19th World of Women Film Festival 2013

Overview

What does it mean to see our world from a female perspective? This question is answered in myriad ways by the short films of both upcoming and established women filmmakers from all over the world, gathered together for the 19th WOW Film Festival.

Taking place over 10 days, the event's line-up promises an array of narrative moods, from the confessional to the humorous, as well as discussions (one with Margaret Pomeranz and Gillian Armstrong has already sold out). It's presented by nonprofit Women in Film and Television NSW, which supports women working in the screen industries.

The Festival opens with the Australian debut of Moeder, a documentary film by emerging director Roma Hope D'Arrietta. Splicing up original Super 8 scenes with contemporary footage, Moeder (Mother) recounts the vicissitudes of life as experienced by D'Arrietta's mother, Sacha de Vries, whose story spans post-war Europe to contemporary Australia. Sacha's own mother suicided, leaving Sacha at 14 to seek out a new life as an international model and stylist with a secret burden of grief. D'Arrietta's exploration of how this family history impacts on her own understanding of life makes for a poignant filmic experience. The festival's many other interesting films interpreting the world through a woman's eyes can be scoped out here.