LIGHTS, FASHION, ACTION!
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
New York City is in for a thrilling surprise as the month of June brings with it a very important event highlighting outstanding women in fashion, entertainment and media for the world to admire in awe.
It is a uniquely creative film festival and a conference with stimulating panel discussions. On June 8th and 9th, 2013, all eyes will be focused on The Scandinavia House located at 58 Park Avenue in the heart of Manhattan as it hosts the inaugural Women & Fashion FilmFest .
Fashion enthusiasts who choose to attend will be enchanted by 14 film screenings, 6 panel discussions and a Q&A session over a two-day period. Through this event comes a greater sense of community, the examination of issues affecting women and in turn fostering social responsibility, a platform to feed creativity, the recognition of those leaders in fashion and entertainment and media that have contributed immensely and the largest goal of all, building a higher level of global awareness.
It all begins with ‘Girl Model’, a documentary by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin. It is the touching story of a model scout and one of her discoveries. We are led into a far different world of beauty built on promises where sometimes it isn’t hard to get caught up in the maze. Other films that you can look forward to seeing are About Face: Supermodels, Then & Now by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Ralph Rucci: A Designer and his House, by David Boatman, and Sexy Baby by Jill Bauer and Ronna Gradus. Short films include Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin’s Lady Gaga series and Stuart Weitzman’s Walking After Midnight starring Petra Nemcova and directed by James Franco.
These brilliant filmmakers go deeper into the world of fashion, beauty and entertainment. It is an awakening of sorts and each film conveys a powerful message to its audience. Day 1 begins with a panel discussion – ‘Modeling: Safeguarding Our Girls’ with top experts in the field leading the session (Harriette Cole, Rachel Blais, Sara Ziff, Sandi Bass, Maria McDonald, Loris Diran and Corinne Nicholas). Other provocative discussions that take place over the two day event are:
- Defining Beauty – The Role of Fashion & Media & the Impact on Women of All Ages
- Social Media: Are We Harming Our Girls?
- Women and the Business of Fashion: The Philosophy of Dressing a Woman
- Women and the Business of Entertainment: The Challenges of Projecting Women on Screen
- The Art & Business of Fashion Filmmaking: A Discussion with David Boatman
Students are given an opportunity to showcase their work through fashion shorts and in between the action, this is the perfect setting to take advantage of networking.
Some of the most respected women in the business serve on the committees and have been taking part in the preparation to ensure success for this newest event. The names are highly recognized: Patricia Field is one of the hottest film and television costume designers of our day. Cornelia Guest is a recent winner of the Rising Star Award for Best Accessories by Fashion Group International. Supermodel Coco Rocha is more than just a pretty face. She is a philanthropist and role model to many. Yeohlee is Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Award Recipient for Fashion Design.
A giant supporter who has been doing his part as well is Zac Posen, one of the finest designers with a large celebrity following.
Advisor to the festival is fashion favorite, Andre Leon Talley. He is a regular on television and in the film industry and his name has been synonymous with style over the years.
Women & Fashion FilmFest has picked the best in the business, from nations around the globe, to kick off this electrifying event and hopefully make it an annual film festival of fashion for the City of New York to look forward to each year. It isn’t too late to get your tickets and become a part of this weekend of cultural adrenaline.
PHOTO CREDITS: Women Fashion FilmFest Facebook page
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