Femme Filmmakers Festival 2022

We reviewed a few SHORT FILMS screening at this year’s Femme Filmmakers Festival - 23rd of September to the 2nd of October 2022. Available to watch on MUBI.

Fanmi

Directed by Carmine Pierre-Dufour, Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers
Canada – 2021 – 14 min

Premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival and named to TIFF's annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2021. A mother and daughter each mask their inner pain. But in the ether of their silence , their embraces and presence a deep love can be felt. A touching portrait of the love between a mother and daughter and saying goodbye- you’ll want to give your mom a hug!

down from the clouds

Directed by Cansu Boguslu
Turkey – 2021 – 19 min

There is a pretty uncomfortable uneasy feeling watching this stunningly shot short, that is somewhat eased by the renaissance-style composition of the cinematographer and the delightful 9 year old Lavinya Ünlüer. A coming of age story - when you realize perhaps your parents are not the super humans you thought they were.

l’autre rive

Directed by Gaëlle Graton
Canada - 2022 - 17 min

L’autre rive - the other shore. Genevieve is a social worker now cleaner in an emergency shelter for the homeless. The institutional rule orientated environment is cold and seemingly hopeless. Camille, a young woman whom Genevieve has previously supported reappears at the shelter. Genevieve makes a choice that may change Camille’s life. Beautifully shot and a subject which is engulfing a lot of the world right now is sensitively dealt

polished

Directed by Colleen Dodge
US - 2022 - 6 min

A powerful and intense central performance with exquisite imagery interspersed, Polished depicts moments in a busy city life shot with emotion and reality of a huge decision in a young woman’s life. Sharp, short, direct and challenging - a narrative delving into a very real vulnerability.

J'ai Le Cafard

Directed by Maysaa Almumin
Kuwait - 2021 - 14 min

Named as one of Screen International’s Arab Stars Of Tomorrow 2021. Literally inspired by the French idiom “I have the cockroach” - “I’m depressed” this Kafkaesque short deftly illustrates a woman coping with depression. By portraying a mental illness as a physical entity, ‘the protagonist’s journey towards healing becomes tangible, yet remains emotionally compelling’ whilst also being quite entertaining!

laundry day

Directed by Rose Knopper
US - 2022 - 6 min

A very brief encounter between a trans man and a presumably closeted man. Likely an extremely common occurrence that all trans people experience everyday.