Women’s Voices Now Film Festival 2023

CALL FOR JURY MEMBERS (Virtual Opportunity!)

The Women’s Voices Now Film Festival seeks to address the significant lack of representation of women in film, as well as the lack of access to essential funding for women in film. Our Film Festival promotes women filmmakers using social-change documentary films to advocate for women’s and girls’ rights around the world, by:

• Providing a platform for emerging filmmakers telling essential, authentic stories
• Supporting them with cash prizes and visibility
• Connecting them with each other

Since 2011, our independent film festival has received 800+ impactful social-change films from more than 65+ countries, and brought them to millions of viewers around the world. The 2023 Festival will award $12,000 in film festival prizes.

Our Film Festival Jury Members watch and review pre-selected films, and are responsible for choosing the recipients of our awards and cash prizes! Jury members will receive recognition on our platforms, access to festival events, and the chance to be part of an impactful initiative empowering women filmmakers. This is an unpaid, virtual volunteer position.

Jury members will receive a $150 stipend and a certificate of recognition for their participation.

JOIN US! 

• Are you passionate about the Women’s Voices Now mission?
• Do you believe in the power of film to move audiences from empathy to action?
• Are you an activist, filmmaker, and/or entertainment industry professional who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing women’s and girls’ rights?

Women’s Voices Now recognizes that access to financial resources, training, & equipment is a significant barrier for many aspiring filmmakers and that the power of a story can – at times – overwhelm the quality of a lense. We are looking for individuals who will champion this belief in their review and selection process.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS & BACKGROUND:

• Prior experience as a jury member, film programmer or similar role
• Demonstrated passion for women’s and girls’ rights, and belief in the power of film to effect change
• Ability to evaluate documentary films based on provided qualifiers – including, but not limited to: identifying components of strong directing and storytelling within the documentary genre
• Ability to work with others collaboratively to find consensus in determining award winners
• Professional, communicative, and detail-oriented
• Ability to speak, understand, and write in English

• Have access to the internet and a computer/laptop; well versed in general computer skills (typing, emailing, etc.) Individuals who have submitted a film to our festival are not eligible for this role.

Individuals who have submitted a film to our festival are not eligible for this role.

COMMITMENT:

• Around 10 – 15 hours of film reviewing from end-January through end- February
• Ability to participate in up to 3 jury team meetings for onboarding & discussion of films
• Ability to attend 2 key (virtual) Film Festival events in March 2023 (A networking & feedback workshop with winning filmmakers on 3/16/23 from 11-12 PST and the Awards Ceremony on 3/23/23 from 11-Noon PST)
  
• Total estimated time commitment: 20 – 25 hours from January 2023 – March 2023

Interested? Please fill out this form.

ABOUT US:

Women’s Voices Now (WVN) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that uses film to drive positive social change that advances girls’ and women’s rights globally. 

We envision a global culture shift powered by impact film, in which communities and institutions believe in gender equality, and adapt their behaviors and actions to support systematic advancement of girls’ and women’s rights.

We do this by empowering filmmakers, producing social-change films, and engaging audience members to advance girls’ and women’s rights.

We carry out our mission with our WVN online Film Festival, a free online film collection (Voices for Change), and a youth development program through filmmaking (Girls’ Voices Now). Since 2017, WVN has held special consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Our work is internationally recognized as impacting six of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).