Feature: THE NEVADA WOMEN’S FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 12TH YEAR, MARCH 19-22

The Nevada Women’s Film Festival (NWFFest) marks its 12th year of women-led storytelling in film and television. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas Department of Film will host film blocks, panels, networking events, and parties March 19-22.

This year’s lineup includes 72 films across multiple genres and formats, including television episodes.

“Over the past twelve years, the festival has always been open to different forms of storytelling. In 2022, for instance, we featured the pilot of Ry Russo-Young's HBO documentary series Nuclear Family. This year, we continue that trend by screening the pilot episode of Maid to Shine, written and directed by Nevada local Giovannie Espiritu. Aaron Brown shares a wonderful cast of characters in their feature film Lolly Dagger Eats Sponge Cake, which explores Las Vegas through the lens of playwright Lolly. In terms of an evolving landscape, some sometimes taboo subjects (like mental illness) are tackled through traditional formats [the interview documentary]. The documentary Anxiety Club features successful comedians, including Marc Maron and Eva Victor, as they navigate anxiety disorders with their very public-facing career choices. In our panels, we will be featuring a discussion and screening of vertical films, part of an ever-evolving landscape of commercial and independent storytelling,” explained Jennifer Dean, Programmer for NWFFest. 

Two of the programmers are card-carrying members of SAG-AFTRA and consistently advocate for those films with nuanced performances. The entire programming endeavor was approached by prioritizing the skills and voices of actors, directors, and, of course, women in front of and behind the camera. Its slate of films includes projects with various budgets, including some higher-budget fare where technical production values are apparent. Independent films often rely on something more than sheer technical expertise.

“As an example, the feature fiction film Silly Little Wounds is shot and edited beautifully, but what really makes the film exceptional is the ensemble cast performances adroitly directed by Vanessa Magowan Horrocks Powers. Many of the short films also highlight the craft of acting, with a mix of emerging artists. This includes the delightful young performers in Chieko Misaka’s Chikuwaccha! and the engaging actors in Zoe Malen’s The Heart Exhibit and more established actors, including Trina Colon’s Sunny Yard with many wonderful experienced local Las Vegas actors and Hae-oh Park’s Before Dawn starring Korean actress Ae-sim Kang [Squid Game, Extraordinary Attorney Woo],” added Dean.

UNLV’s Department of Film is a very special, dynamic environment, and its Chair, Dr. Heather Addison, has been a driving force on the board for many years, and has given our festival this extraordinary gift of a true home.

Along with the local community, students participate in every stage of the festival. They volunteer throughout prep and production, and witness firsthand the work that goes into organizing the event. Once the festival begins, students are encouraged to participate actively. They attend panels and events, engage in Q&As and meet working filmmakers.

Parties and meetups are planned, and each film or panel block will be followed by a Q&A session where attendees will be encouraged to interact with the filmmakers. International filmmakers who cannot attend in person can join via Zoom for these sessions. The panels include a State of the Industry panel, where local industry experts will answer questions and connect audience members with resources in the Las Vegas area. There is a panel covering the exciting new world of verticals. A conversation about the possibilities and pitfalls of AI will engage filmmakers with questions surrounding agency and independent filmmaking in the age of AI. The tech team is known for building a filmmaking community through their company, Eccentric Artists, and will be sharing their expertise in a panel on Building a Filmmaking Community. There are coffee meetups and party plans. Connecting is all part of the festival experience.

NWFFest supports women in front of and behind the camera, including in roles such as directing, writing, editing, and producing. “Since its inception, NWFFest’s mission has been to provide screening opportunities for women working both in front of and behind the camera. While we do have films directed by men featuring strong female protagonists and even a block dedicated to the male supporters of the fest this year, close to 90% of our films are directed by women, with a strong contingent of editors, writers and producers also in the mix,” said Dean.

Women in Film (WIF) Nevada is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that produces the Nevada Women's Film Festival. WIF Nevada amplifies the voices of underrepresented people and fosters equity in the film and screen industries through education, mentorship, and advocacy. By providing inclusive opportunities for creative expression, WIF Nevada cultivates a diverse, socially conscious film community while positioning Nevada as a leader in the arts, culture, and education. WIF Nevada is a proud chapter of Women in Film & Television International (WIFTI).

For more information, visit nwffest.com and wifti.net. Parking information can be found at https://www.unlv.edu/parking/transporation/services/eventparking. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.