• The Arts
  • History
  • Sports
    • All
    • High School
  • LocalTalk
  • Activities
    • Adult
    • Bargain Bellingham
    • Family
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Kids
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • Add An Event
    • Event Articles
  • Featured Business
    • Around the House
    • Restaurants and Pubs
    • Retail Shops
    • Services
    • Women in Business
  • Community Channels
    • Book Store
    • Chamber of Commerce
      • Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce
      • Ferndale Chamber of Commerce
    • Downtown Organizations
      • Downtown Bellingham Partnership
      • Lynden Washington Downtown Business Association
    • Food and Farming
    • Health Care
    • Heating and Air Conditioning
    • Hotel and Lodging
    • Media Partners
      • NorthAmericaTalk
    • Port of Bellingham
    • Whatcom County Real Estate
  • Nonprofits
  • Travel
    • Day Trips
    • Overnight Trips
Search
Thursday, March 23, 2023
  • About
    • The WhatcomTalk Team
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • Advertise with us
    • Marketing Insights
    • Customer Testimonials
    • Company News
WhatcomTalk
  • The Arts
    • Photo credit: Kristin Noreen

      Village Books: The Epicenter for Writers — Not Just Readers —…

      The Jansen Art Center Celebrates Youth Creative Clay Teacher Pam Fredback

      Small But Mighty: Wild Buffalo Owner Craig Jewell Discusses Local Live…

      Whatcom Wind Ensemble: A Vibrant, Free Concert Band at Western Washington…

      Local Artist Veda Loreen Allen Allows Her Success To Fall Into…

  • History
    • The story of a curse, placed upon Bellingham by buried Chinese miners, continued to circulate in local media and story-telling for decades after supposedly occurring. This Jack Carver photo is from a 1949 Bellingham Herald article.

      The History Behind the Bellingham ‘Curse’

      Hygge in Whatcom County: Daughters of Norway’s Nellie Gerdrum Lodge Finds…

      The Life of Joy Stokes, Bellingham’s Philanthropic Madam

      How Bellingham Celebrated Valentine’s Day at the Turn of the Twentieth…

      Helen Loggie Museum of Art: Old Town Bellingham’s Hidden Gem of…

  • Sports
    • All
    • High School
  • LocalTalk
    • Dennis Schatz stands in front of the Pacific Science Center where he was a long-term staff member. Photo courtesy SPARK Museum

      Museum Honors Dennis Schatz With SPARK Award at Annual Gala

      Spring Break Camp at the Jansen Art Center Provides a Creative…

      Whatcom READS Selects ‘Red Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish…

      Puget Sound Energy Helps Provide Whatcom County Students With Electric Bus,…

      The Fairhaven Association Brings Back Its Popular ‘Dirty Dan Murder Mystery…

  • Activities
    • AllAdultBargain BellinghamFamilyIndoorOutdoorKids

      Nugent’s Corner River Access Is Well Worth Exploring

      Ross Dam Trail Hike Provides Access to Some of North Cascades…

      Chanterelle Overlook: An Easier Hike That Offers First-Rate Vistas

      Exploring Waterfalls and Fossils in East Whatcom County

  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • Add An Event
    • Event Articles
  • Featured Business
    • AllAround the HouseRestaurants and PubsRetail ShopsServicesWomen in Business

      First Fed Hosts Customer Appreciation Week Festivities

      The dried flowers are infused into sunflower and jojoba oil to create Em's products. Photo courtesy Em’s Herbals

      Em’s Herbals Creates Relief With Calendula Salve and Oil

      A Case for the Before and After: Bellingham Training and Tennis…

      New Operating Rooms Boost Capacity, Technology at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical…

  • Community Channels
    • Book Store
    • Chamber of Commerce
      • Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce
      • Ferndale Chamber of Commerce
    • Downtown Organizations
      • Downtown Bellingham Partnership
      • Lynden Washington Downtown Business Association
    • Food and Farming
    • Health Care
    • Heating and Air Conditioning
    • Hotel and Lodging
    • Media Partners
      • NorthAmericaTalk
    • Port of Bellingham
    • Whatcom County Real Estate
  • Nonprofits
    • Brigid Collins started with volunteers concerned specifically with child sexual abuse. It has expanded to include services addressing all forms of abuse, including therapy and medical examinations. Photo courtesy Brigid Collins Family Support Center

      Brigid Collins Family Support Center Works to End Child Abuse, Nurture…

      Haggen Funds New Wheelchair Van for Cascade Connections

      First Fed Matches Holiday Donations to Bellingham Food Bank

      ‘Dietician Kitchen’ Videos Make Healthy Eating Easy

      Maple Alley Inn’s Hot Meal Program Nourishes and Grows Community

  • Travel
    • Day Trips
    • Overnight Trips
Home The Arts Polly Miller Strives to Bring Female Eye Film Festival to Bellingham

Polly Miller Strives to Bring Female Eye Film Festival to Bellingham

By
Marla Bronstein
Photo credit: FeFF.

