As young attendees to the festival, the girls had the unique opportunity to participate in the Young Filmmakers' event and make media in the Adobe Youth Lounge, where there was an abundance of state-of-the-art software and interesting people. Monica, one of our grads, said that the coolest thing about Sundance was "meeting other youth filmmakers from around the country.  It's great to know there are others who are interested in the same thing that you are." Reel Grrl Sami said, "I love Sundance. I love Reel Grrls. And I love film. I'm so glad I got to come here." Although these girls are already talented filmmakers, we hope this experience has brought them that much closer to making a career out of knocking doors down for women media makers!

Oh, and one more thing: our lovely mentor Sarah gave an interview at the Sundance Young Filmmaker's reception! View Reel Grrls' moment in the spotlight here, under Live@Sundance featurettes, Clip 19.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if straight people had to come out in a gay world? Reel Grrls bravely tackled this tough question with one striking answer: a mockumentary-style short film entitled Coming Out.

This project, which began in 2004, was not solely an exploration of how one teen's identity is affected by social discrimination. It is a call to action for youth across the country to become more attuned to the issues surrounding heterosexism and homophobia, by engaging in mediated dialogue and viewing the Coming Out film. 

Completely conceptualized and produced by our girls, the Coming Out project blossomed into a true manifestation of the Reel Grrls mantra, "Girls make media that matters." Thanks to a grant from the Pride Foundation, two Reel Grrls graduates were able to facilitate screenings and peer discussions in schools and community groups across Washington State, using a discussion guide that sparked critical thought and provided a wealth of useful resources. Coming Out also achieved national distribution and was screened at organizations across the country, including the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in New York, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence in Philadelphia, and over twenty YMCA locations nationwide. Impressive! Read more...   

What happens when you take a group of girls, give them fabulous mentors, throw in some useful tools and provide them with enough hands-on time to let their creative spirits run free? You get Media Boot Camp, a rigorous weekend program designed to quench an interest in media production. The young women who participated this past December were suddenly immersed in the world of film, including lessons on camera basics, storyboarding, composition, sound engineering, editing, and every other technique necessary to the creation of a cinematic masterpiece.     

More significantly, the girls were introduced to media as a vehicle for self-expression. This was their time to get a different kind of education, and to feel truly empowered. We hope they learned that through filmmaking they can be themselves, create shared environments, address taboo subjects and represent the changes they wish to see in the world through their own, unique voices.

The next Media Boot Camp will be held in June, so be on the lookout for dates and application forms. You can also send an e-mail to lila@reelgrrls.org if you have questions or are interested in attending. Don't miss out!