International Filmfestival Assen|women&film: a unique Festival with a unique program

Every year in early spring the "Festival Vrouwenfilms" takes place in Assen (Drenthe) in the Netherlands. During this Festival around 30 films and documentaries are shown in Theater & Cinema "De Kolk". In 2012 the festival is back in the citycenter of Assen, in the new Theater and Cinema 'De Nieuwe Kolk'.

The focus of the program is on productions directed by women, or productions with a story or theme that concerns women. Core of the ideology of this choice is that women look at reality in a specific way and make movies which often have a different message than those directed by men. The organization endeavor to have the audience experience this specific way of making a film. As far as the content of the productions is concerned, the accent lies on picturing the diversity of women's lives in different cultures and times.

The Festival has been held for over thirty years. In 2011 the name was changed and is now International Filmfestival Assen|women&film. The next filmfestival takes place on March 10th en 11th, 2012. Location: Theater and Cinema The Nieuwe Kolk, Assen.

History
The International Filmfestival Assen|women&f has existed for over thirty years. Originally, the Festival had an educational focus, but today it draws a large audience, mostly women, from all over the country and even from abroad. The idea to organize a Festival for women's films was born in the summer of 1980. Some creative workers in and around Assen used films to stay informed about certain issues concerning women. In order to do so, they often went to Amsterdam or another big city, where the movies were being shown. A number of these women came up with the idea to get the movies to the north in order to be available to a larger audience. The Theater "de Kolk" was willing to house the Festival, so the Festival became a fact. By organizing an annual Film Festival the foundation Vrouwen FilmFestival wanted to start a discussion about the position of women. The films had to break with stereotypical role models and encourage another climate for raising consciousness about the possibilities women have. This meant that women should be the producers of most films and documentaries that were being shown. The first years of the Festival there were a lot of discussions about themes like independence and female sexuality. The focus was not set on relaxation and fun, but on the educational aspects of the films. Each year a new theme was introduced, and most films dealt with this subject. Examples are: "Women and Consideration", "Women and Power" and "Work and Health". Since the 20th anniversary of the Festival, in 2000, there is no longer a special theme chosen for the film program.

Volunteers
The organization of this Festival was, and still is, in the hands of volunteers. The first few years all work was done by women, including the technical jobs of actually showing the films, handling the equipment, designing the posters, etc. This was in the early eighties, where women were still active feminists. Today the organization is still managed by women, but the technical part is in the hands of the personnel of the Theater 'de Kolk'.

More visitors
Over the years the Festival has become quite well known in the northern part of the Netherlands and since a few years has become a major event known by women all over the country. Of many experiments over the years, it is the only Festival known to have survived and flourished. The foundation in Assen was fortunate to generate enough funds, so the event attracted more and more visitors every year. New Board members were found time after time.

Second oldest
This Festival has the right to call itself unique. It is unique because it is the only one in the Netherlands. Next to that it is the second oldest Festival on this specific field in Europe. Only the Festival in Créteil in France has existed one year longer. The Festival has its own tradition with its own program and its visitors. Every year the audience, mostly women, come from all over the country and from abroad to watch the films and documentaries, to enjoy theater and music, and to meet each other.

Festival Trophy
Since 1990 each year a trophy is given to a woman who has earned her place in the field of women and films. The artist Annet Haring made the trophy, a bronze sculpture. It signifies women on a screen, carried by women. In 1995 a larger version of this sculpture was presented to the City Council of Assen, and was placed in front of the Theater in which the Festival is held each year. The winners of the price up to 2002 were: Marion Hènsel, Anne van de Putte, Ireen van Ditshuyzen, Netty Roosenfeld, Heddy Honigman, Suzanne van Voorst, Monique van de Ven, Esmé Lammers, Nouschka van Brakel, Fatima Jebli Ouazzani, Cinemien, Annette Förster, Hedda van Gennep, Valérie Schuit,Maria Goos, Mieke de Jong, Monic Hendrickx, Dana Linssen, Mijke de Jong and in 2011 Digna Sinke.