From Nicole Conn

As a writer/director of women’s films and novels for over 30 years, I cannot tell you how many people from all over the world, have asked me how they can help support our films. And it is one of the greatest rewards for what I do to hear from women (and men) from around the globe about how my films impact them, and, in some cases, have changed their lives. Many of these people have become life-long friends as well as donors and investors who often show up on sets and help me pull these projects together. Women willing to come and pour their heart and souls into a film project so they may realize their own dreams is truly an honor that I value. Flying in for Premieres from all parts of the world to celebrate a finished film is a mega highlight for us all, not to mention a helluva lot of fun and where some of my best memories have been made!!!

I’ve been in the indie-filmmaking biz since 1991 when I wrote and directed Claire of the Moon - 1992/3. Claire of the Moon is often cited as the film that paved the way to lesbian themed cinema.

Fast forward 30 years and lesbians in the entertainment world have become ubiquitous, whether they are featured in their own series; The L Word, Orange is the New Black, Gentleman Jack or a token lesbian character written into every show, movie, web-series -- you name it -- we are visible everywhere now!!! We wanted acceptance and assimilation and we got it. But it’s come at a very high price for independent film makers who have devoted their careers to making women’s films.

Once upon a time you could actually make a living making these small indie films. Consider Claire of the Moon’s VHS price in 1993 when it came out. We made the VHS’s for $5.00 and sold them for $89.95. Even if the distributor took up to 35% you were still making several hundred percent on each sale. Fast Forward 30 years. You rent a film on Amazon for $3.99 – Amazon takes the largest cut of any platform – 50% - Your distributor takes 25%, less marketing expenses – at which point you’re left with pennies.

The other money maker – the Film Festivals – are no longer viable for a film that is basic drama or romance. Films need to be issue oriented and/or make a political statement to get into Festivals today or be an arriving genre; Trans/Latin America/etc. Or they are studio made films with recognizable talent, like Carol and have the clout and studio money behind them to make the film successful, but they eat up the few precious screening times for lesbian made product.

Women no longer seem to attend the festivals because they were never particularly motivated to support theatrical releases unless they had/have been studio made. The only film that I have made that had a successful theatrical release was Claire of the Moon because it was the ONLY film of its kind – It ran theatrically for 18 months. That’s 18 months!! Not for one weekend and then it’s all over. One weekend would never ever cover the expenses related to the marketing and distribution of that particular film and so studios “shelve” them and they get picked up for VOD/Netflix and other streaming platforms where they hibernate because no one knows they exist!

Just a few years ago we were still able to present and premiere our films in the festivals and even though the attendance has significantly dropped in the last decade, the festivals are a critical jumping off point for our films. It gives the film exposure, reviews for pull quotes, and gives the project legs to move it to DVD and streaming, all critically important elements to a film’s longevity and success.

From 2006-2012 when I travelled the festival circuit for little man, 2006/07, Elena Undone 2010 and A Perfect Ending in 2012 we consistently sold out The Castro at Frameline (1400 seat theatre) got all our incredible reviews from the festival circuit and jump-started the success of each of these films which ends up finding distribution.