Film fests, not a boys’ club anymore.
It’s not necessarily that film festivals have been a predominantly male institution, but suffice to say that in my experience, when it comes to festival attendance, the scales are tipped decidedly in the direction of those with the “Y” chromosome. Not passing judgement of course, merely an observation.
But that’s why I was so happy to hear the Alamo Drafthouse announce Forever Fest. Forever Fest, which takes place November 1-3 right here in Austin, Texas is a celebration of girlie pop culture. This fest was the brainchild of co-creators Brandy Fons, of Fons PR, and Sarah Pitre, lead programmer of films for the Drafthouse and host of their Girlie Night signature series.
Today, the festival revealed its full lineup…
Danceoke: Your favorite cinematic dance routines performed live on stage while the scene plays on the big screen.
EMPIRE RECORDS screening with star Ethan Embry in attendance, followed by a Rex Manning Day party.
The Cute Show: an adorable clip show presented by BuzzFeed and guaranteed to make you squee.
Book talk with Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks, creators of Go Fug Yourself and authors of Spoiled and Messy.
CAN’T HARDLY WAIT screening with star Ethan Embry in attendance
SIXTEEN CANDLES screening with select talent in attendance followed by the ultimate ’80s high school dance.
The Wild Brunch: A mimosa-fueled salute to the hottest men in cinema.
Early Screening of a buzzworthy new film this fall/holiday season.
And more to come!
“Through our work at the Alamo Drafthouse, we have participated in a variety of film festivals, but none of those events truly captured the movies that we, as females, cherish. Like most gals we know, we have a list of films and television shows that we watch over and over again, as well as books that we never get tired of re-reading, and we feel that it’s high time for fans like us to have a festival where we can geek out together. After hosting and publicizing Girlie Night for the past five years, we know there is a community of women (and men!) who relish the chance to enjoy their favorite films with other like-minded people, and we believe that this audience deserves an entire weekend devoted to their pop culture passions,” said Pitre and Fons.
Forever Fest also launched its Kickstarter today, and offered this accompanying video to get everyone jazzed!
The proceeds from your Kickstarter donations will go toward…
–Hotel and flights for special guests, including cast members from cherished films
–Venue rental for the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater as well as event space for
fabulous festival shindigs
Here at OneOfUs.Net, we have made it our mission to provide as many outlets for as many different brands and flavors of geek passion as possible. One area in which I feel we are, for the moment, lacking is in providing content specifically for our female readers. That’s not to say there is one type of content that is “for women” or that any of our current content is “just for men,” but we haven’t given you wonderful ladies many signature outlets for your fandoms. That changes within the week, as we’ll be unveiling a new YouTube show we think you’ll enjoy.
All that to say, I am really excited to hear about Forever Fest. I am actually a big fan of all the films they’re showing and there are so few film festivals catering specifically to women. This has the potential to be something truly revolutionary. It’s not shallow pandering, but rather an unbridled celebration of the enthusiasm so many women share for these films and the various means by which many women appreciate entertainment media. Knowing both Sarah and Brandy, I can think of no two more brilliant, energetic, and passionate women to lead such a creative force. Ladies, if you’re in the Austin area in early November, I highly recommend you attend.
Follow Forever Fest on Twitter
