Episode 37: The Power of Playing With the Form: A Conversation with Film Festival Curators, Angie Reza Tures and Mary Dossinger

Acting: Conversations on Craft

When I think of curators of film festivals, I often think of them the same way I used to think of casting directors: as the gatekeepers to our success. But during my conversation with Angie Reza Tures from the Femme Frontera Showcase and Mary Dossinger from the RiverRun International Film Festival it became very apparent that the curators, just like casting directors, are rooting for us and our films. When I asked Angie and Mary what they were (or weren’t) looking for, the question caused them to hesitate. Both said they didn’t want to limit what might be submitted. What is really exciting for both of them is when filmmakers take a “paint by numbers” storyline and then play with the form. As Angie says, “We like to see our filmmakers take risks and push themselves, but the story has to be the strongest component.” Mary adds that she is always looking for, “films that blow your mind and make you question the artform in general.” And they both recognize how difficult this is to do, and do well. But the take away for me was that it gives us permission to play. That again, we need to create without thinking, “what do they want?” and create with the mindset, “what story do I want to tell?”

Mary Dossinger is the Director for the RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, NC and just took part in her 16th Festival in 2023. As Program Director, Mary oversees all aspects of the film program, festival schedule and all filmmaker correspondence. Prior to joining the team at RiverRun, Mary received her Masters in Fine Arts in Contemporary Cinema Cultures from The University of London – King’s College London in 2007. She also earned her Bachelor of Arts with a major in English and minor in film studies at Emory University in 2000. She has had a varied career, starting as a Program Assistant at CNN and Turner Broadcasting and then moving on to Capitol Hill where she worked as an Executive Assistant at an international lobbying firm, the American Council of Life Insurers. She has moved all over the world, thanks to a father who worked for Exxon. She was born in Guildford, England and lived in Athens, Greece; Houston, TX; Anchorage, AK; Atlanta, GA and Washington, DC.

Angie Reza Tures has worked in independent film since 2003 after graduating from the University of San Francisco with a B.A. in Media Studies and a minor in Music. For twelve years, she worked as a producer, director, and editor in the Bay Area mentoring under Oscar-nominated and Sundance award-winning documentary filmmakers. Since 2011, Angie has lived and worked in El Paso, Texas. She founded the Femme Frontera Filmmaker Showcase in 2016 and serves as Executive Director of Femme Frontera. In 2021, Angie will complete her first feature narrative script. She is a 2022 Rockwood Documentary Leaders Fellow, a fellowship supported by the Ford Foundation.

Find out more about the Femme Frontera Showcase:
https://www.femmefrontera.org
IG: @femme_frontera
Find out more about the RiverRun International Film Festival:
https://riverrunfilm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/riverrunfilm/
IG: @riverfunfilm
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