Female Film Club Launches Global Membership Drive With New Campaign (EXCLUSIVE)
Pandemic-born initiative Female Film Club (FFC) is expanding its global membership with a new campaign.
The organization will encourage media and social media users to share an insta reel with the hashtag #FFCWORLDWIDE which explains the campaign. The aim is to reach every filmmaker in every country and give them an opportunity to get their voice heard and their story told.
More from Variety
The initiative has members in 19 countries, and is hoping to recruit from the 172 countries it doesn’t. From every country that is not yet represented, the FFC will give away a free year-long membership and five free two-month memberships. Those interested need to send an email to info@femalefilmclub.com with their CV or IMDb profile, and nationality. Operating on a first-come-first-serve basis, potential members qualify if they have a short film that has done a film festival run or a feature film.
FFC was founded by Nicole Lieberman and Liza van der Smissen who met at the BFI London Film Festival in 2017 and discovered a shared passion for films that display the female gaze. They co-produced the short “Neext!”, directed by Leoni Tenius, which won prizes at the Independent Shorts Awards and the London Independent Film Festival in 2020.
FFC was born during the 2020 lockdown, out of a need to stay connected, albeit remotely. The body offers film recommendations and streaming links from films made by a female director, female writer, or a film shown from the female gaze; connections with international female and non-binary filmmakers; and masterclasses, Q&As, film festival meet-ups, goal setting and inspiration sessions.
Coming up to its first anniversary, FFC has hosted Q&As with directors from around the world such as Keren Ben Rafael, Anne Fontaine, Mina Shum and Lisa Ohlin.
Filmmakers can also benefit from FFC’s partnership with Herflix, the online VOD platform that showcases films by, for and about women, for global digital distribution. The partnership has already helped seven filmmakers find distribution.
“We want all filmmakers around the world to be able to create their life’s work and develop their skill, mindset and network,” says van der Smissen. “When you join the FFC you become part of a global community of powerful woman who believe in getting further together.”
“There are so many incredible stories out there that don’t get recognition or have international reach, we want to hear them and spread the word,” says Lieberman. “In the FFC we believe that films have the power to change perception and open our minds.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
