Dear Haleh,
We, the women and men from the staff and Jury of the Vegas Movie Awards™, have an important message for you.
We know well that this is something you don’t expect, especially from a Film Festival, where the focus is usually on products. Technically speaking, our Festival is a product too, as much as the films we are sent…but we never considered it that way.
We are growing our Festival like it’s our child, and just like a child, we want it to reflect much of our Vision and sensitivity, which is the hallmark we want to convey to our filmmakers, which entrust their “children” to us.
No matter where in the world you live, there is always a kind of lower opinion for everything a woman can do, and what she is actually able to accomplish. In any work environment, a woman has often to work twice as much as a man to ensure that her work is recognized, or at least taken into consideration.
And unfortunately, the movie business is no exception, actually.
As filmmakers ourselves, we are well aware of how damn difficult it is to create a product: from the idea, to the script, to the equipment, to find the right actors who must be able to pass a message in the most effective way. The countless hours of filming, the beautiful shots you are forced to cut, the editing to make to keep the viewer’s attention alive and active; the indescribable efforts you need to make to keep up the emotional state of the viewers, the one of the crew during the shooting and even your own, during those difficult days that seem to never end.
And despite all this enormous effort, the biggest obstacle, the last, the most stupid, but most decisive at times, is to make a product credible as a Woman Filmmaker.
We at Vegas Movie Awards™ believe that the sensitivity, creativity, and depth of a woman is an unparalleled resource. Women have the power to deal with certain themes in a unique and deeply felt way, often touching that very essence in the message to be spread that can hardly be highlighted.
For this reason, we are honored to receive products from Women Filmmakers, but we are even more honored to recognize their talent in a totally free and sincere way.
For us, the Best Woman Film Maker category does not have to be paid as an extra category, because it still implies that differentiation in the world of cinema we mentioned earlier. Instead, we want this to be our personal and unexpected gift to encourage you to always give the best of yourself even in this industry. And that together, we can slowly change that invisible rule so unfair to women.
For this reason, we are really excited to recognize you for the special prize of BEST WOMAN FILMMAKER – Award of Excellence, since your project touched us deeply for the unique care and sensitivity you put into it.
Congratulations, Haleh.
A sincere hug from Sergio, Anna, Ronnie, Jessica, Silvia, and all the women and men of the Vegas Movie Awards™.
VMA Team
Vegas Movie Awards™
Las Vegas, NV 89118