Blue Hour is a meditation on the intensity of transitory moments, the fleeting exchanges and interactions that have the power to alter your mood, day or life. Often it’s only with the clarity of hindsight that we can identify these instances. Rarely there are times where you sense the tectonic shift in tandem with the moment. René and Jaz are aware of the emotional exchange passing between them. And we, like them, are left to wonder how this encounter will leave an indelible mark and shape the course of their lives.

• Anchorage International Film Festival - Alaska Premiere

• Baltimore International Black Film Festival - Maryland Premiere *Award Winner

• Berkeley Springs Film Festival - West Virginia Premiere *Award Winner

• Berkshire International Fim Festival - *Award Nominee

• Block Island Film Festival - Rhode Island Premiere

• Blue Whiskey International Film Festival - Illinois Premiere

• Brooklyn Film Festival - World Premiere

• Buffalo International Film Festival - Western New York Premiere

• California Women’s Film Festival

• Capital City Film Festival

• Catalina Film Festival

• Cleveland International Film Festival (Oscar-qualifier)

• Cinema on the Bayou - Louisiana Premiere

• Cinema Systers Film Festival - Kentucky Premiere

• Cucalorus Film Festival - North Carolina Premiere

• Desertscape Film Festival - Utah Premiere *Award Winner

• Durango Independent Film Festival *Award Winner

• East Lansing Film Festival - Michigan Premiere

• Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival - International Premiere

• Fairhope Film Festival - Alabama Premiere

• Fargo Film Festival - North Dakota Premiere *Award Winner

• Filmfort - Idaho Premiere

• First City Film Festival - Kansas Premiere

• Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival *Award Winner

• Free State Film Festival

• Gasparilla International Film Festival

• George Lindsey UNA Film Festival

• Green Mountain International Film Festival - Vermont Premiere

• HollyShorts Film Festival - West Coast Premiere (Oscar-qualifier)

• Indie Street Film Festival - New Jersey Premiere

• Indy Film Festival - Indiana Premiere

• Julien Dubuque Film Festival - Iowa Premiere

• Kansas City Film Fest - Missouri Premiere

• McMinnville Short Film Festival - Pacific Northwest Premiere

• Miami International Film Festival

• Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Midwest Premiere *Award Winner

• Montana Film Festival - Montana Premiere

• Montgomery Film Festival

• Myrtle Beach Film Festival - South Carolina Premiere

• Nevada Women’s Film Festival - Nevada Premiere

• Norwalk Film Festival - Connecticut Premiere

• Norwich Film Festival - UK Premiere (BAFTA-qualifier) *Award Nominee

• Omaha Film Festival - Nebraska Premiere

• Orlando Film Festival - Florida Premiere

• Pan African Film Festival (Oscar-qualifier) *Award Nominee

• Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival *Award Winner

• Phoenix Film Festival *Award Winner

• Poppy Jasper International Film Festival

• Red Dirt Film Festival

• Reel Sisters of the Diaspora Film Festival (Oscar-qualifier)

• Ridgefield Independent Film Festival

• Riverside Short Film Festival

• San Jose International Short Film Festival

• SCAD Savannah Film Festival - Southeast Premiere *Award Winner

• Seattle Black Film Festival - Washington Premiere

• Sedona International Film Festival

• Short. Sweet. Film Fest - Ohio Premiere *Award Winner

• Sonoma Film Festival

• Thomas Edison Film Festival

• Tonkawa Film Festival - Oklahoma Premiere *Award Winner

• Tucson Film Festival - Southwest Premiere

• Vail Film Festival - Colorado Premiere

• Washington D.C. International Film Festival - D.C. Premiere

• West Virginia Mountaineer Shorts Festival *Award Winner

• The Women’s Film Festival - Pennsylvania Premiere

• Wyoming International Film Festival - Wyoming Premiere

• Yountville Short Film Festival

AWARDS

• Baltimore International Black Film Festival - Best Drama Short

• Desertscape International Film Festival - Best Student Film

• Durango International Film Festival - Best Narrative Short

• Fargo Film Festival - Best Screenplay

• Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival - Best American Indie Short

• Milwaukee Short Film Festival - Best Film, Best Actor

• Phoenix Film Festival - Best African American Directed Short

• Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival - Audience Award: Best Student Short

• SCAD Savannah Film Festival - Student Narrative Shorts Jury Award

• Short. Sweet. Film Fest. - Best Student Film

• Thomas Edison Film Festival - Jury’s Choice Award

• Tonkawa Film Festival - Best Drama

• The West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival - Best Narrative Short Film

NOMINATIONS

• Fairhope Film Festival - Runner Up: Best Short Film

• Norwich Film Festival - Nominee: Best Student Short

• Pan African Film Festival - Nominee: Best Short Film

Blue Hour Press Kit

Launched in 1974, the AFI Directing Workshop for Women (DWW) continues its longstanding commitment to increasing the number of women and gender nonbinary directors working in film and television.

The prestigious film training program selects eight directors who receive several months of tuition-free film education culminating in the production of a short film. The films will premiere at the annual DWW Showcase. Read the full bios of the Class of 2022 HERE.

Since its inception, the DWW has graduated over 300 alumnae, including accomplished filmmakers such as Lesli Linka Glatter (HOMELAND), Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (UNREAL), Tricia Brock (ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK), Neema Barnette (LUKE CAGE), Jennifer Getzinger (MAD MEN) and Hanelle Culpepper (STAR TREK: PICARD).

Founded in 1973 as Women In Film Los Angeles, WIF advocates for and advances the careers of women working in the screen industries—in front of and behind the camera, across all levels of experience—to achieve parity and transform culture.

The Production Program offers critical opportunities and funding for emerging women creators to collaborate on short narrative content of their origination. Writers, directors, creative producers, and line producers who are accepted into the program are provided expert guidance through the process of development and production, with financial and practical support from WIF. Physical production is supported by crews made up of WIF members who also benefit from training, collaboration, and the opportunity to include these professionally produced projects among their credits.

Visibility for the filmmakers is elevated through a public showcase of these short films, presented by WIF with support from the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles. Alumnae of the Production Program have gone on to have their work showcased at festivals including Sundance, Venice, Tribeca, SXSW, HotDocs, L.A. Shorts, and more.