Share via:

0 Shares
  • More

 

By Marla Bronstein

greenhouse logo“Always Honest, Not Always Pretty” is the tag line of the Female Eye Film Festival (FeFF) based in Toronto, and chaired by local Bellinghamster, Polly Miller. FeFF provides an exclusive showcase for women directors of independent cinema.

I met Polly a few years ago, shortly after she moved to Bellingham in 2009 to follow her heart. Polly carries herself with the all of the grace and panache of Audrey Hepburn. Her accent has a lovely French lilt. As one of the many Whatcom County residents who live here and telecommute elsewhere, her varied career and international flair make for a fascinating conversation.

female eye film festival
Polly Miller moved to Bellingham in 2009. She is the chair of the Female Eye Film Festival.

Polly was born in South Africa, and attended nursery school and one year of elementary school in London. Her family returned to South Africa for her junior high years, and then moved to France where she attended high school and obtained her baccalaureate. At that time, Polly wanted to experience the glamor of an American education. By then, her older sister had moved to Canada, and Polly settled on attending college in Toronto where she received a degree in general education from University of Toronto, and attended Ryerson University in Toronto, where she graduated with a degree in Radio and Television.

Polly first worked for CBC in Toronto for many years. Always the entrepreneur, she opened her own art gallery that showcased the commercial and professional work of photographers and illustrators, concurrently publishing a magazine. Since 1998, she has been an Account Executive and producer at The Backroom Agency, an advertising firm that specializes in travel and tourism, finance, beer, and wine.

Leslie Ann Coles, the Executive Director of FeFF hired Backroom to promote the event. Shortly thereafter, Leslie Ann invited Polly to join as Festival Chair in 2003, and Polly has been remained in this position ever since.

In December 2014, Polly learned that Bellingham was looking for ideas for a new signature event, grant funded by the Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism board, that would bring tourists to town to fill hotel rooms and boost local business, as well as highlight Bellingham. Along with some local FeFF supporters, Polly applied for the grant and came in as a runner up.

However, the team discovered that the City of Bellingham is eager for a film festival. Their application spread the word within the city and county, and drummed up a lot of support.

female eye film festival
“All The Time In The World” is a film about a family attempting to disconnect from the world. Photo courtesy: FeFF.

FeFF has curated a block of films being shown as part of Pickford Film Center’s 2015 Doctober series and will be screened on October 17 and 18. The FeFF films have won awards in the categories of Documentary, Shorts and Animation.

The Shorts program showcases local filmmaker Elli Smith and her documentary about a group of Native American youth. Saturday night’s program includes a powerful film of a woman’s recovery from a traumatic injury, as well as a film about agricultural entrepreneurs. Sunday’s back-to-back programs feature Wanda the Wonderful which is introduced by a selection of films from the Young Filmmaker Development Workshop, and All the Time in the World which highlights a family attempting to disconnect from the world, enabling them to reconnect with each other. (See the full line-up of Doctober’s events here.)

FeFF programming includes an educational component, and for its foray into Bellingham, is planning to host a free seminar. The working title of the paneled Director’s discussion is “Breaking the Glass Ceiling for Women in Film,” and will be moderated by local Western Washington University educator, Mel Damski. As a Hollywood ex-pat, he is one of many who supports the emerging and successful filmmaker. Polly appreciates Mel’s sensitivity to women’s issues and his willingness to support women in this kind of work. Check the FeFF Facebook page for more details on other upcoming events related to Doctober.

food fighters movie
The movie “Food Fighters” is intended to show how urban agriculture initiatives and local food businesses are coming together to create food security. Photo credit: FeFF.

As Polly continues to move forward with a committee of supporters to bring FeFF to Bellingham in the Spring 2016, she hopes a film festival such as this will enhance the overall experience of the town to its residents, as well as to visitors. Polly expects FeFF will contribute to the county’s economic growth by partnering with the arts community.

Polly is convinced that Whatcom County is a perfect location for FeFF for a number of reasons. First, she says, the environment is stunning and filmmakers will love it. For filmmakers, its proximity to “Hollywood of the North,” which include both Vancouver, BC and Seattle, is a bonus. Polly also notes that there is clearly a strong arts community that exists in Whatcom County – evidenced by the sheer number of individuals who are involved in the craft. Polly hopes to make Bellingham and Whatcom County a filmmaker destination.

Polly believes that FeFF will bring magic to Whatcom County. Based upon the history of other film festivals around the country, over a period of years, film festivals bring economic growth, as well as national and international recognition.

Polly hopes Bellingham takes ownership of the festival as a badge of honor. FeFF intends to connect with more local filmmakers from Whatcom County and the Pacific Northwest with the anticipated April event.

