| Created 007.11.16; Updated 2007.11.16 |
This article originally appeared in Hollywood Today.
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Viva...LA Femme Film Festival HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 10/17/07 — "LA Femme is a fantastic film festival", says Rosanna Arquette ("Desperately Seeking Susan"). "It's important that we're celebrating the wonderful work of women filmmakers. There should be more press here, not only Hollywood Today." Lea Thompson (Caroline in the City) has four independent movies waiting for release. "It is still very tough to be any kind of filmmaker in Hollywood" says Lea Thompson. "But, women have the unique ability to persevere and multi-task, which are precisely the qualities that you need to survive in this business." More... |
"LA Femme is a fantastic film festival", says Rosanna Arquette ("Desperately Seeking Susan"). "It's important that we're celebrating the wonderful work of women filmmakers. There should be more press here, not only Hollywood Today." At the LA Femme Film Festival Award ceremony at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills on October 14th, 2007, the honors included the Maverick Award to former DGA president Martha Coolidge, the Pioneer Award to Rosanna Arquette, the Humanitarian Award to Lea Thompson, and the Executive Achievement Award to Sara Risher.
"It is still very tough to be any kind of filmmaker in Hollywood" says Lea Thompson ("Caroline in the City"). "But, women have the unique ability to persevere and multi-task, which are precisely the qualities that you need to survive in this business. Of course, we all dream of the day when women will have the same opportunities as men. Maybe my daughters will live to see that day." Thompson has four independent movies waiting for release. She directed a mini-series and television film that's coming out next year. She's currently developing another TV series. "Personally, there's the ongoing job of raising our two teenage daughters, working on uncluttering my life", says Thompson, "and hoping to reach my ultimate goal of doing ten push-ups consecutively...the boy kind!"
This was the third year for the LA Femme Film Festival, with four days of screenings, celebrities, parties and an awards show with master of ceremonies Melissa Rivers. "The reason I created this festival was to empower women producers, filmmakers and talent", says founder Leslie LaPage. "There's a view that women over 40 can't lead films. We're still up against a distribution system that doesn't know how to open a movie with a lead woman. That's why Rosanna did 'Searching for Debra Winger' [the 2002 documentary]."
LA Femme Film Festival is a platform to showcase films and help artists find distribution. The 2005 Best Feature winner "Green Street Hooligans" went on to open in over 2,000 theaters nationwide. Yelena Lanskaya, winner of the 2005 Best Director award, had her film "The Colt" air on The Hallmark Channel. "We have four filmmakers who it looks like will be picked up for distribution this year", says LaPage "All four are for worldwide distribution...a documentary, two dramas and one family picture."
"It's very special to be honored by women; some of my best friends are women", jokes Thompson. "Seriously though, it's wonderful to be honored and to receive recognition for my work with charities, although giving is certainly its own reward."
"Lea is extremely active in humanitarian efforts to support breast cancer awareness and research", says LaPage. "Rosanna is one of the sweetest woman on the planet."
The festival took place at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills with parties at The Roosevelt Lofts, Aqua Lounge, and Nirvana. "It's a big", says LaPage. "We shut down 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles, between Hope and Flower. We had free alcohol at the party and three chick bands: The Dedication, Pretty in Stereo, and Bad Apple. I'm still reeling, but next year I hope we can shut down an entire city."
"It was fun to get involved with this festival, and I hope that I can watch it grow throughout the years", says Thompson. "We need help," says LaPage. "With money from corporate sponsors I would bring women filmmakers, one from every country in the world, to attend. We'd also bring in emerging high school women filmmakers to shoot a film and have it culminate with a screening at the festival."
2007 3rd Annual LA Femme Film Festival Winners
1. The Chestnut Tree - Best Animated Short Hyun-Min Lee
2. Moondance Alexander - Best Writer Janeen Damian
3. Looking for Else - Producer Tiziana Soudani
4. Red is the Color of - Anne Norda
5. The Doll House - Best Screenplay (I will have to get back
to you with this name for correct spelling)
6. One of the Oldest Con Games - Best Short Leslie King
7. Christian (Just Ahead of You) - Director/Writer Elisabeth
Lochen/Producer Judicaelle Roche Lochen
8. Hollywood 90038 - Best doc Jennifer Kes Remington
9. Dracy y el teatro - Best Music Video Angela Alvarado
http://www.lafemme.org