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Film festival celebrates achievements, struggles of women around the world

From right to left, Guinevere Turner, actress in Itty Bitty Titty Committee; Lisa Trasher, the film's producer; Lisa Gornick, a British filmmaker; and Florence Ayisi, a Cameroonian director, look up during a press conference announcing the 14th annual Women Make Waves Film Festival in Taipei. PHOTO: CNA

Taiwanese women filmmakers should strive to be honest and daring in their films rather than worry about box office sales, said British filmmaker Lisa Gornick last night, who was in the country to take part in the 14th annual Women Make Waves Film Festival.

Gornick advised aspiring Taiwanese female filmmakers to make low-budget films so they could afford to "learn from their mistakes."

She said that the proliferation of low-quality television shows could be considered a "blessing in disguise" as that meant viewers were not "fussy" about what they watch or expect a masterpiece every time they turn on the TV or go to the cinema.

The undemanding nature of the audience allows filmmakers to have room to make mistakes, she said.

"My recommendation to young female filmmakers in Taiwan is not to worry about spending a lot of money on making the movie. Rather, place more emphasis on saying what you really want to say and be very honest. Voice your opinions and be as daring as possible," she said.

Gornick was one of six women filmmakers at yesterday's press conference to start the festival, which will run until next Sunday. Her film, Tick Tock Lullaby is a wry comedy that discusses the issue of lesbian pregnancies.

Festival director Sophie Lin (林書怡) shared Gornick's views, saying that the biggest hurdle facing local films on women was not a lack of talent or materials, or whether the audience was ready to accept films dealing with taboo topics, but rather a lack of funding.

"It is not a matter of audience acceptance, but rather if the audience is informed about the festival," Lin said.

With the "if you build it, they will come" mentality, Lin was confident festival goers would not be disappointed with this year's selections.

The theme of this year's festival, "Global Women in Action," is a celebration of all the struggles and achievements women around the world have undertaken to sustain and promote female consciousness.

One film in particular, Zanzibar Soccer Queen,directed by Cameroon native Florence Ayisi, is a documentary featuring a female Muslim soccer team, Women Fighter, in the east African country. The film, she said, shows the power of African women and helps them break free of the stereotypical view of African, and especially Muslim, women as being silent and submissive.
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