Herland Film and Video Festival Closing

Due to the effects of funding cutbacks, it looks like the Herland Film and Video Festival had its last showing this year according to the Calgary Herald:

I'm very disappointed," says festival board member Tamrin Hildebrant, 33.

"Herland is the only film festival in Calgary that really focuses on films by women. We focus on topics that aren't covered in other film festivals."

For 17 years, Herland has provided a home to films that covered a range feminist-related topics not typically seen in the mainstream. From films about queer culture to movies by and for aboriginal women, women of colour and women with disabilities, the festival has hosted hundreds of independent movies throughout the years.

It began in 1989 when the Calgary Status of Women Action Committee, a feminist collective, joined with the Women of Colour Collective to host a film-focused fundraiser. Building up its audience throughout the years, the festival peaked in 2003-04 with an audience of about 1,700. The next year, however, the audience fell to 1,000."

Though I missed posting about this last month, it's still important to note the effects that government funding cutbacks have on smaller organizations.

You can read the full article at the link above.