Imagine This Women's International Film Festival
(Inspired by Women Storytellers and Filmmakers)
Mission Statement:
Imagine This Women's International Film Festival is a women-owned 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing women storytellers and filmmakers a platform to encourage and develop creative projects by women filmmakers. With Imagine This Women's International Film Festival and Girl Power Film + Media Summit, Imagine This aims to amplify and empower independent and aspiring women filmmakers from around the world. Imagine This goal is to support women by sharing their work with the public, promoting equal opportunities for BIPOC women and the LGBTQIA+ community while providing educational support and professional development, and serving as a resource information network.
Patrice Francois
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Patrice Francois is a filmmaker who works in television and is the Founder and Festival Director of Imagine This Women's Film Festival. Her goal is to support women by sharing their work with the public, promoting equal opportunities for BIPOC women and the LGBTQIA+ community while encouraging professional and educational development, and serving as a resource information network.
Continuing with her mission, Patrice Francois launched Girl Power Film + Media Summit, an informative and inspirational event with discussions, panels, film screenings, and mixers that exemplify the power of women in the film industry. Patrice has recently curated Ladies Rocking the Lens, a film series celebrating the rising tide of strong female voices in local cinema. Her goal is to disrupt the status quo.
Susie Francois
Co-Founder and Director of Development
Susie Francois is the Director of Development at Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival.
Her passion is to help develop people in ways that improve their working and personal lives and promote cultural change. Along with her career passion and love for cinema and storytelling, she was inspired to create a platform that would provide opportunities to promote diverse filmmakers and storytellers and celebrate their work. She and her daughter, Patrice, launched Girl Power Film + Media Summit and Ladies Rocking the Lens to continue their support for women storytellers.
2025 INTERNS
Callee Fair
Blog Writer
Movies have always provided Callee Fair with an escape to another world, offering endless possibilities for exploration and imagination. While this still holds true, she has come to understand that film offers much more than a simple escape. Film serves as a medium to tell stories that dare to create deeper meaning, which is vital to humanity.
In a field largely dominated by men, Callee recognizes the critical importance of supporting women filmmakers. The issue is not a lack of creativity or talent among women but a lack of opportunities and accessibility for them to showcase their artistry. To drive meaningful change, Callee believes it is essential to be the catalyst that brings women's perspectives and stories to the forefront.
Erin Murphy
Social Media
Erin Murphy (she/her) is in her final year at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa majoring in Digital Media Journalism with a minor in Digital Media Production. She has always had a passion for photography, videography, and writing, telling the stories of the people around her and in her communities.
During her time in college, she has written for the school’s social justice and creative magazine and has been a part of multiple on and off campus organizations that help support, empower, and uplift the voices of women and young girls in her community. She hopes to continue storytelling throughout her career in the digital media industry. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and watching new movies made by/starring women and people of the LGBTQIA community and is super excited to be working with ITWFF!
Suhani Baviskar
Programmer Intern
Suhani Baviskar is a senior at Pace University, majoring in Film and Screen Studies. Her creative journey began with playing the piano and performing in original theater productions. Suhani composes piano music, a passion that ultimately led her to discover her love for film. She firmly believes that sound and music play a crucial role in creating an emotional impact in storytelling.
Throughout her college years, Suhani gained hands-on experience by working on various student films, honing her skills in camera work and editing. She is pursuing a career in directing and aims to become a music composer for films. Beyond her passion for film and music, Suhani enjoys photography and maintains a healthy lifestyle through regular workouts, which she finds enhances her creativity. She is thrilled to be part of a team that empowers and appreciates the talent of women in the industry.
