Aussie agencies partner with For Film’s Sake Festival to address industry gender imbalance

For Film’s Sake has thrown down the gauntlet to agencies to put their money where their mouth is and create a festival sting trailer using an all-female creative team.

Formerly WOW Film Festival, FFS is the longest running female film festival in Australia, championing works by female filmmakers. Not limited to film content, the festival spans digital art, media, commercial, tech, gaming as well as narrative and factual.

Encourage by the work of The Agency Circle, FFS has launched the Advertise This initiative, that will see a host of agencies, including Saatchi & Saatchi and GPY&R Sydney, showcase the work of their female creatives.

The trailers will be played at EVENT Cinemas George St in the lead up to the Festival and in installations throughout small bars in Sydney’s CBD.

Saatchi & Saatchi were quick to jump on board.

Says Kate Smither, chief strategy officer, Saatchi & Saatchi Australia: “We believe that creativity shouldn’t be limited by gender. That’s why we’re proud to work with FFS and help them showcase the talented women working across all areas of film.”

Says Sasha Firth, managing director at GPY&R Sydney: “What a fantastic opportunity to work with FFS in supporting gender equality across all areas of media. It’s impossible to ignore the global climate around the issue. The time is ripe for change and we’re excited to be a part of it.”

Says Bronte Jovevski, the Festival’s initiatives manager: “The response has been really heartening. We’re thrilled to provide a platform for agencies to be action oriented in the dialogue on gender parity – there is clearly a desire to stop talking and get to work improving diverse representation in the industry.”

FFS Festival director, Sophie Mathisen, believes that the link between commercial production and the film festival space is a no-brainer.

Says Mathisen: “A Festival generates not only exhibition opportunities for filmmakers but a significant amount of native content as well. Understanding the huge disparity between male and female employment in current commercial production, it just made sense to connect the dots.”

For Film’s Sake will run from April 26th – 30th in a range of venues throughout Sydney’s CBD.

For more information on Advertise This, contact Bronte Jovevski at bronte@forfilmssake.org or visit the website: www.forfilmssake.org.