One of the most professional and carefully executed festivals. I was treated like Hollywood royalty. The founder/director of festival Bill Volland was so kind and treated everyone with exceptional southern hospitality. Thank you HSIWFF for a memorable experience. I will definitely be submitting/attending next year!
Alicia Hayes
Filmmaker
Karen and I really enjoyed our visit - and thought you did such a nice job of selecting films and were so kind.
We were very glad to attend - and thank you for the honor of this award.
Best Regards, Becky Smith
Professor UCLA MFA directing program. Member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
It was an honor to be the Keynote speaker and then unexpected recipient of Best Documentary Feature at the inaugural Hot Springs International Film Women’s Film Festival. With all of the other festivals out there, it would seem a fool’s folly to want to start a festival, but the need and desire for such a festival was apparent in this history-filled little town. So many classic genre films such as the gangster and baseball movies have scenes taken from the pages of Hot Springs history. The Central Theater is as much a museum of film history as it is a movie theater. Even on display across the street from the theater was the crane Hitchcock used in many of his films. It's a destination for a movie fan and thrill to feel connected to it all as a filmmaker. As this festival grows in prominence, I hope it will retain the personal and intimate feel of someplace special.
Sandra Luckow
Professor of documentary and narrative film production at Yale University, School of Art, Barnard College, and Columbia University.
The mission of HOT SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL is visionary! We’re deeply inspired by what Festival Director, Bill Volland, and the whole HSWIFF team have built / are continuing to build: an innovative space for Indie films and female filmmakers. They curate a slate of diverse pictures from all over the world. HSWIFF doesn’t go for uninteresting, cookie-cutter fare. They champion unique, cutting edge, revolutionary, out-of-the-box movies of all genres. They highlight underserved and underrepresented voices…. The festival addresses the inequality in the film Industry.
We applied because we felt it would be a perfect fit for our project. We loved the mission statement and philosophy of highlighting movies, which have been either directed, produced, edited, shot by, or include a cast driven by women.
Every event was crafted and carried out with care. The communication prior, during and after the festival was stellar!
HOT SPRINGS WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL builds community. Meeting fellow filmmakers and seeing their work was inspiring, enlightening and so much fun!
We are so honored that A PLACE AMONG THE DEAD took home the trophy for BEST FEATURE - FIRST TIME FILMMAKER.
Festival Director, Bill is a passionate cinephile. He utilizes his experience in the Industry and his knowledge as an International Award-Winning Producer, who worked in many departments in TV and Motion Pictures, to make the festival something truly special. We had the best time and cannot recommend this festival enough! Filmmakers apply!
Juliet Landau
Director Producer / Actress
Drusilla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer
You can find more reviews at film freeway
HSWFF 2023 Awards
Best Feature Film (Fiction)
"The Sisters Karras"
Director Micah Stathis
Producer Clare Louise Frost
United States
Best Feature Film (Documentary)
"Bella"
Bridget Murane Director/Producer
United States
Best Short Film (Fiction)
“Fetish”
Rhian Williams, Director
Jennifer Zhang, Jo Podmore Producers
United States
Best Short Film (Documentary)
"You Arrive"
Mark A Krupa Director
Bonnie Harnden Producer
Canada
Best Student Film
"Backlog"
Jacqueline Elyse Rosenthal Director
Maron Cook, Josh Powell, Robert Wang
Producers
United States
Best First Time Filmmaker
"At your Cervix"
A'Magine Director
Renee Bergan Writer
Lynn Ballantyne, Stephanie Dawson, Julie Carlson Producers
United States
Joey Lauren Adams
JLA award for Best Arkansas Made Film
"First River"
Michelle West, Director
Guy Giaimo-McClung, Producer
United States
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HSWFF 2022 AWARD WINNERS
BEST FEATURE FILM - YOU RESEMBLE ME
BEST FEATURE FILM FIRST TIME FILMMAKER - A PLACE AMOUNG THE DEAD
BEST FEATURE COMEDY - MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY - HOT MONEY
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY - THIS MORTAL PLASTIC
BEST SHORT - TIME IS ETERNAL
BEST STUDENT SHORT- DON’T LET GO
BEST ARKANSAS MADE - PATIENT JUSTICE
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HSWFF 2021 AWARD WINNERS
“ANGIE: LOST GIRLS”
Best Feature Film
Julia Verdin Director
Julia Verdin Writer
Janet Odogwu Butters Writer
Julia Verdin Producer
Sean Michael Acosta Producer
Jason Piette Producer
Cady McClain Producer
Morris S. Levy Producer
“About German Women”
Best Short Film
Kevin Schmutzler Director
Tobias Schmutzler Director
Michael Croce Writer
Caroline Muhl Producer
Elisa Schlott Key Cast “Frieda Geier”
"Behind the Name SHAKESPEARE:
Power, Lust, Scorn & Scandal"
Best Documentary Feature Film
Robin Phillips Director
Christina di Marlo (aka Robin Phillips) Writer
Christina di Marlo (aka Robin Phillips) Producer
Art Harman Producer
“Reclamation: The Rise at Standing Rock”
Best Documentary Short Film
Michele Noble Director
Michele Noble Producer
Paul Alberghetti Producer
“High Flying Jade”
Rising Star Award
Katherine Sweetman Director
Jayjit DasGupta Producer
Jade White Key Cast
“Lessons from a Moonwalk”
Best Film based on a True Story
Brad Ellis Director
Owen Phillips Writer
Ellen Phillips Producer
Owen Phillips Producer
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2020
BEST FEATURE FILM
5-CENT LIFE
BEST SHORT FILM
ANNA
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
BREAKING THIER SILENCE
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
AMA
BEST ANIMATION
SHATTERED
AUDIENCE AWARD
CANNON GIRL
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2019
BEST FEATURE FILM
THE CUTLASS
BEST SHORT FILM
A LAND SHAPED BY WOMEN
BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
FLY LIKE A GIRL
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
BEYOND SIXTY PROJECT
RISING STAR AWARD
FEAR NO GUMBO
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2018
DAYS OF POWER
- BEST FEATURE FILM
ALFRED J HEMLOCK
- BEST SHORT FILM
THAT WAY MADNESS LIES...
- BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
LEFT ON PEARL
- BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY
AUGUST IN BERLIN
- BEST DIRECTOR
THE THINGS THEY LEFT BEHIND
- BEST ACTRESS JULIANA HARKAVY
MELODY MAKERS
- AUDIENCE AWARD