The schedule of the 5th Annual SFC Women's Film Festival is below. Scroll down for descriptions of each session, including films included in each. Click on "Select A Date" to register for any session you'd like to join. All events are free and open to the public. The Zoom link will be shared via email to registered attendees starting 48 hours before the event.

Tue. 4/14 | 1:30 - 4 p.m. EDT

Shorts Screening Session 1

Tue. 4/14 | 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. EDT

It’s Not Always What It Looks Like: A Blind Creator in a Visual World: A Talk with Molly Burke

Wed. 4/15 | 3 - 4:30 p.m. EDT

Keynote Speaker: Karen Palmer, Immersive Filmmaker

Wed. 4/15 | 6 - 8 p.m. EDT

Shorts Screening Session 2

Thu. 4/16 | 11:20 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. EDT

Art of the Pitch Workshop: conducted by Bri Castellini of Seed & Spark

Thu. 4/16 | 1:30 - 2:45 p.m. EDT

Shorts Screening Session 3: Sponsored by Zonta Club of Brooklyn Followed by a Talk by Leslie Erway Wright

Thu. 4/16 | 3:00- 4:20 p.m. EDT

Crowdfunding for Independence workshop: conducted by Bri Castellini of Seed & Spark

Fri. 4/17 | 12:30 - 3:20 p.m. EDT

Shorts Screening Session 4

Sat. 4/18 | 2 - 4:30 p.m. EDT

Shorts Screening Session 5

Sat. 4/18 | 5 - 7 p.m. EDT

Awards Ceremony

Shorts Screening 1 on Tue. 4/14 | 1:30 - 4 p.m. EDT

The Apprentice | Megan Mathieson | USA |14:38

In a dystopian society, a young woman named Ria begins to work as an apprentice at a mental hospital only to find that she is trapped in the institution.

Mammoth | Jiamin Huang | China | 14:25

A 17-year-old girl Chen Jialai, who is going to participate in a cheerleading competition, suddenly learns of the death of her classmate.

Worried | Ava Snow | USA | 6:20

In this short Documentary, Director Ava Snow asks other teens one question only, "What do you worry about?" This film explores that question with the raw, unscripted answers of real youth.

Kinky Tayana Brumaire | USA | 8:42

After straightening her natural hair behind her mother’s back, Maybelline, a 14-year old Brooklyn teen who experiences the pressure of looking beautiful must decide rather to remain straight or return to her natural state.

The Worst Day of My Life | Jaret Martino | USA | 12:57

A middle school student is forced to move schools after horrific bullying, despite processing grief and making a huge transition she's able to clear the way for a brighter future.

It’s About Time I Quit | Chloe Pacocha | USA | 1:56

Revolving around an original poem written and read by Chloe Pacocha, this short film will sync your heartbeat with the reader’s as she metaphorically and poetically compares the struggles of quitting smoking with the hardship of heartbreak.

Sonata | Christine Jezior | Germany | 3:22

Featuring music created by John Cage, this film focuses on how he created the tender, gamelan-like sounds he used to compose this piece of music.

Elephant In The Room | Chanelle Eidenbenz | Switzerland | 19:30

Irna, a mother with a weakening relationship with her son Jago, seeks refuge in a rubber doll named Elias.

Los Angeles, Fuck You | Emilie Rae Ohanian Svensson | USA | 10:39

A grown-up child star returns home to her estranged functioning alcoholic father.

And The Party Goes On! | Michael Asmar | France | 16:16

Cécile, an ex-prisoner tries to get back her old life, while an ex-journalist, Abel, finds himself interested and affected by her story.

The ‘S’ Word | Mireille Sylvester | Canada | 10:13

"The ‘S’ Word” is a character-based short documentary that follows 3 unmarried women from different generations, cities, and backgrounds who are without a partner for vastly different reasons.

It’s Not Always What It Looks Like: A Blind Creator in a Visual World: A Talk with Molly Burke on Tue. 4/14 | 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. EDT

Molly Burke, a motivational speaker, YouTuber, and author, will speak live with the SFC Women’s Film Festival audience on her challenges and achievements as a blind woman in a sighted media.

With over 1.9 million followers on YouTube, Molly Burke is a major creative force and an inspiration to many.

The Q & A will be moderated by SFC student Gabriela Mendonca.

Keynote Speech: Storytelling Gets Us Through The Shit: How Filmmaking Can Create Your Future on Wed. 4/15 | 3 - 4:30 p.m. EDT

Storyteller from the Future Karen Palmer references pop culture and classic movies in a talk about about how filmmaking gives us insight into the the human psyche during a time of crisis and inspires the audience create the future we want. Storytelling is a well of resources and a tool to build ladder out of this crisis and others.

