In 2002 Jen McGowan gained a place to study in the MFA directing program at the University of Southern California. In 2004 she began production on her graduate thesis film, Confessions of a Late Bloomer.
Jen was honored with a grant from The Caucus Foundation for her work on Late Bloomer and well as a scholarship from Women in Film recognizing outstanding young female filmmakers.
Confessions of a Late Bloomer began its festival run at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival and is still screening at festivals worldwide. Some honors for the film include: Best Editing, Creative Excellence, Best Short Film, Best of the Fest and Best Student Film.
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June 29, 2010
I’m particularly excited about film festivals right now. If I’m honest, probably partially because we seem to be cleaning up, but also because I’m just generally having a blast.
So far this year, of the ones I’ve attended, I’ve found Florida, Breckenridge, Cannes and Palm Springs to be incredibly useful. I’ve met really cool people who also happen to work at WME, The NY Times, Huffington Post, Focus Features, Magnolia, Paramount and a ton of great independent producers and festival programmers. All people I am eager to share my work with and hopefully collaborate with at some point in my career. All people I did not know or have access to two months ago.
As everyone has heard a million times, this business is all about relationships. And I don’t mean in that smarmy “here’s my card” sort of a way. (Though absurdly you do still need business cards in this digital age.) What it means is that you could be the most talented filmmaker in the whole wide world, but this sport is a group effort and if you don’t have anyone to show your work to you’re most likely going to be stuck.
So although I may not have anything of interest for some of these people at the moment (but of course I do because I’m not one to let an opportunity pass), I’ve cleared the very important she’s-not-a-freak-I-can-take-her-email-test because I shook a hand, said hello and shared a drink. Or, as in most festival cases, shared a few.
Oh, and we were chosen as Best of the Fest at Palm Springs, Best Drama Short at Breckenridge and Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film at Florida so that doesn’t hurt either.
June 19, 2010
Well readers, last weekend TOUCH won Best Short Drama at the Breckenridge Film Festival and it was a blast. Unfortunately, I had to fly in Saturday morning and fly out Sunday afternoon but the short time I was there was well worth it.
It was a great festival in a lovely little town nestled into the mountains. Sunday morning it even snowed!
The reception to TOUCH was amazing and the other filmmakers I met there were a blast. I was so pleased I made the trip. The programmers chose really interesting films and I was not disappointed by anything I saw. Keep your eyes open for a fantastic feature called NORMAN. I think it’s the best thing I’ve seen this year. Just excellent.
This coming weekend TOUCH screens at Palm Springs so if you’re in the area please come and check it out. Sunday, June 27th, 11:30am in the When Strangers Meet program at The Camelot.
May 17, 2010
Writing to you jetlagged from a friend’s couch in England, I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running in Cannes later today. On the agenda is starting the search for a producer and about two million buckaroos for my feature, KELLY & CAL, watching TOUCH screen at the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase and just generally enjoying the sun, sea and sights while drinking wine and eating cheese.
If readers find themselves at Cannes please come check out TOUCH.
Thursday, May 20th at 4:30pm at the American Pavilion in the Roger Ebert Center or at your convenience at the Short Film Corner in the American Pavilion section.
April 19, 2010
I just returned to Los Angeles from the Florida Film Festival and I’ve come back its biggest fan. If you love independent film this is the place for you.I saw excellent documentaries (Exit Through the Gift Shop, The Lottery and Cleanflix) and wonderful shorts (Watermelon Man and On The Road to Tel Aviv). Unfortunately I missed the features because I didn’t stay long enough to enjoy everything the fest had to offer but I heard they were great.
This is a film festival run by film lovers and it can be felt everywhere. There’s great food, really fun parties and a very welcoming casual atmosphere. The audiences and other filmmakers were lovely to hang out with. The volunteers are the best! And the guests, speakers and judges are the real deal. I went to panel with Gena Rowlands and hung with Chris Gore, whose excellent books I’ve been using to navigate the festivals since before Withoutabox. So thank you Chris!
The only small downside is that some of the venues are a bit spread out (which cuts back severely on my drunken stumbling but maybe that’s not such and thing) but their quality makes up for the distance.
On top of it all I was very fortunate for my film TOUCH to have won the grand jury award for best short film. And since the Florida Film Festival is an Oscar qualifying fest we’re now one step closer to the very heavy naked gold man. It’s still a long road from here to there but every step counts and this one was especially fun.
I want to particularly recognize Matthew Curtis and Brian Quain who did a wonderful job making me feel welcome. Thank you so much!
Central Florida really has a gem in the Florida Film Festival and I hope to be back again very soon.
Filmmakers, they begin accepting submissions again in October. Put it on your list.
April 15, 2010
I am having a wonderful time at the fantastic Florida Film Festival. If readers are in the Orlando and Maitland, FL areas come down and check out the great films and excellent events.
My film, TOUCH, screens tonight at 9pm at the Regal Winter Park Village Cinema. And tomorrow I speak on a panel with Chris Gore (Film Threat, The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide) at 1:30pm at the same theater.
We’ve also been invited to screen at Cannes at the American Pavilion Emerging Filmmaker Showcase. We’ll screen there on Thursday, May 20th in the shorts program from 4:30pm - 6:30pm at the Roger Ebert Center. We’re very excited about this as only ten American films have been invited!
You can check out the trailer and upcoming screenings on the film website at http://www.touchthefilm.com.
