International Film Festival celebrates diversity in film

NEW YORK - Jan. 15, 2018 - PRLog -- Winter Film Awards Is New York City.  Like the city itself, we showcase the eclectic diversity and excitement of the independent arts world. Winter Film Awards is proudly one of the Top 10 Best Reviewed Festivals on FilmFreeway.

The rapidly growing Winter Film Awards International Film Festival, now in its seventh year, is a dynamic and exciting event in the heart of the City.  Winter Film Awards showcases films from emerging filmmakers from around the world in all genres with a special emphasis on highlighting the work of women and under-represented filmmakers.

The 2018 Festival runs February 22 - March 3. Among the 93 Official Selections to be screened at Cinema Village in the heart of Greenwich Village (22 East 12th Street, New York, NY 10003), is a diverse mixture of 13 Animated films, 13 Documentaries, 10 Feature narratives, 8 Horror films, 9 Music Videos, 31 Narrative shorts and 7 Web series, including 21 student films and 32 first-time filmmakers.  Filmmakers come from 31 countries; 40% of the films were created by women, 43% were created by people of color.  Visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com for schedules, tickets and details!

Opening night for the 2018 Festival will take place February 22 2018 8-11PM (7PM for Filmmakers and Media) with a filmmaker's reception and kick-off party.

The festivities continue February 23-March 2 with jam-packed days of film screenings, discussion panels, networking events and after-parties at local clubs.

Tuesday February 27 is a daylong celebration of women in film, including an afternoon matinee of shorts by women, a discussion panel featuring industry leaders followed by an evening double feature of films directed by women.

The festival will come to a close on the evening of March 3^rd with a glittering Awards Ceremony Gala Red Carpet and After-Party at Highline Ballroom (431 W 16th St, New York, NY 10011), featuring live performances and appearances from NYC local filmmakers and industry veterans.

DISCUSSION PANELS/WORKSHOPS
Discussion Panels and workshops are free and open to the public.

• Feb 26: Sustainable Filmmaking for Indie Filmmakers, with EarthAngel
• Feb 27: Resources for Women Filmmakers, with NYU Women's Initiative, NYWIFT, WIM, Cinematcher and more!
• Feb 28: All About Distribution for Indie Filmmakers, with Bidslate, IndiePix and PassionRiver
• Mar 1: Production 101 for Indie Filmmakers
• Mar 2: Camera Hacks for the Frugal Filmmaker, with Cinematographer Steven DeCastro
• … and more!

Festival Founder George Isaacs says "Emerging filmmakers are so often ignored in favor of big budget generic action films, and filmmakers with limited budgets and lack of connections can be easily overlooked. Diverse, exciting low budget films are created all over the world; it is critical for local film festivals to showcase them. WFA's location in the center of the action provides our filmmakers with a dazzling chance to begin their careers in the film industry."

ABOUT WINTER FILM AWARDS
Winter Film Awards is an all volunteer, minority- and women-owned registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 2011 in New York City by a group of filmmakers and enthusiasts.  The program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

For more information about Winter Film Awards events and sponsors, visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com.
For more information about the Winter Film Awards judging process, visit our FAQ (https://winterfilmawards.com/about_us/winter-film-awards-...).
For more information about last year's Festival, including Press Information, visit our 2017 Festival page (https://winterfilmawards.com/wfa2017/).

CORPORATE & LOCAL SUPPORT
Winter Film Awards seeks long-term partnerships and we are proud that the organizations we work with benefit from our audiences and promotions throughout the year. We encourage close collaboration to ensure the continued growth for all involved. We work with local schools, small and large businesses, cultural organizations and a variety of media organizations ranging from emerging local groups to global brands.

Corporate and local support of Winter Film Awards plays an critical role in the life of the Festival and underscores WFA's commitment to quality, adventure and diversity in the art of cinema. WFA is privileged to continue our collaborations with  Aftab Committee for Iranian-American Artists, Big Apple Con, Cinema Village, Cinematcher, Cyberlink, Eventcombo, FearsMag, Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo P.C., Gracelynn Collection, IndiePix Films, Ink Tip, Jungle Software, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts (NYSCA), PS Print, Spotlight Cinema Networks, Variety 411, Yelp and Zacuto.

WFA is delighted to welcome new partners  BackPack Wines, Bidslate, Boom Library, Brooklyn Fireproof, Earth Angel Sustainable Production Services, LLC, Final Draft, Inc, Goodie Girl Cookies, Ground Control, Home Advisor, Human Hotel, iPitch.tv, Kryolan, Luxli, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Passion River Films, Platypod, Rosco Laboratories Inc., SmartSound, Sonic Library, SoundStripe, Studio School LA and Vegas Creative Software.