FEMME Frontera, an agency fund of the PDN Community Foundation, will host their summer workshop series for aspiring filmmakers. The workshops will focus on the fundamentals of smart device filmmaking to create powerful stories directly from a smartphone or tablet!  

Founded in 2016 by six female filmmakers from the U.S.- Mexico border region of El Paso, Las Cruces, and Cd. Juarez, FEMME Frontera was created with the belief that filmmaking should be accessible to everyone. Executive Director and El Paso native, Angie Reza Tures said that as a child she grew up loving art and filmmaking, but due to the limited resources in the community she did not feel she could make her dreams come true unless she explored opportunities outside of El Paso.  

“When I moved to San Francisco, there were no shortages of opportunities for media education for me to learn about filmmaking and production,” said Tures, “Knowing El Paso had limited resources I was excited to move back to our community with this knowledge and create a space that was accessible for all children to learn and enjoy. With phones and tablets, it has become even easier to access filmmaking.”   

FEMME Frontera began providing their summer workshop series in 2017 and has seen the program grow each year. Tures says that individuals can expect personalized, fun, and interactive classes. “We are not a one-size-fits all. This is a very personal experience.”  

Participants will learn not only how to achieve their filmmaking goals through smart device filmmaking but will also learn how to utilize resources such as natural lighting, camera apps, and editing apps.   

Youth workshops will be open to children as young as 5 years old and will offer classes for both beginner and intermediate filmmakers. Youth classes are free and will only require a $20, fully refundable, deposit to reserve class space.   

Additionally, this year, all adult workshops will be reserved exclusively for female-identifying BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), Migrant, Mexican, Mexican American, Transfronterizx, and/or LGBTQIA individuals in the El Paso-Juarez region. The workshop sets a goal to advance racial justice along our border. Adult classes will be open to both beginner and intermediate participants and range from $30-$65.   

Tures says that it is important that individuals in our community have the resources needed to share their stories through the art of film and realize they can achieve goals they may have never thought possible.  

To learn more about the FEMME Frontera Summer Filmmaking Workshops or register for a class, please visit: Workshops — Femme Frontera .  

To make a gift to support FEMME Frontera and their mission please visit: FEMME Frontera Fund | Paso del Norte Community Foundation (pdnfoundation.org)