High Falls Film Festival
The High Falls Film Festival, founded in 2001, is a film festival that focuses on celebrating women in film. The festival is inspired by Rochester, New York's legacy in nitrate film and the women’s rights movement. High Falls Film Festival presents multiple features, documentaries, and shorts, including a children's program and student-filmmaker program. The festival includes emerging and established female talent, with past guests including actresses Kerry Washington, Christine Lahti, Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Candice Bergen, Joan Allen, Famke Janssen, and CCH Pounder, and voice-over actress Nancy Cartwright. The festival is held in Rochester's East End entertainment district. The festival aligned with the Rochester International Film Festival in 2007 and with George Eastman House in 2009 under the name George Eastman House 360 | 365 Film Festival. The festival took a hiatus in 2012 and returned in 2013. In 2021, the organization changed format from an annual event to a monthly series at Rochester's Little Theatre. The Susan B. Anthony "Failure is Impossible" Award Honors a woman in the film industry who has persevered in her career and triumphed over difficulties. 2001: Pam Grier, actress 2002: Lainie Kazan, actress 2003: Candice Bergen, actress 2004: Sally Kellerman, actress 2005: Angela Bassett, actress 2006: Agnieszka Holland, director 2008: Rita Moreno, actress 2009: Lynn Redgrave and C.C.H. Pounder, actresses 2010: Thelma Schoonmaker, editor 2011: Julie Taymor, filmmaker 2017: Nancy Schreiber, cinematographer The Golden Lens Award for CinematographyHonors a person who has made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of cinematography. 2011: Buddy Squires The Rochester Film Legacy AwardHonors a filmmaker or film supporter based in the Rochester area whose passion and dedication embodies Rochester’s proud film legacy. 2011: Brock Yates 2015: Marilyn O'Connor 2016: June Foster The Faith Hubley "Web of Life" AwardNamed after its first recipient, honors a woman who understands the power of art in connecting with an audience and in making the world a better place. 2001: Faith Hubley, animator 2002: Nancy Cartwright, voice actor 2003: Jeannie Epper, stuntwoman 2004: Mira Nair, filmmaker 2005: Jane Alexander, actor The Elizabeth Cady Stanton "Thorn in the Side" AwardHonors women who exemplify the collaborative nature of film and video. The award is named in honor of Stanton, who said: "If there is one part of my life which gives me more intense satisfaction than another, it is my friendship with Susan B. Anthony... we have indeed been thorns in the side of each other..." 2006: Stella Pence, (retired) Co-Director, Telluride Film Festival 2008: Estela Bravo, director 2009: Debra Zimmerman Audience Choice AwardeesFestival audiences chose Best Feature, Best Documentary and Best Short. Past Audience Award winners include: 2001 Best Feature: No Man's Land Runner-Up: Fast Runner Best Documentary: Southern Comfort Runner-Up: Endurance 2002 Best Feature: Nowhere In Africa Runner-Up: Frida Best Documentary: Blue Vinyl Runner-Up: Sister Helen 2003 Best Feature: In America Best Documentary: My Architect 2004 Best Feature: Dear Frankie Best Documentary: Born Into Brothels 2005 Best Feature: The World's Fastest Indian Best Documentary: Christa Mcauliffe: Reach For The Stars Best Short: A Life To Live 2006 Best Feature: The Lives Of Others Best Documentary: American Blackout Best Short: Sintonia 2008 Best Feature: Phoebe in Wonderland Best Documentary: Autism: The Musical 2009 Best Feature: Skin Best Documentary: Signs Of The Time Best Short: Julie, Julie 2010 Best Feature: Welcome Best Documentary: Waiting For "Superman" 2011 Best Feature: The First Grader 2016 Best Feature: Sugar! Best Documentary: My Love Affair With The Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond 2015 Best Feature: The Lennon Report Best Documentary: Yemeniettes 2011 Best Documentary: Bill Cunningham New York Best Short: Shoegazer List of women's film festivals Official site Former official site at archive.org