A nonprofit organization “founded and led by women and gender-expansive filmmakers from the U.S.-Mexico border” will celebrate its 10th anniversary this weekend with a film festival showcasing a wide array of works.
Femme Frontera Film Festival will feature a variety of films, panel discussions, workshops and even a comedy set from Thursday, June 11, through Sunday, June 14, at the Mexican American Cultural Center and the Plaza Theatre in Downtown El Paso.
“I’m super excited for the fellows that we have coming in, and all the folks in the showcase, local filmmakers, and being able to hear their stories and see how their career grows from Femme Frontera,” said Valeria Contreras, a film producer, writer and director. Her film, “Homesick,” screened as part of the 2022 Femme Frontera Showcase before going on to film festivals globally. The short film centers around two lovers who are separated by a global pandemic and the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Because I feel Femme Frontera really is sort of this first step in launching a future in film,” Contreras said.
Attending the film festival offers El Pasoans a chance to see emerging talent from the region and beyond, and to uplift their work, said Jackie Iyari Barragan, a filmmaker who lives in Las Cruces and serves as co-director of Femme Frontera.
“Coming to our film festival, and experiencing it firsthand, and seeing the magic that’s created, and the stories that are being shared – I really felt this need for community to come together physically and in person,” Barragan said.
The events for the Femme Frontera Film Festival are free, but organizers encourage attendees to reserve tickets.
One of the highlights of the festival is Saturday’s 10th annual Showcase Premiere, featuring short films by emerging filmmakers from El Paso, the Cherokee Nation, New Zealand, Austin, Bolivia and Peru.
Audience support is a boost to emerging filmmakers, Contreras said
“That’s the beautiful thing of just having that experience with your family and community. It’s the first step in validating that you have the potential to do this at all,” she said.
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