Women Speak Out
Women Speak Out is our space for NWFFest filmmakers and supporters to voice opinions and ideas about a variety of topics. Check back weekly as our brilliant women speak out.
Are We Censoring Our Humanity?
Destiny Faith Nelson is the NWFFest 2018 Local Filmmaker of the Year for her film, The Trap I think we’re all guilty of it, myself included. We see someone’s thoughts expressed on a particular subject, usually one opposing our own perspective, and “judgement mode” immediately turns on . For some, judgement mode doesn’t just turn on , it lashes out and harsh negative words are spouted at people we actually care about and/or even other human beings we’ve actually never even met. We assume that thi…
Musings on The Making of a Holiday
The multi-talented Kourtenaye Monroe is one of our beloved volunteers at NWFFest. It hit me like a punch in the gut or a slap in the face. Most of us have done it -- sent that mass text or email to all those people we may have wanted to keep in touch with throughout the year, but just didn't get around to it. OH wow, is it that time again already!? Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Chanukah! Have a great time celebrating Kwanzaa! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! It’s a simple way to let those we care fo…
My love letter to Thousand Oaks
Published by CNN on November 10, 2018 : One of the reasons my parents moved us to Thousand Oaks when I was in the fourth grade was because it was such a safe place to live, and that has continued to be true. Mayor Andy Fox has called Thousand Oaks the safest city in America in interviews since the shooting. If there were a picture in the dictionary of "American suburban life," it would be of Thousand Oaks, with its rolling hills and oak trees, its luxury car dealerships and shopping malls. I fou…
It's Voting Time!
It's Voting Time! by Esther Gabriel, NWFFest Director of Operations & Owner of Mission Control Studios in Las Vegas I voted, yes I did. I’m loud and proud of it. In Nevada, we have two weeks of early voting before the official election day on 11/6. I have been dying to cast my ballot since November 2016. The internet has given women a voice in a way no other medium has ever done. Women can share stories and find out they’re not alone. Stories of painful experiences, once hushed and never men…