'˜Unique' festival celebrates women over fifty in film

The international film festival aims to redress the age and gender imbalance older women face in the film industry.

Actress Greta Scacchi, who lives in a village near to Brighton, is supporting the event because of what she said is 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 in its third year, the annual weekend of films and activities for older women looks to be the largest event yet with 55 films being screened, from over 150 submissions. This year’s festival includes work from filmmakers in the UK, Ireland, France, Australia, USA and Canada – countries which have been represented at the festival in previous years.

Festival director Nuala O’Sullivan said: “What’s exciting this year is that for the first time we’re also screening work from filmmakers in Afghanistan, Iran and Egypt.”

There’s an impressive line-up of on-screen talent at this year’s festival. Stars like Maureen Lipman, Denise Welch, Anita Dobson, Miriam Margolyes, Carrie Cohen, Ewan MacIntosh, Sheila Reid and Maureen Beattie are front and centre on the WOFFF screen showing that women over 50 are here to stay.

As well as 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. Sessions include How to Make a Film on your Smart Phone and How to Navigate Digital Distribution and Self Distribution. For non-filmmakers there are workshops on Learning to Embroider with

Vanessa Marr from the University of Brighton and Latin American Dance with 86-year-old Elsa Perez, who is also the subject of the documentary ‘Get Riel’ which is screening at 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 festival launches officially on Thursday, September 14, with a screening of Mamma Mia! at the Duke of York’s Picturehouse at Preston Circus. WOFFF closes on Sunday, September 17, with an awards ceremony and jury prizes for Best Animation, Best Drama, Best Documentary, Best Experimental Film, and the Audience Choice Award.

The 55 films are split into eight programmes. Tickets start from £8.55, per programme and a weekend pass for £56.35 gives buyers access to all eight programmes. For tickets visit: www.wofff.co.uk/2017-festival/ticketsFor more on the festival programme, visit: www.wofff.co.uk