MY LAST FORAY WAS A FUN FILLED MEMORABLE ONE
When I was first asked to be a juror for the Women in Horror Film Fest, I felt the job was right up my alley. I worked for seven years with WeScreenplay, Screencraft, and Coverfly collectively and understood how to dissect script analysis into bite-sized, digestible morsels.
I’d also placed in the WIFF semifinals in 2018 and was on my way to producing features with Yardline Films, which were slated for release in 2020.
I was also excited to meet with my sistahs in the game who brought their own unique experiences to the horror genre. The initial date for the meet-up was supposed to be October 2019 (around Halloween), but that changed, and man, was I bummed.
2020 rolled around, and with it, the coronavirus, but the fest itself was in February at the historic Strand Theatre in Marietta, and we barely eeked into it before the GA shutdown. As my last mix and mingle, it was well worth the wait.
Far more extensive than its predecessor in Peachtree City (South GA), there was a real smorgasbord of film buffs, writers, and filmmakers. The air was filled with a kind of togetherness and camaraderie you won’t find elsewhere.
We watched numerous noteworthy shorts and films, but the most memorable for me was the hauntingly dark and beautiful BLACK LAKE; its focus on child murder, rape, and loss left a haunting impression long after the credits rolled.
Later, friends, fam, and I enjoyed award-winning local cuisine at Thaicoon & Sushi Bar. There was a wait, and I was a bit worried about it being packed. Being autoimmune, I whipped out my handy dandy bottle of sanitizer to weirded out stares. People would likely be less judgy now.
In any case, I can’t wait for WIHFF 2021, and maybe, just maybe we will find the world a bit more cleansed and a little more, shall we say, appreciative of the connection we share next go-round.
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