Karen Palmer is an award -winning international artist and TED Speaker. She creates immersive film experiences that combine the genres of film, A.I. technology, gaming, Immersive Storytelling, Neuroscience, Consciousness, Implicit Bias, Behavioural Psychology and the Parkour philosophy of moving through fear. Palmer speaks widely about her emotionally responsive film experiences at the intersection of AI, Immersive Storytelling, Neuroscience, Consciousness and Implicit Bias and the necessity to Democratise AI. Articles on Palmer have appeared in Wired Magazine, Forbes, CBS TV , Fast Company , Engadget, NBC,The Guardian. Her work has recently been exhibited at the V&A in London, the PHI Centre Montreal, Sensory Stories Exhibition, The Future of Storytelling, SXSW Austin, and the Cooper Hewitt.

Shorts Screening 2 on Wed. 4/15 | 6 - 8 p.m. EDT

Woof! | Claire Henry | USA | 2:45

After 8 months of training, Nala, a dog at K-9 Angels Rescue in Houston, TX finally gets adopted. Although Nala finds a home, the stray animal crisis in Houston remains unresolved.

My Cat Story | Allison Priest | USA | 3:04

A story about a cat I got, but didn't have the chance to bond with him.

The Grandfather | Agnese Laizane | Latvia | 14:00

Emilia has one day to save little kittens by finding them owners before her grandfather kills them.

Who Let The Taxidermy Out? | Laurence Unger | USA | 8:16

A reformed taxidermist brings taxidermy animals back to life with chaotic consequences for an uninvited guest in this all-female silent film. This experimental comedy invites viewers to re-think what little girls are made of.

Maraña | Brisa Pamela Sanchez | Mexico | 5:55

Tochtli, a broken rabbit that is found in the darkness of a huge forest, is persecuted for a being from which he has run away all his life, Tochtli will have to face his fears to reach the light that represents his bigger longing.

Antarctic | Paola de Sousa | France | 3:00

A seal and a penguin's trip from New-Zealand to Antarctica.

Geronimo: In Flight | Colleen Brady | USA | 9:01

Tired of dieting and traditional exercise, a veterinarian decides to take ownership of her health by becoming an aerialist.

Constant Dripping Hollows Out The Stone | Johanna Mägin | USA | 8:59

As the Vietnamese people move towards a cleaner, greener future, we meet some who are doing their part to keep plastic away from the beaches -- and out of the landfills.

A Walk Along the Stars | Lani McHenry | USA | 1:54

A poetic journey told through animation and home videos, the filmmaker expresses the struggle of letting her grandmother go after moving into her old house in the summer of 2019.

The Norm | Jamal Bilal | USA | 15:00

A week in the life of hospice nurse Kathleen as she moves from one patient to another, and realizes what it takes to not lose herself in the process.

Boo Boo | Olivia Miranda | USA | 6:18

The story of one refugee whose life has benefitted from the help of Free Bird Cafe, and whose project is now helping others.

Olympia | Giulia Achenza | Italy | 11:35

Inspired by Don De Lillo’s novella Body Art, Olympia tells the story of a body artist and her director husband.

Art of the Pitch Workshop Conducted by Bri Castellini of Seed & Spark on Thu. 4/16 | 11:20 a.m. - 1:10 p.m. EDT

Knowing how to convey the specifics about your project in a dynamic, succinct way can land you not only investors, but collaborators, audience members, and more. Skills learned: how to prepare for a pitch meeting; how to adapt your pitch to different audiences; how to follow up for a bright future.

Bri Castellini is an award-winning independent filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. She has an MFA in Writing and Producing for Television and a BA in Creative Writing, and by day, she's the Film Community Manager for Seed & Spark and an adjunct professor for LIU-Brooklyn and Stephens College. She has been described by collaborators as a "human bulldozer" and is honestly kind of flattered.

Shorts Screening 3 on Thu. 4/16 | 1:30 - 2:45 p.m EDT (Sponsored by Zonta Club of Brooklyn Followed by a Talk by Leslie Erway Wright)

No Offense| Leeds Animation Workshop | United Kingdom | 12:00

A modern-day fairy-story about sexist, racist and homophobic harassment at work.

Marisol | Zoe Salicrup | USA | 14:44

A young mother striving to make a life for her and her daughter, Marisol’s worst nightmare comes to life when her passenger on her ride sharing app accuses her of being undocumented.

They Call Us Maids | Leeds Animation Workshop | United Kingdom | 7:00

The true story of today’s migrant domestic workers, women from the Philippines, Indonesia, North Africa and South-East Asia, who go abroad to support their families.

Crowdfunding for Independence Conducted by Bri Castellini of Seed & Spark on Thu. 4/16 | 3:00 - 4:20 p.m. EDT

Seed & Spark’s cornerstone class clearly lays out the steps toward a successful crowdfunding campaign, as well as a career- long action plan most likely to create a lasting, flourishing, direct relationship with your audience. You’ll learn how to find your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign, pick the right goal and incentives, and much more.

Bri Castellini is an award-winning independent filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. She has an MFA in Writing and Producing for Television and a BA in Creative Writing, and by day, she's the Film Community Manager for Seed & Spark and an adjunct professor for LIU-Brooklyn and Stephens College. She has been described by collaborators as a "human bulldozer" and is honestly kind of flattered.

