New women’s film festival hopes to WOW

Sisters are screening films for themselves.

But don’t worry, fellas, you’re allowed to tag along, too. The new Women of the West Film Festival (WOW Fest for short) will be held at downtown Modesto’s State Theatre on Sept. 11. The event was the brainchild of State Theatre Executive Director Sue Richardson, who wanted to bring together the region’s women.

The inaugural all-ages event will screen a feature film and show a lineup of award-winning shorts and other videos by and about women. Richardson said the event is meant to inform and inspire.

“It’s about engagement and empowerment and lifting each other up, that’s really what this is about,” Richardson said. “We want to give people strong images and powerful images, and there’s not a more powerful medium than film to convey those things. There’s nobody running away from a monster in 6-inch heels in these films. There’s no romances. This is all about who we are and what we accomplish – in some instances under extraordinary circumstances, and in others on a day-to-day basis.”

The festival is bringing in the subject of the Oscar-winning short documentary “Inocente,” about a homeless, undocumented teenage girl living on the streets of San Diego with dreams of becoming an artist, to speak. Now 21, Inocente Izucar works as an artist and will introduce her documentary and then lead a question-and-answer session afterward.

The feature presentation will be the documentary “She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry,” about the women who founded the modern women’s rights movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Also screening will be the SXSW Film Festival Jury Award-winning documentary “Boxeadora,” about a young Cuban woman who defies her country’s ban on female boxing to pursue her Olympic dreams. A short film about the women who invented the world’s first “invisible” bicycle helmet and a music video by Colbie Caillat also will be shown. Valley’s Got Talent-winning singer-songwriter Francesca Bavaro will perform during the festival.

“What I hope for audience goers is the opportunity to support and promote women’s voices both on screen and off screen,” said festival committee member Ruhi Sheikh, who also is on the board of the Stanislaus County Commission of Women. “I would love to start a conversation about women’s issues and help women connect and network with each other. … I’m hoping the festival is the start of many events in celebration of women.”

Richardson started working on the festival about a year ago. She pulled together several local women who are leaders and active in the community to brainstorm ideas. The final committee included Richardson, Sheikh, State projectionist Ashton Towne and Modesto businesswoman and Stanislaus County Commission of Women board member Marian Martino.

The State is funding the festival with some help from community donations. An anonymous donor provided the money to bring Izucar to the festival. Richardson said in coming years, she plans to have the festival accept submissions for screening.

“We really hope that women will bring their mothers and daughters and sisters and friends,” she said. “There are not too many things you can do where it’s all about women. This is a first in the Valley.”

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 9:41 AM with the headline "New women’s film festival hopes to WOW."