Scarlett Shepard is responsible for founding the San Francisco State University Women in Film Festival, which has been suporting the work of female filmmakers since its inception in 2004. Unlike most film festivals, Shepard’s does not require any entry fee from its participants, providing a forum for voices that would otherwise remain unheard. Learn more about Shepard at www.scarlettshapard.com, and more about the festival at www.sfwff.com.

What made you start this?

For one, I am a filmmaker and two, I guess my quest started when I went to San Francisco State University. In 2004 I went and took a film history class and it didn’t show any women filmmakers or films directed by women. It was really, all of these or most of these classes were really similarly constructed where they didn’t talk about the contributions of women in cinema or show them in class. So I was just kind of left wondering, where were the Tina Turners of cinema? Where were the Janis Joplins of cinema? ... And so, my first instinct was to write letters and talk to teachers and do all of that outreach ... And what ended up happening was that I got the support of the teachers but as far as the cinema chair, since I’ve never done anything like this before, they weren’t willing to sponsor the film festival. So I kind of was disenfranchised.

I’ve always been an activist, [so] if someone tells me that they don’t think that I’m cut out or I can pull this off, then well, what’s the next step? Just to do it.

I’ve organized little things like rallies and stuff like that, [but the festival was] a lot more work than I intended. If I would of known that in the beginning, I probably wouldn’t have done it. But I’m just too damn stubborn. So that’s a little bit of the back story of why I started this.

But then there is also another element. I hate to take on the school... There are some really amazing teachers there that do know about the contributions of women in cinema. But at the same time, I also noticed that they took away the queer cinema studies class, which I wasn’t sure why. I don’t understand how that could be happening in a university like San Francisco State. Hello, where are we? We’re not representing the majority of the school or the community or the other voices. So I started rallying again and finally we got the class back... They’re offering the class, but when I called them and asked them when are they going to teach it, well, they don’t know. So it’s on the books; it’s on the record but I’m not sure if in fact that the class will actually have a teacher in it and a body of students. So that’s pretty much what brought me here.”

What’s been the most exciting part of it?

I guess just the first one was so great because people came out and really seemed to enjoy it, and there really seemed to be a connection between women and just all people coming out to see the films, and seeing new perspectives, and getting the women filmmakers out there. It’s just kind of more of a career building, more of a forum for women. So I think it’s just positive to actually have it being done. And … people contact me from all over world. [That’s] actually the whole point of me doing this, is to get that out there. So, that for me is the hugest thing.”

What’s been your biggest challenge?

Well, I think that this year the film festival has grown and it’s more than one person, like myself, can handle. And so sometimes I think maybe I need to partner with some bigger organizations or entities to help me out, to do this, to take it to the next step. I think that is one of the biggest, frustrating things is that, you kind of go, ’Well here it is and how am I going to do all this?’ I am one person. I do have a team of volunteers that has just been helping me. But I guess it’s getting it all complete and hoping that I don’t forget anything or the last minute details. Hard work pays off, but it is also stressful.

Do you have big plans for the future?

I do. I think one of the main things for me [is] a longer piece I’ve been working on called Indie Women. It’s my interviews with notable and emerging filmmakers and talking about some of their female film directors that have inspired their creative process in their work... This project was really something I’ve always wanted to do, and now I’m finally doing it. It’s kind of like my plan to start sending [it] out to festivals and hopefully get [it] on TV and to bring the numbers up more — to get more aware that women’s film history has been going on for the last 100 years... My first two interviews were John Sayles and Henry Rollins. So that was fun, but very hard work.

Are there any films that you’re especially exited about this year?

I think that I hate these questions because I want to name them all, but I think one of the biggest films that we have, that I like, that made me cry seven times in public is playing on our closing night. It’s called Missing in America by Gabrielle Savage-Dockterman featuring Danny Glover, who’s going to be at our closing night to talk about the film. I’m so excited about that. It’s a huge movie ... especially with the war and the whole climate of the war... It’s a film I truly believe in. I love the casting. I love the story. I love the editing. And it’s her first time film, which I think is impressive. To get Danny Glover and a meaningful story that talks about recent times; everybody can relate to that. Even though we’re not out in the field, ... we’re still a part of it. I’m really excited about that film.


Additional research by Catherine Plato.

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