Presse Release

Tübingen, 21st of November 2003

The third TERRE DES FEMMES film festival „Insights into Women’s Worlds“ from 13th to 19th November 2003 offered a larger, more versatile and inspiring programme than the previous years’ festivals – most positive responses by audience, experts, and guest directors.

With 10 guest directors TERRE DES FEMMES literally celebrated its third film festival. About 3000 viewers – 50 per cent more than last year – watched 35 films from 24 countries. “Thus the film festival in Tübingen and the smaller TERRE DES FEMMES film days, which took place under the title “Women’s Worlds” in several German cities in 2003, altogether attracted an audience of approximately 5000 people. A great number for a two year old festival”, says festival co-ordinator Irene Jung delightedly.

However, the festival’s success is not only due to the large audience. In addition to the film screenings an interesting programme of various cultural activities had been offered: photo exhibitions on women from Ghana and Afghanistan, concerts during the opening party and the premiere party, a round table talk with seven directors on the topic “Women’s rights in regions of conflict – a cineastic view”, and the premiere of the film “Silent Waters” by Sabiha Sumar, which was recently awarded the Golden Leopard in Locarno. Viewers and guests especially praised the festival’s good and inspiring atmosphere.

“It was an extraordinary experience to have such diverse conversations with guests from three continents – from Israel, India, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. These took place both within the movie theatres, together with the audience, as well as outside, or during the round table talk. And the guest directors really enjoyed our festival and felt good here”, Irene Jung adds. “We want to consolidate this success next year. But that does not mean more film screenings and more Tübingen cinemas involved in the festival, but rather a qualitative improvement. A quantitative extension is rather planned with regard to the film days “Women’s Worlds” outside Tübingen. That’s a motivating challenge.”

Now preparations start for the tour of a Mexican human rights activist to several German and Austrian cities in March 2004, where she will visit the film days “Women’s Worlds” and present a film there. This will support TERRE DES FEMMES’ current campaign for the social rights of women textile workers.

“Moreover, the end of our festival directly passes into our co-operation with the International Film Festival of Havanna, Cuba, which will start at the beginning of December. We will participate and co-operate in a retrospective of films made by women and in an international conference of women film-makers, in which those will discuss their perspectives as directors. The results of this meeting will add to the next round table talk, which is planned for the fourth TERRE DES FEMMES film festival in Tübingen in November 2004.”

TERRE DES FEMMES e.V., Konrad-Adenauer-Str. 40, 72072 Tübingen

You can obtain further information on the film festival by e-mail: filmfest@frauenrechte.de