FEMALE EYE FILM FESTIVAL IS HERE TO STAY!

For nearly two decades the founder of the Female Eye Film Festival, Leslie Ann Coles has been backing and supporting women in the film industry. This iconic event is one that is often mentioned and the one-of-a-kind film festivals in the world. She has given women the voice to express their work and art on this unique platform. She has swung the pendulum to a point where there should be no point of return. Her hard work has been celebratory every year for women from all walks of life.

Last year was a difficult year for all of us, especially for film festivals who had to resort to having to go online. This year is looking like the case as well as for this year’s edition of the Female Eye Film Festival. This year is special though for Leslie Ann Coles. She has worked hard and gone beyond the call of duty to make this one unforgettable. Despite many in the industry who are still navigating this difficult time, there should be no reason for Leslie Ann Coles to stop that momentum of her festival.

The celebration of women in film should not be put in lockdown during this pandemic. This year the festival is going to be making a statement that women will continue to be strong and resilient in the industry. FERNTV spoke to Leslie Ann Coles about what this all means when putting the Female Eye Film Festival this year.

FERNTV: You managed to squeeze in last year’s Female Eye Film Festival before the lockdown.  Would you have done things differently if you knew the pandemic was right around the corner at the time? 

Leslie: We heard rumblings of COVID-19 during the last days of the festival.  As I recall up until the last day of FeFF 2020 my travel plans were still underway as I was expected to participate in two other women director foreign festivals.  Literally, on March 9th everything came to a grinding halt.  Everything ended so abruptly.

FERNTV: Many of the major festivals resorted to going on online last year.  When and why did you make the decision to go ahead with an online festival?

Leslie:  We made the decision when we confirmed the digital TIFF Bell Lightbox. We’re a partner festival of TIFF, and it’s an honour to be presenting FeFF at TIFF again this year albeit, we’ll miss the camaraderie and visceral experience of the live event. Filmmakers from around the world submitted their films, and we felt it our duty to represent.

FERNTV: What were some of the aspects of this year’s festival that you had to really work on? 

Leslie: Wow!  With Encore+ I had to wrap my head around scheduling films whereby the premiere link appears literally minutes before the screening. Our web and marketing team is standing by waiting for the link to drop. At TIFF, we are launching the films all at once on March 26, and they’re available until March 29. You can pause, and return to view the content later as with other streaming platforms.

It’s just so different from the usual cinematic experience of a film festival. We’re also delivering the festival over the course of the entire month of March. We normally run 5-6 consecutive days.  The industry programs will utilize virtual platforms. I’ve had to wrap my head around pre-recorded sessions versus live stream,  and closed-door round table discussions with virtual breakout rooms versus public panels. At this point, our annual Live Pitch might resemble a game show! We’re still in process.

FERNTV: What did you notice about women filmmakers during the pandemic? 

Leslie: We don’t stop. Resilience is synonymous with being femme centric. It’s the ability to create in seemingly untenable situations, equivalent to giving birth in the middle of a battlefield. 

FERNTV: Patricia Rozema received your Maverick award this year.  Tell us about how this process is conducted when choosing your Maverick and then briefly why you chose her. 

Leslie: We presented Patricia with a Best In The Biz Tribute and Honorary Director Award at FeFF previously. When Encore+’s,  Paulina Abarca-Cantin mentioned they had “I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing” in their portfolio it all fell into place. Patricia’s fabulous!

FERNTV: You have a great film called One(Nine) made by some heavy hitters such as Ingrid Veninger and Mina Shum.  Tell us briefly what this film is about and how excited you are the film? 

Leslie: Yes, we are really looking forward to the World Premiere of ONE(NINE). It’s poetic and memorable and it’ll stand the test of time as an intimate reflection of having lived through a global pandemic. 

FERNTV: Is there someone who has really helped you out with the Female Eye Film Festival during this difficult time that you would like to mention.  

Leslie: The FeFF Board of Directors. This has been an incredibly challenging time on many fronts both personally, and professionally. I could not have produced this edition without them. I also have to give a massive shout out to our student interns from Humber College. This year, we have over student interns. We normally oversee 8-10 in any given year. This is likely because their usual placements with production companies and networks have been curtailed by COVID-19 They are amazingly resourceful,  truly irreplaceable.