The Reel Works 2023 film festival, designed to spotlight and celebrate the work of young, up-and-coming filmmakers, is set to take place on November 18-19 at New York City’s SVA Theater. This year’s festival will showcase a total of 42 narrative and documentary projects, comprising over 85 percent of films that are presented from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ filmmakers. The festival’s second annual iteration will once again consist of projects from filmmakers ages 14 to 24 in the Reel Works community, including original projects produced through the nonprofit’s Documentary and Narrative Lab programming. Also, the festival will feature the premiere of movies from the inaugural Supported Summer Lab, a workshop that supports neurodivergent teens in developing their original films. This year, the event will include the work of external creatives with screenings of selected titles. The festival is part of Reel Works larger mission to inspire, mentor, and train diverse generations of filmmakers through peerless arts education and workforce development, including free filmmaking programs, one-on-one mentoring, and annual job training for students.
“Our goal is to ensure that the film industry is represented by a myriad of diverse talent,” said Stephanie Walter, co-founder and chief program officer of Reel Works. “To be able to curate a film festival that amplifies the voices of underrepresented communities is something we are passionate about. We are thrilled to celebrate and share their work with new audiences.”
The 2023 jury includes Emmy and Peabody Award-winning film producer and Sandbox Films director Greg Boustead, Hollywood casting director and producer Patricia DiCerto, freelance film critic David Edelstein, and Global Head of Connected TV & Streaming at YouTube and Google Matt McDonald, among others.
Among the lineup of documentaries featured in this year’s festival, “Chomchom” is an ‘appetizing’ documentary about a delicious dessert that originated in Tangail, a small town in Bangladesh. Another selected documentary, “In Ewigkeit” explores underground tattoo artists in New York, while “The Veil” follows an African-American man who has visions of masked people that force him to stand up for himself as he navigates a new job and the microaggressions he faces.
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In addition to documentaries, the festival will also showcase a variety of narrative films, each presenting unique and compelling stories. “Bigger” tells the story of Elena, who struggles against traditionalist family and self-repressed thoughts of anxiety and depression in order to follow her dreams. Another film, “Fluorescence” follows a teenage girl who learns to stand up to her mother through an interaction with a young photographer. The festival will also present a film titled “Not Your Average High School Rom-Com,” exploring the adventures of a southern teenager as a new student attending a New York City High School.
Outstanding talent has emerged from the Reel Works community, and the Reel Works 2023 film festival is a platform to showcase the innovative and socially impactful films created by these young filmmakers. The lineup represents a rich tapestry of perspectives and stories that speak to the complexity and diversity of the human experience. This year’s festival promises to be an exciting event that celebrates the creativity and skill of emerging filmmakers from around the world.
