Slamdance 2026: Jessica Barr and Ryan Simpkins on Their Stunning Single-Take Film, “The Plan”
The sun is just beginning to set as the twenty-something characters in Jessica’s Barr’s mesmerizing new film, “The Plan,” start to congregate in an East LA apartment. The calmness of the setting gradually proves to be deceptive, as the mounting tension within these friends—particularly Evan (Ryan Simpkins)—threatens to erupt. With the helicopter blades of an […]
Cinema Femme Short Film Festival Returns to the Music Box Theatre, July 17–21, 2025
🎬 Cinema Femme Short Film Festival Returns to the Music Box Theatre, July 17–21, 2025 Opening Night Reception, Dynamic Panels, Celebrated Shorts, and Awards Presentation Among the Highlights CHICAGO, IL — June 20, 2025 — Cinema Femme is proud to announce the full lineup for the 2025 Cinema Femme Short Film Festival, returning July 17–21 […]
Interview with 2024 Chicago Spotlight Award Recipient Jewells Santos on her vulnerable short “Fatfish”
On the eve of her graduation from DePaul’s MFA Film and Directing program, I had the pleasure of speaking with emerging filmmaker Jewells Santos about her short film “Fatfish.” Jewells is the recipient of the Chicago Spotlight award for this year’s Cinema Femme Short Film Festival, for it’s 6th edition. This award is given to […]
Uniquely Euphoric: Bridget Frances Harris and Virginia Alonso-Luis on “Places of Worship”
Every once in a while, I come across a film that feels as if it has been made especially for me. That happened most recently at this year’s joyous in-person installment of my wife Rebecca Martin Fagerholm’s Cinema Femme Short Film Festival held at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. As soon as Bridget Frances Harris’ […]
2024 Cinema Femme Short Film Festival Awards
On Thursday, May 2nd, at 2:00 PM Central, Festival Director Rebecca Martin Fagerholm and festival collaborators announced the award winners for the 2024 Cinema Femme Short Film Festival, starting with the new award coined for an emerging filmmaker who has a first-time film that shows a lot of promise. The recipient of the inaugural Filmmaker on the Rise Award […]
Cinema Femme Short Film Festival Announces Full Program: April 25 – May 2, 2024
Chicago, Illinois, (April 2, 2024) – Today, the Cinema Femme Short Film Festival announced the full lineup of films and programs included in its 6th edition, running April 25 – May 2, 2024. Cinema Femme Magazine, presenter of the Cinema Femme Short Film Festival, emphasizes the importance of supporting emerging female and non-binary filmmakers by connecting them to seasoned industry members through the Breaking […]
Attracted to the Darkness: Sophia Adler on Her Pivotal Role in “Harlan Coben’s Shelter”
If there were any justice in the realm of film distribution, every member of the #MeToo movement would currently be the proud owner of a boxed set featuring four movies written and directed by New York-based auteur Deborah Kampmeier. Her 2003 debut, “Virgin,” starred Elisabeth Moss in a breakthrough performance as a teen who believes […]
Interview: “Mijo” director Mazdey Snob, 2022 recipient of the Cinema Femme Short Film Fest Phenomenal Woman in Film award
As I watched the films for Short Block 3 at our virtual film festival a few weeks ago, we just finished Heidi Neff’s “The Long Goodbye”, an animated short film that explores the anxiety of the recent US election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, ending emotionally in a powerful and somber way. Following, like […]
Watch “Huella” part of Indeed’s Rising Voices, short by 2020 Cinema Femme mentorship recipient Gabriela Ortega
For our Inaugural Short Film Festival in August 2020 we were blown away by Gabriela Ortega’s short documentary “Papi”, based on a day out and at the beach with her father in the Dominican Republic. Through our festival Gabriela won a 6-month mentorship with filmmaker Laura Moss (“Fry Day”). Her words about Gabriela: “Gabriela is […]
Cinema Femme 2020 Short Film Festival Highlights
Festival Day One | Short Block 1
Today we highlight Short Block 1 films and filmmakers. Short Block 1 films and Short Blocks 2-4 films starting at 10 AM PT today thorough 8/9/20 on our Seed&Spark festival platform. Q&A with the directors of the selected films from Short Block 1, moderated by documentary filmmaker Colette Ghunim (Founder of Mezcla Media Collective). Featured […]