For more information about FeFF and how you can get involved, contact Polly at FeFF.Bellingham@gmail.com.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share via:

0 Shares
  • More
Previous articleWhatcom Museum Exhibition to Feature the Color Prints of Norma Bassett Hall
Next articleTechnique, Hard Work, and Fun Found at Opus Performing Arts School
Marla Bronstein

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Photo credit: Kristin Noreen

Village Books: The Epicenter for Writers — Not Just Readers — in Whatcom County

The Jansen Art Center Celebrates Youth Creative Clay Teacher Pam Fredback

Small But Mighty: Wild Buffalo Owner Craig Jewell Discusses Local Live Music’s Rebound

Upcoming Events

Mar
23
Thu
all-day Allied Arts Whatcom READS challenge @ Allied Arts gallery
Allied Arts Whatcom READS challenge @ Allied Arts gallery
Mar 23 all-day
Allied Arts Whatcom READS challenge @ Allied Arts gallery
Allied Arts Whatcom READS Challenge March 3-April 1, 2023 Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11:00am-4:00pm Opening Reception: Friday, March 3, 6pm – 9pm 1418 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225 Allied Arts of Whatcom County hosts the annual[...]
5:30 pm Human Minds in Natural Spaces, A... @ ONLINE
Human Minds in Natural Spaces, A... @ ONLINE
Mar 23 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Human Minds in Natural Spaces, Aesthetics and Perception - ONLINE @ ONLINE
What can one say of the prospect of the future in a world where increasing injury to the planet is a symptom of human psychopathology? Through readings and discussions, participants will have an opportunity to[...]
8:00 pm JAM:30 @ The Blue Room
JAM:30 @ The Blue Room
Mar 23 @ 8:00 pm
JAM:30 @ The Blue Room
Come jam with local musicians!?? | PERFORM WITH A LIVE JAM BAND | FREE ENTRANCE! Whether you’re looking to perform in collaboration with other musicians or just vibe to the music, this jam is open[...]
Mar
24
Fri
all-day Allied Arts Whatcom READS challenge @ Allied Arts gallery
Allied Arts Whatcom READS challenge @ Allied Arts gallery
Mar 24 all-day
Allied Arts Whatcom READS challenge @ Allied Arts gallery
Allied Arts Whatcom READS Challenge March 3-April 1, 2023 Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11:00am-4:00pm Opening Reception: Friday, March 3, 6pm – 9pm 1418 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225 Allied Arts of Whatcom County hosts the annual[...]
9:00 am What’s Next: Resources as We Age @ Bellingham Senior Activity Center
What’s Next: Resources as We Age @ Bellingham Senior Activity Center
Mar 24 @ 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
What's Next: Resources as We Age @ Bellingham Senior Activity Center
We invite the community to attend “What’s Next: Resources as We Age” to be held at four Whatcom County Senior Centers during the month of March 2023. These events are free and open to the[...]
View Calendar

Local Community Sponsors

Business

First Fed Hosts Customer Appreciation Week Festivities

Marking a century of first-rate community banking, First Fed is celebrating with a Customer Appreciation Week, March 27 through 31. And...
The dried flowers are infused into sunflower and jojoba oil to create Em's products. Photo courtesy Em’s Herbals

Em’s Herbals Creates Relief With Calendula Salve and Oil

A Case for the Before and After: Bellingham Training and Tennis...

New Operating Rooms Boost Capacity, Technology at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical...

PeaceHealth Home Health Services Program To Bring Quality Care to Patients

Trending Now

The story of a curse, placed upon Bellingham by buried Chinese miners, continued to circulate in local media and story-telling for decades after supposedly occurring. This Jack Carver photo is from a 1949 Bellingham Herald article.

The History Behind the Bellingham ‘Curse’

Nugent’s Corner River Access Is Well Worth Exploring

First Fed Hosts Customer Appreciation Week Festivities

Editor Picks

Bellingham’s Nina Aguilar Travels The World By Skateboard

Mount Baker High School Senior Ethan Larson To Play Football at...

Haggen Funds New Wheelchair Van for Cascade Connections

Recent Posts

  • Nugent’s Corner River Access Is Well Worth Exploring
  • Museum Honors Dennis Schatz With SPARK Award at Annual Gala
  • Spring Break Camp at the Jansen Art Center Provides a Creative Outlet for Young Artists
  • First Fed Hosts Customer Appreciation Week Festivities
  • Brigid Collins Family Support Center Works to End Child Abuse, Nurture Children, and Build Strong Families
ABOUT US
WhatcomTalk is a community social network delivering positive stories about what it’s like to live, work and play in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, and the surrounding Whatcom County area. Advertise with WhatcomTalk. Brand your business and tell your story to your target market.
Contact us: info@whatcomtalk.com
FOLLOW US
  • About
    • The WhatcomTalk Team
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • Advertise with us
    • Marketing Insights
    • Customer Testimonials
    • Company News
© WhatcomTalk, Inc.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Share via
    Facebook
    Twitter
    LinkedIn
    Mix
    Email
    Print
    Copy Link
    Powered by Social Snap
    Copy link
    CopyCopied
    Powered by Social Snap