PRESS RELEASE
Internationally acclaimed actress and director Rachel Griffiths (Saving Mr Banks, Paper Giants, Six Feet Under) is Patron for WOW Film Festival 2014 celebrating the 20th anniversary.
4th – 14th March 2014

Sydney-siders in need of a cool, affordable yet satisfying indie film
fix will be happy to hear, that the WORLD OF WOMEN’S CINEMA: WOW FILM
FESTIVAL will be celebrating 20 years of women’s short film excellence and International Women’s Day. WOW has announced an exciting, diverse showcase of contemporary short films with key creative input by women … fiction, documentary, animation and experimental. Experience a different storytelling and a unique perspective … “seeing the world through the
eyes of women”.
This prestigious festival is presented by Women in Film and Television (WIFT) NSW and screens from March 4th – 14th in Sydney at Dendy Opera Quays, NSW Parliament House Theatre, City of Sydney Customs House Library, The Art Gallery of NSW, The Vanguard, Woollahra Council, Metro Screen, Australian Film Television & Radio School theatre and Powerhouse
Museum.
Filmmaker ‘In Conversation’ events will be held at Surry Hills Library and at the Art Gallery of NSW with ABC TV film critic, Margaret Pomeranz, to celebrate International Women’s Day.
WOW and the Australian Writers Guild (AWG) present a writers forum with acclaimed screenwriters Jacquelin Perske and Louise Fox at the Powerhouse Museum. Both writers worked with Lucas Film on the Star Wars live action television series. Jacquelin Perske was co creator, writer and producer of multi-award winning series of Love My Way and Spirited and the writer of award winning film Little Fish starring Cate Blanchett. Jacquelin is the 2013 Foxtel Fellowship recipient. Louise Fox (Broadchurch, Love My Way) wrote the screenplay for the critically acclaimed film Dead Europe and is nominated for an AACTA Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2014 awards and won the NSW Premiers Literary Award 2013 for Scriptwriting.
Also in celebration of WOW Film Festival, The Black Eye Gallery will host ‘Still Women’ a photographic exhibition of images from Classic Australian cinema.
Highlights from WOW's screening program include:
Australian shorts:
Scratch with Claudia Karvan, written and produced by Rachel Turk, executive produced by Sam Worthington, Booth starring Danielle Cormack (Wentworth, Rake) and The Road Home with Brenna Harding (AACTA winner and star of Puberty Blues), My Mother Her Daughter staring Susan Prior (Puberty Blues, Animal Kingdom) and Ashleigh Cummings (Puberty Blue, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries)
International films:
For The Birds (USA), Sha Zi (China), Habida (India).
Screening at The Vanguard Rock N Roll Mamas is a feature-length documentary about three indie rockers who strive to follow their creative dreams and raise their children. Over the course of six years, director, Jackie Weissman, followed Kristin Hersh of Throwing Muses, Zia McCabe of The Dandy Warhols, and hip hop artist, Ms.Su’a. Cutting edge shorts will screen throughout the evening.
For lovers of dance WOW presents a program of Australian and International contemporary dance films at Metro Screen and the Powerhouse Museum.
WOW Film Festival is proud to award achievements by women in the screen industry and is excited to announce the Jury for the 20th anniversary.
Dr Karen Pearlman, Head Of Screen Studies
at AFTRS / film director, acclaimed film and television director,
Jessica Hobbs (Rake, The Slap, Devils Dust, Curtin) and award winning
producer, Louise Smith (The Square, The Rage In Placid Lake).
International Fiction Award: Italian actress/ producer/ writer Silvia
Colloca (Vampire Killers, Van Helsing) and Erica Glynn award winning
filmmaker & Head Of Indigenous, Screen Australia and award winning
director, Pauline Chan (33 Postcards, Little White Lies).
WOW is honoured to have these highly respected film practitioners
judging and selecting award winners for the 2014 WOW Awards.

WOW’s Short Form Digital Media Competition will enable viewers worldwide to watch the films and vote throughout March 2014 for the best Digital Media film on Youtube,
www.youtube.com/user/TheWOWfilmfestival.
The WOW Film Festival Tour kicks off on March 15 with Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute’s screening of “From the Spirit of Our Mother” Program in their Spirit Festival. WOW Tour will travel to various locations throughout Australia and overseas throughout 2014 to March 2015.
Festival Director Tamara Popper – ‘To celebrate the 20th anniversary WOW presents an exciting and stimulating screening program from Australia’s emerging women filmmakers. We’re thrilled award winning actress/director Rachel Griffiths is supporting the festival as Patron for 2014. This year’s festival promises something for everyone; Australian and International film screenings, forums, exhibitions and ‘In Conversations’ with filmmakers. Film audiences and cinema lovers can share in our diverse programming and celebrations.’