Headlining the 10th anniversary of the Women's International Film Festival will be movies portraying women's struggles not just globally, but also local issues endured right here in Western New York.
This spring marks a decade-long run for the festival, which is hosted by UB's Institute for Research and Education on Women and Gender and plays on Thursday nights at the Market Arcade downtown.
Aiming to annually introduce audiences to the role of women in cultures from around the world, the festival also looks beyond the films' content and into their production, said Barbara Bono, co-director of the UB institute.
"It's difficult for women film directors to gain recognition," Bono said. "In India, films are extremely expensive to make. France has a fabulous film industry though."
Beyond its global perspective, the festival also has a closer-to-home focus.
"Not only do we show films directed by women from around the world, but we also have films directed by women from local areas," Bono said.
The finale for the film festival - "Ten on Ten: Born in Frames" - will be one of the events highlighting women from Western New York. According to Bono, 10 local female directors, including some from UB, will be showing their own short films.
"There are only three shows left, and this one is really worth seeing," Bono said. "In the United States, these films don't necessarily sell... you probably wouldn't see otherwise."
"Te Doy Mis Ojos," which translates into English as "Take My Eyes," will be shown this Thursday night. The Spanish film, directed by Iciar Bollain, follows the tale of a woman who takes her son and flees from her abusive husband. The film depicts not only the struggle to revise her marriage vows, but demonstrates the effects on women in violent relationships.
The last international film being shown will be the Chinese film "Meng Ying Ton Nian," or "Electric Shadows," which won the Audience Award at the Deauville Asian Film Festival. "Electric Shadows" is a piece that captures the passion and influence of film in a time where technology was not as advanced as it is today.
Operating costs for the festival are paid for with ticket sales and sponsorships, including donations from 35 patrons from UB, according to Bono. For nine out of the 10 years, the institute has also been a sponsor for the event.
Films are shown every Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Market Arcade until March 2. General admission tickets are $7.50; students with school ID are $5.50; seniors $5. The showings include pieces from Argentina, China, Israel, Spain, and the United States.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
