Alliance of Women Film Journalists To Present EDA Awards at 2014 International Documentary Film Festival

The Alliance of Women Film Journalists Inc. (AWFJ) is pleased to announce the presentation of juried AWFJ EDA Awards at this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the world’s leading documentary film festival.

IDFA 2014 takes place in Amsterdam from November 19 to 30. The EDA Award for Best Female-Directed Documentary at IDFA 2014 will presented at the festival on November 26.

AWFJ, a nonprofit organization of leading female film journalists with active members in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, recognizes outstanding achievements by women filmmakers by presenting its prestigious EDA Awards at select film festivals around the world, and at year’s end.

Films Nominated For Consideration

At IDFA 2014, AWFJ will present the EDA Award for Best Female-Directed Documentary. The festival has nominated five superb female-directed feature length documentaries for consideration for the EDA Award. All five films are having their international premieres at the festival. All are programmed as part of this year’s special THE FEMALE GAZE strand of films.

The nominated films are:

My Beautiful Broken Brain by Sophie Robinson (England), a compelling character-driven documentary about a woman’s valiant struggle to recover from a disabling brain injury. TRAILER

The Queen of Silence by Agnieszka Zwiefka (Germany/Poland), the poignant and inspiring story of a 10-year old Roma girl Denisa, who is deaf and mute, and is ostracized by everyone in her native Poland, but brilliantly expresses her feelings by dancing like a Bollywood princess.

Something Better to Come by Hanna Polak (Denmark/Poland), tracks ten years in the life of Yula, an engaging young woman who lives with her family in the midst of Europe’s largest garbage dump, which is their sole source for survival.

Tea Time by Maite Alberdi (Chili), a charming profile of a group of now aging Chilean women who’ve met regularly for high tea to celebrate their lifelong friendship and gossip about what’s new.

Unearthed by Jolynn Minnaar (South-Africa/Nigeria/US), a balanced and well researched report about ‘fracking’ in South Africa that is, ultimately, a strong argument against it, despite its economic advantages.

The AWFJ Jury

The EDA Awards presented at festivals are juried exclusively by AWFJ members. At IDFA 2014, the AWFJ members who will serve on the EDA Award jury are:

Leba Hertz, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco
Katherine McLaughlin, The Arts Desk, London
Jennifer Merin (Chair), Cinema Citizen Blog, New York
Wendy Mitchell, Screen International, London
Susan Wloszczyna, RogerEert.com, Washington, DC
Dorothy Woodend (Alternate), The Tyee, Vancouver

“The Alliance of Women Film Journalists applauds IDFA’s outstanding programming and this year’s special focus on women working in documentary film. We are delighted and honored to have the opportunity to partner with IDFA in recognition of women’s outstanding achievements in filmmaking. Here’s to a great IDFA 2014 festival!” said Jennifer Merin, AWFJ’s president and EDA Award jury Chair. “We look forward to continuing partnerships with IDFA and other film festivals in honoring outstanding women filmmakers.”

AWFJ will next present EDA Awards at Whistler Film Festival in December 2014 (for the second consecutive year), and at Salem Film Fest in March 2015.