Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia Pascual.
Hi Alicia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
For twenty-one years, Women in Film Dallas has provided a platform for independent women filmmakers to promote their work through the Topaz Film Festival and is currently the only female-focused festival in Texas.
The festival consists of several short film blocks including, but not limited to, Texas, comedy, student and narrative shorts, and select feature films which will be available on-demand on a virtual platform starting on October 20, 2022, in-person events will be held during the weekend of Oct 28-30, 2022. The festival will also include panel discussions and workshops.
On October 28, the Topaz Film Festival opens with the Topaz Awards ceremony, which honors distinguished Texas women and men who, through their own visions, have made outstanding contributions to film and television history. This year’s recipients are Dorothy Malone, Dr. Cheryl Polote-Williamson, Beth Sepko-Lindsey, and Joy Nash.
The Topaz Film Festival is an extension of the Women in Film Dallas Scholastic Grant Fund, a 501c3 that provides financial support through grants and scholarships to women in the pursuit of media arts degrees and those in the productions of film, television, and screen-based media. Proceeds from the festival will serve to fund the scholastic grant. The film festival has raised more than $18,000 for grants and scholarships between 2019 and 2021 with films selected from around the globe including Australia, Peru, Germany, India, Japan, Israel, The Netherlands, and Singapore.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In the four years that I have been executive director, we’ve had to navigate the pandemic, so we went from a multi-day in-person festival to a 100% virtual festival, and now a hybrid one. In many ways, it all worked out for the best because its enabled us to take the best of each scenario and bring it all together in a way to reach the widest audience and to really celebrate our filmmakers.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are a festival for women filmmakers from Texas as well as around the world. Through our Topaz Awards, we honor many Texas women that have made and are currently making a positive impact on the film industry. We are 100% volunteer-led festival and the proceeds go to benefiting our grants and scholarships program that provides financial support for Texas women film students, women filmmakers currently in production on projects, and professionals to grow in their careers.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
The best and worst about Dallas is probably summed up by how large it is. A challenge we have faced is where is it best to make our festival “home.” We have had to hold events in different locations, which is not ideal. But this year our in-person events are all at the Plaza Arts Center in Downtown Carrollton which really gives that festival feel. We’re very excited about having a home base and hope that it will be the start of many more years in this location.
Pricing:
- Tickets start at $40. WIFD members receive 50% off.
Contact Info:
- Website: wifdallas.org/TopazFF2022
- Instagram: wifdallas
- Facebook: wifdallas
