A&E

The Nevada Women’s Film Festival makes its mark in its third year

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Filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour.
Richard Faverty

Any film festival that perseveres into its third year has to be doing something right, and this year’s third annual Nevada Women’s Film Festival proved that the organizers know how to put together an engaging and smartly curated event. From its high-profile centerpiece guest (filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour) to its showcases of low-budget short films, the festival celebrated the accomplishments of women in film and offered up a welcoming platform for them to share their art.

Held mostly at the Big Springs Theater at the Springs Preserve (following an opening-night panel discussion and screening of local feature The Track at Eclipse Theaters downtown), the festival had a low-key vibe, and turnout varied at the programs I attended on Saturday and Sunday, from a sparse 10-15 people on Saturday afternoon to a nearly packed house to watch Amirpour’s acclaimed 2014 vampire movie A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night before her spotlight discussion. With its large curved screen and comfortable seats, the Big Springs Theater is an underused venue for film events, although it’s a bit hard to find tucked away toward the back of the park.

The programming was hit-and-miss, as is to be expected for a festival that’s still finding its footing, but the presentation was strong, and the focus on community meant that the filmmakers in attendance got a chance to shine. During her nearly 90-minute discussion and Q&A, Amirpour delved into her writing process (which involves periodic trips to Vegas to shut out distractions and focus on work) and her creative philosophy, which draws heavily from Doc Brown in the Back to the Future movies, and she was patient with the typically long-winded and self-serving questions that come from film-festival attendees. Although A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night premiered at Sundance three years ago and is currently available on various home-video platforms, it was still exciting to see its gorgeous black-and-white cinematography and meticulous shot composition on a big screen.

Of the local shorts I got to see, the standout was Kathrina Bognot’s “Get Wed Soon,” a cute, fantastical take on familial pressure to find a mate. Other shorts and features ranged from mediocre to amateurish, but all were produced with passion, as was the festival. Now that it’s passed the three-year mark, let’s hope it’s here to stay.

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