BACKGROUND TO THE FESTIVAL

The International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF) has been described as the most important festival in Zimbabwe by The Namibian Weekender. IIFF was founded in 2002 by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe in response to the proliferation of beauty contests at that time. Each year, a selection of films is featured to interrogate debate and celebrate the resilience of women against many odds and nevertheless their contribution to society and history. This year, the festival will take place on November 23 to December 1 in Harare, December 6 in Bulawayo, December 7 in Gwanda and December 13-14 in Binga.

INTERNATIONAL IMAGES FILM FESTIVAL FOR WOMEN 2012

The theme for 2012 is WOMEN ALIVE. The theme portrays among other things, the agency of women in society and the ways in which women survive under and inspirationally rise above the most brutally repressive and poverty stricken conditions. The theme celebrates women's agency in transition and recognises the positive, peace-building change that individual women can bring to their homes, communities and nations. The theme engages with the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal (MDG) number 3, promoting gender equality and empowering women, in relation to all the other MDGs.

Questions to be considered under this theme are if indeed the rhetoric of investing in women has been turned into real advancement of women in society or just a promise that remains on paper. Also considered is the threats from all kinds of violence from domestic to militaristic and how women overcome these threats in order to stay alive themselves, and to keep others alive in the home, the workplace, the public space and the world.

While the film should have all the attributes of good cinema, including good production values and entertainment value, it should also show some analysis of the woman or women featured. Production date is irrelevant, but the film must have a woman in lead role.
Ideally the film should be witty and humorous, featuring women who are not afraid to push boundaries in their quests, women who embrace the principles of extreme leadership.

FORMATS
35 millimetre feature films are automatically admitted into the main competition. This is because technical faults frequently occur with DVDs. DVD and tape features, shorts and documentaries, are also programmed in other categories.

PUBLICITY
To raise the profile of your entry in the festival catalogue please supply us with an electronic press kit and stills sent to the festival office email address below. Please assist the smooth functioning of the festival by giving the required information by the September 30 deadline. Deadline for confirming film entries is August 31, 2012

PARTICIPATION
Please fill in the application form and return it to the Festival Director whose details are below.

Please send enquiries to:
Yvonne Jila, The Festival Director, IIFF, Box BW 1550, Borrowdale, Harare.
Tel: 00263 4 862355, Cell: 0775 553 273, email: wfoz@icapatrust.org

Issued by Yvonne Jila