Welcome to the Through Women's Eyes International Film Festival in beautiful Sarasota, Florida! Our next festival is March 7-14, 2024. For our 25th Anniversary, we will be showcasing a wide range of films about gender equality, 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, our festival successfully launched on a virtual platform, permitting our most successful festival ever. Our audience expanded to viewers from 33 US states and 12 countries. In 2023, we will continue our virtual platform, permitting a global audience, coupled with significant in-person events in Sarasota, Florida, USA.

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 anyone identifying as female or non-binary; film can be on any topic; or
- made by any filmmaker; film must focus on issues of particular interest to women; or
- made by any filmmaker; film must focus on women's stories and lives.

We strongly encourage selected filmmakers to attend our in-person festival; 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.

This festival is all-volunteer production of the non-profit women's rights and advocacy organization, Through Women's Eyes.

Awards will be selected for:

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

Add prizes and exposure. (Awards subject to change.)

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: to be eligible for the Emerging Filmmaker category, the producer or director must be either under the age of 30 OR enrolled in an accredited film school at the time of submission. Documentation proving one of these criteria is required at the time of submission. For example, submission of a valid government ID or a student card/transcript. Please send documentation to team.throughwomenseyes@gmail.com. If this is your “first” film and you are NOT under 30 or enrolled in an accredited film school, please do not submit in the Emerging Filmmaker category. Your film will not be considered and your submission fee will not be refunded. Please submit in the main festival.

4. Films must have been completed AFTER December 1, 2022. All film submissions will be reviewed initially 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 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.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Brilliant festival! Thank you for selecting HAVEN along with such other fantastic films!

    March 2023
  • Evan Horan

    We're so thrilled to have had our film be part of this wonderful festival, led by an incredibly passionate and organised team.

    March 2023
  • Vrushali Telang

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

    April 2022
  • Holly Morris

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

    April 2022
  • Bolu Adewale

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

    March 2022