CHAIR
WELCOME LETTER
Chair
Female Eye Film Festival
Angela Argento
Welcome to the Female Eye Film Festival’s 22nd Anniversary. This year marks a bittersweet moment for me as I announce my decision to step down as Chair, making room for the next generation to lead this incredible festival forward. It has been an absolute honour, pleasure, and privilege to serve alongside international filmmakers, amplifying their voices and celebrating their remarkable talents.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Leslie-Ann Coles, the Founder and Executive Director of this festival. Leslie's visionary leadership and foresight recognized the crucial need for a festival dedicated to women in film. She not only wears many hats herself, being a screenwriter director, actor and producer but she has also been and continues to be the driving force behind the Female Eye, guiding it to become the impactful platform it is today.
To our colleagues, filmmakers, and sponsors, I am immensely grateful for your unwavering support throughout the years. Your commitment to the Female Eye has been instrumental in our success and growth over the past two decades.
I also want to acknowledge the dedicated members of the board, Martin Harbury, Christine Argyris and Tushar Unadkat, whose tireless efforts have been invaluable in shaping the trajectory of Female Eye. It has been a privilege serving alongside each of you.
In a world fraught with global turmoil, the importance of festivals like ours cannot be overstated. Now more than ever, we need our artists to be heard and seen, to shine a light on the diverse experiences and perspectives that make up our world. As I step down, I urge you to continue supporting this vital festival and the incoming Chair who will lead us into the future.
As I reflect on my time as Chair, I am filled with pride and honour. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and honoured to have been part of this extraordinary journey. Let us continue to champion the Female Eye and the incredible filmmakers it represents, ensuring that their voices resonate far and wide for it is the artists who remind us of our humanity, who challenge us to confront uncomfortable truths, and who inspire us to envision a better world. Let us honour our differences, celebrate our diversity and amplify the voices of those who have stories to tell. Together, we can illuminate the darkness and pave the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.
Thank you all for your unwavering support and dedication.
Angela Argento
Chair, FeFF
On behalf of the board and staff at the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), I am pleased to extend my warmest welcome to everyone attending the Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF).
Over its history, FeFF has been a strong advocate for gender equity, inclusion and diversity in the film industry. They have provided an outstanding platform for female directors at all stages of their careers to showcase their films amongst other national and international talent.
For over 60 years, OAC has played an essential role in supporting the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians, and we are proud to support this year’s festival.
Congratulations to everyone involved in FeFF 2024, and a big thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to put together another successful event.
Enjoy the festival!
Rita Davies, C.M,
Chair, Ontario Arts Council.
Through screenings, networking opportunities and programming, the Female Eye Film Festival shines a spotlight on the extraordinary female film makers in the industry, which we are extremely proud to support.
Members of the IATSE Local 873 make remarkable contributions towards the Canadian film and television industry. As the Union Behind Entertainment, we strive to create safe work environments, while encouraging and supporting our talented artisans, and implementing strategies to evoke and sustain change from within. We are proud of the female representation across all our departments and work to inspire the future generation of female film technicians.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this year’s festival and we wish you all another hugely successful event.
Angela Mastronardi,
President IATSE 873.
AFBS is proud to continue our long-term support for the Female Eye Film Festival to help ensure films made by talented Canadian women directors are showcased and celebrated. Since 2001, this festival has been at the forefront of advocating for gender equity, inclusion and diversity in the industry. Providing a platform for films directed by women around the world has proven to be an invaluable community initiative with great impact on Canadian cinema.
As a community partner of the Canadian creative industry, AFBS is a fraternal organization that is not driven by profit and provides insurance benefits and retirement savings plans to performers and screenwriters to support them across all stages of life. We also strengthen our community by providing affordable insurance options for self-employed Canadian artists, contributing to industry-related charitable organizations and sponsoring Canadian artistic initiatives like FeFF.
In an industry where female filmmakers have been underrepresented, FeFF continues to bring female perspectives and diversity to the art of screen-based storytelling. The vast efforts that go into producing this festival, and the immeasurable results, are something AFBS is proud to stand behind.
On behalf of AFBS, I applaud FeFF for its continued community impact and it is our honour to be a sponsor again for their 22nd year.
Enjoy the festival, everyone!
Sincerely,
President & CEO, AFBS.
