Welcome to the Through Women's Eyes International Film Festival in beautiful Sarasota, Florida! Our next festival is March 9-13, 2023. Now in our 24th year, we are a mission-driven festival, dedicated to showcasing women filmmakers and films that address issues inadequately represented in mainstream media. We are an international festival with significant numbers of films from all over the world.

We frequently select films that go on to commercial success (RBG), publicize the work of voices that need to be heard (Nobel Winner Nadia Murad, On Her Shoulders), and remind the world about issues that need more attention (SEWA, violence as an act of war in the DRC featuring Nobel Winner Dennis Mukwege).

In 2021, TWE successfully launched on a virtual platform, permitting our most successful festival ever. Our audience expanded to viewers from 33 US states and 12 countries.

PLEASE READ OUR SUBMISSION CRITERIA WITH CARE

We actively seek films that showcase important social themes and current events, films that reflect the LGBTQ+ experience, films reflecting the full diversity of global women, and films that show efforts to bring about gender equality. We welcome films from any country. All of our films must be entertaining and, if there's some humor, that never hurts!

We want films which are:

- made by cisgender and non binary (inclusive) filmmakers (on any topic); or
- focus on issues of particular interest to women (by any filmmaker); or
- focus on women's stories and lives (by any filmmaker).

In 2023, we will show our films virtually, with the opportunity for worldwide audiences, and include some in-person events in our hometown of Sarasota, Florida. We strongly encourage selected filmmakers to attend TWE; it is a great opportunity to publicize the film, answer questions from the audience, and participate in our receptions and panel discussions with other filmmakers. We have a very engaged base of supporters who host filmmakers and appreciate the entire weekend.

TWE is all-volunteer production of the non-profit UN Women USA Gulf Coast. All net festival proceeds support the work of UN Women, the premier agency working for gender equality and women's empowerment in over 90 countries.

Awards & Prizes

Awards will be selected for:

Best Feature
Best Narrative Short
Best Documentary Short
Best Emerging Filmmaker
TWE Team Choice

(Awards subject to change.)

Rules & Terms

1. All films must be in English OR contain English subtitles. All subtitles must be clearly within the visible frame.

2. All film genres are accepted.

3. Emerging Filmmaker category: Emerging FIlmmakers must be enrolled in an accredited film school OR be under age 30 at the time of submission. Documentation proving one of these is required.

4. Films must have been completed AFTER December 1, 2022. All film submissions will be reviewed by 2 - 3 screeners; high-scoring films will then be reviewed by our advisory panel and referred to a final selection committee.

5. If selected, TWE has the right to use stills, posters, titles, or any information from the submission for promotional purposes.

6. Films that are publicly available prior to our festival, either in theatrical release or through electronic or digital media, or DVD sales, will not be selected. The only exceptions are showings in recognized film festivals; there are NO OTHER EXCEPTIONS.

7. EXHIBITION COPY OF ALL FILMS ACCEPTED BY TWE MUST BE IN DCP FORMAT ONLY. DCPs are accepted ONLY by upload to our digital partner. THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS EXHIBITION FORMAT. All details will be provided to accepted filmmakers.

25 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Vrushali Telang

    Fantastic Festival. It was an honour and privilege to showcase BENA at TWEIFT

    April 2022
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  • Holly Morris

    This is a great fest, simple, to the point, and very powerful audience. We received excellent audience feedback and testimonials!

    April 2022
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  • Bolu Adewale

    It was a great experience. I was glad that my film was selected for this film festival.

    March 2022
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  • JC B

    It was an honor and a great experience to be part of the festival,
    thank you to the great staff of Through Women's Eyes.
    HER Documentary

    March 2022
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  • Andrea Odezynska

    Through Women's Eyes International Film Festival has a purpose. It raises money for the United Nations Women's Fund. I'm very proud my film, "Return Sasyk to the Sea" could be a part of a fund which helps women around the world. The staff of this festival are energetic and welcoming. They do good in the world!

    March 2022
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