Citizen Jane Film Festival

The Citizen Jane Film Festival supports independent film by independent women. We tackle head on the gross under representation of women in the film industry with wild rebellion through art! In one inspiring weekend we create an intimate web of support for female filmmakers and our faithful audience of all genders. With unique film experiences, lively discussions, workshops, and boisterous parties, CJFF honors female filmmakers from diverse backgrounds and in all stages of their careers. We bring guest artists and audiences from all over to share ideas and build a collaborative community to last far beyond the festival itself. We have hosted pioneers of the film industry such as Christine Vachon, Julia Reichert, and Yvonne Welbon and we've also screened the new voices of independent film, such as Tiny Furniture and Hellion. But we equally find the film that hasn't had it's place yet, all believing that together we create a collective of female filmmakers that are exceptional voices and can create community. We screen all genres in the idea that the variety of styles is what makes us think and that filmmaking is a constantly evolving form, both in platforms and styles.

If you are accepted into the festival, we truly hope you will join us for the weekend (and we help support you so you can make it worth your while). If you are a feature filmmaker and we accept your film, part of screening your film at our festival is having a representative of your film in attendance at our festival since our main goal is to build a community of female filmmakers and an engagement with our audiences. We are open to filmmakers or representatives beyond the director. In fact, one of our goals is to shine a light on all aspects of production in filmmaking!

PLEASE NOTE: The Citizen Jane Film Festival screens films directed or co-directed by women. Please do not apply to our festival if the film is not directed or co-directed by a woman. Nearly every other festival is for you :)

We do not give out awards for two reasons: 1) we believe that our festival is about building community and to give out awards would make us feel competitive instead of supportive (even though we know it feels awesome to get one, no lie!); and 2) we're too small and too diverse to give awards. It would be weird.

Instead, we invest in throwing a kick-ass festival that you would want to go to, and raise funds to help support attendance and also make your time as a filmmaker well spent while in Columbia, Missouri and as meaningful as possible.