Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival highlights independent female film makers

Outside the Varsity Theatre on Saturday, the warm breeze of a fall afternoon turned to a cool, sleek night during the 12-hour-long Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival — an annual horror movie festival that exclusively features films where women have executive creative roles. 

At the event, a lineup of female filmmakers showcased their shorts. The only feature-length film at the festival was "Silent Bite," directed by Taylor Martin. 

Martin said that Saturday’s festival was unique from others she had attended because it was less competitive and more of a collaborative space. 

“I feel very happy to just step aside and let everybody shine when it's their turn to go,” she said. “This festival is probably one of my favorites I've been to.”

The Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival is made up of films that are labors of love: these filmmakers are telling stories that are personal to them, yet they frequently use horror as a tool to tell them. 

For example, "Vespa" by Olívia Ramos is a short about a woman visiting her mother and seeing that she has a new caretaker who, in reality, is a parasitic wasp using her for sustenance.

“Seeing the way that the mother had grown dependent on this woman who said, ‘You need me’ — it resonated with me in part because my mother has dementia and she has become much more consumeristic, as her disease has progressed and [she] doesn't have the ability to filter wanting things anymore, lets other people shape her life a lot more than it used to be, which is a drain,” Zane Potorti, a festival attendee, said.

Independent films are often made with budgets as low as a couple of thousand dollars, and some are filmed in short time spans, such a "The Murder Party: Offering Unconventional Solutions to Heartbreak," which was filmed in just a night and shown at the festival on Saturday. 

These indie films did not have the same budget or support as blockbuster films, yet many event attendees agreed that they were special because they did not have to appeal to the masses. 

“There’s a lot of festivals that focus on celebrities and celebrity guests,” Christine Parker, the festival director, said. “For me, it's really important for the filmmakers themselves to be celebrities, to be celebrated, and I think that's what sets us apart.” 

Hollywood films are looking for as many watching eyes as possible, but these filmmakers are dedicated to the craft of making movies, Parker said.

Donté Larry, the director behind "My Silence My Grave," said that corporate media can be discouraging to indie filmmakers, who are not making their work to make money but are rather doing so to tell a story — which is why the event was so exciting for him. Because of this, he said that more people should watch indie films. 

“It's always such an exciting time to sit down and see, what are people making when they’re passionate about their story,” Larry said. “I think it's important for everyone to see it.” 

The movies at the festival were shown in blocks, back to back, and between the films, there was not a sound to be heard. Everyone in the theatre was waiting with bated breath, either trying to digest the film they had just seen or excited about the one coming up. 

During the films, however, audiences reacted with laughter and gasps. 

The night ended with an award ceremony to recognize the talents of the filmmakers participating. The last award given was the Sick Chick Flick Award, which was won by Sophia Seraphim, director of "The Last Mermaid," for having the most women in primary creative roles in the movie. 

By combining personal experiences and horror, female creatives at the festival took the spotlight — something seen infrequently in the film industry. 

Clarke Wolfe, who directed "A Shining Example," won the Best Short Film award on Saturday. When Wolfe accepted the award, she told the audience the film had a rough run at previous festivals. 

“I had a feeling that the women’s festivals would get it,” she said.