Reel Sisters of the Diaspora facts for kids
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| Location | Brooklyn, New York |
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| Established | 1997 |
| Website | http://reelsisters.com |
The Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival & Lecture Series is an exciting yearly film festival. It takes place in Brooklyn, New York. This festival was started in 1997 by African Voices magazine and Long Island University's Media Arts Department. Its main goal is to help women of color who make movies. It gives them great chances to show their films and build their careers. In 2018, Reel Sisters became the first Academy Award Qualifying Film Festival for short films made by women of color. This means films shown here can be considered for an Oscar!
Contents
History of the Festival
Why Reel Sisters Started
The Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival began in 1997. It was founded by Carolyn A. Butts, who publishes African Voices magazine, and Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus. It was the first festival in Brooklyn to focus on films made by women of color.
Carolyn Butts got the idea in 1996. She had trouble getting support for a short film she made. She wanted to turn it into a longer movie. "It was so hard to get support for me as an African American woman," she said. So, she decided to create a place where women of color could get help. This included women from African, Caribbean, Latina, and Asian backgrounds. She wanted to build a support system for them. This "tribe" could help each other get their films made.
What Happens at the Festival
The festival shows more than 50 films every year. Since it started, it has shown over 5,200 films. These films are made by women from many different backgrounds. People come from all over the United States and other countries to attend. About 2,271 people visit the festival each year.
Reel Sisters has grown from a two-day event to a month-long celebration. It includes talks and workshops on many topics. The festival also holds special events throughout the year.
Films shown at Reel Sisters are chosen by a group of independent judges. It is a competitive festival. Films by gender non-conforming filmmakers are also accepted. They must focus on women's stories.
In 2013, the festival honored two important filmmakers. Shola Lynch received the Trailblazer Award. She made the film Free Angela & All Political Prisoners. Issa Rae got the first Reel Sisters Innovation Pioneer Award. This was for her amazing work on her web series, Awkward Black Girl. Reel Sisters also helps new women filmmakers. It offers scholarships and other useful resources.
Sometimes, the festival chooses a special theme. For example, in 2018, the theme was about self-care and healing.
Reel Sisters gets support from important groups. These include the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts. The Brooklyn Council on the Arts also helps.
In 2021, Spelman College received the records of African Voices Communications, Inc. This is the group that runs Reel Sisters. The college will make the festival's history available online. This will help future generations learn about it.
Awards
The festival accepts films of all types and from any media. This includes animated films and web series. Awards are given in different categories:
Jury Awards
These awards are chosen by the festival's judges:
- Best Director
- Best Documentary
- Best Screenplay
- Best Experimental Film
- Best Animation
- Best Feature Film
- Best Narrative Short Film
- Best Web Series
- Reel Sisters Spirit Award
Reel Sisters Special Awards
These are special honors given by the festival:
- Hattie McDaniel Award - This award honors women who are pioneers. They have done amazing things in theater, film, and media.
- Trailblazer Award - This award recognizes people in the film and TV world. It celebrates their great achievements. It also honors them for helping other women of color succeed.
See also
- List of women's film festivals
