF, entitled A treatment for women over fifty. A film of her performing this piece will open the festival shorts programme.
WOFFF 2017 launches officially on Thursday, September 14 with a screening of Mamma Mia! at the Duke of York’s Picturehouse at Preston Circus. The festival closes on Sunday evening with an awards ceremony and jury prizes for all winning filmmakers, and the all-important Audience Choice Award.
To purchase tickets online, click here:
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