FILMA. FEMINIST FILM FESTIVAL

In the 1920s, a «motion picture» was called both «film» and «filma» (in Ukrainian, the noun «film» is masculine while the ending «a» makes it feminine). There were even public debates about which form of the word was more correct. Gradually, the feminine «filma» dwindled out of use. One hundred years later, we have decided to name our festival Filma in an attempt to show that for us the question of what cinema is and what it can be remains open.

We call ourselves Filma because cinema can be a co-creative process, with equal opportunities for all participants, instead of the strict top-down favored by privileged directors. We call ourselves Filma because cinema can be less pro-government and more politically aware, less predatory, and more sensitive to humans and non-humans. We call ourselves Filma because cinema can be less red carpet/celebrity culture-oriented, and more inclusive and socially responsible. We call ourselves Filma because it is important for us to think about the possibilities and responsibilities of cinema in the long run, together.

The festival was created by a feminist collective as a collaborative platform for films that meet the principles of intersectional feminism, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, inclusion, and a culture of consent. Conversations with the authors and protagonists of the films, as well as researchers and activists, are an integral part of the program.

Non-hierarchical approach. The festival is non-competitive and open to films of all formats, runtimes, and genres: features, documentaries, animated and experimental films can be shown in thematic programs. All films, from debuts and experimental work to «classics», we consider as equal. We try to pay more attention to feminist themes, and methods of creating feminist cinema, and to develop mutual support among like-minded people, regardless of the forms we work with.

Accessibility. The festival is a 100% online event. Majority of films available worldwide and free of charge. The discussions are available worldwide. The films are shown in the original language with Ukrainian and English subtitles (SDH). Audio descriptions will be available for some films. The working languages of the discussions are English and Ukrainian, with two-way translation and a translation into Ukrainian sign language.

Safety. We aim to create a space free of misogyny, transphobia, racism, heterosexism, ableism, and other forms of oppression. A space where it is possible to find points of intersection between the needs of all vulnerable groups, mutual understanding, and support.

Credits:

Names are listed in alphabetical order

Filma collective: geo, Svitlana Shymko, Ira Tantsiura
Coordinator of translation: Zhenia Perutska
SMM-manager: Ivanna Prokopchuk
PR-manager: Yana Dzyga
Financial manager: Olena Medvid

Co-curator of the Cripping, Living, Loving program: Bec Miriam
Co-curator of the Taking Care of Yourself, Taking Care of Everyone program: Cheryl Chabaniuk

Illustrations: Ivanna Prokopchuk
Logo: EtchingRoom1
Website design: Nast’ey Teo, Svitlana Shymko
Website programming: Svitlana Shymko
Festival trailer: Svitlana Shymko
Festival’s postcards design: Double Cherry
Festival’s T-shirts: printed by Mirno Workshop
Portraits of the film directors: Double Cherry

Translation: Andrii Antonovskyi, Iryna Hoial, Olesia Kamyshnikova, Yuliia Konopliana, Sasha Nyrka, Svitlana Panova, Zhenia Perutska, Burshtyna Tereshchenko
SDH subtitles: Yuliia Konopliana, Svitlana Panova, Zhenia Perutska
Proofreading (UKR): Sashko Podoliak
Proofreading (ENG, curators’ texts): Katya Rudyk

Texts for audiodescriptions for the films “AnOther Love Story: Women & AIDS”, “Dear Lou Sullivan”, “Flare”, “Offside: An Unequal Game”, “Pharma Infinity Dance”, “Resistance Meditation”, “Spoons (After Carolyn Lazard)”, “The Repressed”, “There’s Not Much We Can Do”: NGO Accessible Cinema
Audiodescription and characters (except for movies “AnOther Love Story: Women & AIDS”, “Dear Lou Sullivan”) voiced by: Double Cherry, geo, Katya Babych, Kateryna Herasymchuk, Yana Prokopchuk, Lisa Severina, Ira Tantsiura
Sound director (except for movies “AnOther Love Story: Women & AIDS”, “Dear Lou Sullivan”): Kateryna Herasymchuk
Audiodescription and characters for the films “AnOther Love Story: Women & AIDS”, “Dear Lou Sullivan”, voiced by: Kateryna Kachan, Andrii Mostrenko, Maksym Samchyk
Sound director for the films “AnOther Love Story: Women & AIDS”, “Dear Lou Sullivan”: Mariia Nesterenko
Recording: Studio Bob

Special thanks to: Yulia Serdiukova, Nelia Vakhovska, nadiia chushak, Kateryna Babych, Dariia Badior, Ton Melnyk, Masha Ravlyk, Olha Plakhotnik, Brigid O’Shea, and all our close ones and friends who support us on the way

With financial support from: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung in Ukraine, RFSL

Media partners: Commons, Feminist Critique, Khmarochos

Offline screening partners: CULTP R OSVIT (Chernihiv), Direct Action LNU (Lviv), Dnipro Center for Contemporary Culture (Dnipro), Drugstore space (Kyiv), Hungry Eyes (Vilnius), KwitneQueer (Berlin), Maiznīca (Riga), rivni u kryvomu (Kryvyi Rih), SAD (Odesa), NGO “Sphere” (Kharkiv)