Shorts Screening 4 on Friday 4/17 | 12:30 - 3:20 p.m. EDT

Tomorrow Island | Gwen Joyaux | Portugal | 16:28

In the dawn of the Cold War, a young Soviet telegraphist makes a desperate attempt to save her American lover from being stranded in the Russian side of the Bering Strait after receiving a border closure message.

Not Your Ordinary Sister | Maša Zia Lenárdič, Anja Wutej | Germany | 4:15

A queer satire which, in a witty yet direct way, addresses both the startling popularity of lesbian vampire films as well as the lack of proper representation in queer cinema on the subject of queerness within the conservative and patriarchal religious organizations (lesbian nuns / lesbian ex-nuns).

Three Minutes | Victoria Kieburtz | USA | 6:07

Two women seek the shelter of tea and candid conversation in the wake of a quickly-changing world.

The Dead West | Students MMI App & License Pro MDN | France | 17:49

In the United States during 1879, the West was devastated by an epidemic in which anyone that drinks the contaminated water loses his mind and becomes ravenous. Emma Brown, a young woman immune to the poison, tries to survive.

Relife Asteros Lin | China | 8:00

Film, as an existence independent of reality and rooted in the soil of reality, is very similar to dreams. Making a video work is, in a sense, making a dream.

Di Myay Mher Tha Ye Kana Phit Kae Tal - In This Land We’re Briefly Ghosts | Chen-Wen Lo | Myanmar | 16:01

Based on actual events, this human tragedy follows a 12-year-old child soldier, Su Su Myat, and her mute brother, Tin Min, who are imprisoned after deserting their first combat mission.

Italy & (This Is) Water | Ioan Gavriel, Anja Franziska Plaschg | Austria | 5:26

A single day: from the tender break of dawn to the darkest night. A long farewell, an ultimate goodbye to a life we have grown to hold dear. Leading to a head-on dive into a new reality, into a new state of being.

Desaturated | Marina Stepanska | Ukraine | 10:00

A comedy about a character who knows that she is a character in a film, and is trying to overcome the visual clichés without which we cannot imagine modern cinema.

The Romantic Movement | Yuhe Lu | USA | 20:00

Obsessed with his recent breakup, a young writer decides to commit suicide by midnight if his ex-lover doesn’t return to him. As he reminisces about their past while waiting in his gloomy house, unbearable realizations beyond unrequited love come to challenge his beliefs in himself.

Transmission | Emily Mkrtichian, Anahid Yahjian | Canada | 14:39

In a not-so-distant future, cultural conservationists K and L are in a car accident in which time splinters into parallel realities, separating them. They embark on a journey to find each other again.

Shorts Screening 5 on Sat. 4/18 | 2 - 4:30 p.m. EDT

Saturday | Pegah Pasalar Lagharani | USA | 8:47

As the viewer follows a joyful trip to the beach by a family with three young children, innocence and happiness give way to the unthinkable.

Sensei Fran Kicks Ass | Simone Fary | USA | 19:30

The story of one woman’s pursuit to redefine what it means to age.

The Gods of Tiny Things | Deborah Kelly | Australia | 5:22

A collaborative collage animation work and produced through a residential workshop at the Riversdale Education Centre, the imagery, musical composition and soundscape design were devised to reflect upon the imperilled lives on a climate-changing planet.

Killing Hope | Natacha Grangeon, J | France | 17:41

At the heart of a war-torn Aleppo, Anas al-Basha’s only weapon is his red nose and the smiles it brings to the children that surround him: he is the last clown of Aleppo.

LEGO | Faryarsadat Hosseini | Islamic Republic of Iran | 18:48

When a couple enters the mysterious house of the wife’s childhood, the wife disappears and in searching for her, the man finds a newborn baby in the bathroom with his wife’s necklace on her neck.

We Were Hardly More Than Children | Cecelia Condit | USA | 8:45

An epic tale of a friend’s traumatic abortion; a deep hurt not remembered, but poignantly visible in her paintings.

Ukde | Ecem Çelik | Turkey |18:28

The film deals with a universal immigrant problem that suddenly enters the life of a woman.

Awards Ceremony on Sat. 4/18 | 5 - 7 p.m. EDT

The 2020 SFC Women’s Film Festival has been created by the following SFC Students, under the guidance of Dr. Augusta Palmer:

• Antonia D’Amato
• Alyssa D'Angelo
• Ashlyn Doyle
• Marina Esparza
• Amoyea Hassan
• Sarah Innamorato
• Kevin Kowalik
• Dea Lako
• Gabriella Mendonca
• Josephine Pisani
• Gabriela Rivera
• David Schoen
• Jenny Selitto
• Hannah Swift

The festival also wishes to thank:

Dr. Jennifer Lancaster, Dr. Scott Weiss, Dr. Sarah Rzesutek, Dr. Eda Sanchez Persampieri, The Department of Communication Arts, The Center for Entrepreneurship, and The Women’s and Gender Studies Minor