by Justina Walford
AFI FEST Daily News

What is the difference between female filmmakers and male filmmakers? Do they vary in terms of creativity, goals and message? Is there something female filmmakers create that is uniquely feminine?

Six female filmmakers defy the differences in Shorts Programs at AFI FEST 2006 presented by Audi.

PHANTOM CANYON, written and directed by Stacy Steers, is a hauntingly strung collage animation. The images create a harsh collection of wandering insects and vulnerably balanced objects, a sort of delicate Kafka-esque journey.

Steers says, "My film is a very personal, autobiographical film, though clearly there's a lot of metaphor at work in the process. I think allowing my imagination to act as a palette for articulating a response to my experience is both invigorating and cleansing."

(PHANTOM CANYON is part of Shorts Program Four, November 7, 7:15 PM, and November 8, 4:30 PM.)

FOURTEEN, directed by Nicole Barnette, is a beautifully shot slice of life. It shows an overwhelming immersion into a culture that dictates choices. The women reflect every emotion and are fully realized characters in this succinct piece.

Barnette sees the brevity of screen time as a plus. "I think short films in general are able to leave a stronger impact than 99 percent of the feature length films out there."

(FOURTEEN is part of Shorts Program Three, November 8, 10:00 PM, and November 9, 2:00 PM.)

CAN YOU HEAR ME?, written and directed by Déva Palmier, covers in a matter of minutes, with humor and honesty, the ultimate question.

"The question, 'What is life about?' is massive," explains Palmier, "and I thought it would be fun to explore it in a very short film."

(CAN YOU HEAR ME? is part of Shorts Program Two, November 9, 7:15 PM, and November 10, 4:00 PM.)

MOTHER, written and directed by Sian Heder, is a provocative take on maternity.

Heder communicates with delicate precision that having a child may be a blessing, but motherhood can be a curse.

Heder says, "I loved the idea of trying to take the audience on a full emotional journey in just 15 minutes."

(MOTHER is part of Shorts Program Two, November 9, 7:15 PM, and November 10, 4:00 PM.)

NINTH STREET CHRONICLES, written and directed by Megan Martin, is a hilarious coming-of-age film.

Here a young girl struggles adolescent growth pangs with quite a few miscues.

"I sat down and wrote the most intimate story I could - one I felt I'd know completely," Martin explains. "So in this way, the short medium birthed the story,"

(NINTH STREET CHRONICLES is part of Shorts Program Two, November 9, 7:15 PM, and November 10, 4:00 PM.)

WHEN WE ARE BIG, written, directed and edited by Eveline Ketterings, shows a dark side to childhood without a word of dialogue. The imagery is immersion in water.

Ketterings confirms, "[My] film is about provoking questions."

(WHEN WE ARE BIG is part of Shorts Program Two, November 9, 7:15 PM, and November 10, 4:00 PM.)

Self Worth and 'Chick Flicks'

So how does being female help these filmmakers dig deeper into the issue of self image and self worth?

Martin responded resolutely: "I think all writers, male and female, have to have a slightly bruised self image. It is the thing that lets you stand back and look at the well-adjusted among us and question them, envy them, giggle at them, or mourn for them.

"I think being ill-at-ease with oneself allows you to write - to know the discomfort of all characters in the world. And thus, the vulnerabilities."

Steers had this to say: "There are certain types of conversations nearly all men avoid. Films that relish these sort of exchanges, which most commonly occur between women, end up labeled as 'chick flicks.'

"Some chick flicks may also play to women's seemingly endless fascination with achieving completion by over-identifying with a man."

Ketterlings doubted their existence: "I don't know about such things as chick flicks."

And Barnette defined a chick flick as "ugh, bad" and went on to call the term a "label to overcome."

Heder agreed by saying that the term was marginalizing.

And Palmier thought the genre died in the 1990s.

For these women, the role models most mentioned were Alexander Payne and Krysztof Kieslowski. Other included Nicole Holofcenter, Jane Campion and Kimberly Pierce were mentioned. Honorable mentions went to the Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino.

"Often the best stories are born of people making the wrong choices," Heder adds. "I think women are susceptible to this because of certain societal pressures that are in place, like having children when they don't want to, getting married, trying to live up to certain expectations that are in place."

Barnette wraps it up: "I think women should just make films that interest them and audiences will come. I hate to think that women only make women's films, but rather make films that audiences can simply relate to."