By: Laura Petrie, Executive Director of the Cinema Systers Film Festival in Paducah, KY.

When it comes to movies, no two scenes are the same. 

It’s the unexpected twists, emotional moments, and bittersweet endings that make a movie worth watching over and over again. In a similar way, no two women are the same. Our unique identities and experiences allow us to shape our vibrant communities and write the script of what the future will hold.

As the Executive Director of Cinema Systers Film Festival, the only all-lesbian film festival in the United States, my mission in the months following Pride Month is simple, yet powerful: to create a space where both women and films are celebrated in their full authenticity. 

Our Paducah-based festival each Memorial Day Weekend has transformed into more than just a showcase of talent. Since 2016, it has grown into a community that takes center stage in the lives of countless women who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Our films are created and directed by women, for women.

It’s no secret that films are best enjoyed with each other. Today, it has become imperative for the LGBTQIA+ community to remain connected, especially when it comes to the art we share. As beautiful as a film can be, oftentimes it’s the beauty of sharing it with one another that is the real reward. With our film festival being one of the only events in the country with our kind of presence, we must lift it up to share with others.

While the four-day film festival was in-person, I realized the importance of going online to connect with people throughout the rest of the year. So, in 2016, I bought a computer and created my first Facebook profile. Despite my limited knowledge of digital tools, I was determined to find new ways to reach audiences and fill the theater seats during our festival. Once I began to promote our film festival online, in-person attendance increased. Now, almost 10 years later, social media continues to help us share the works of Sapphic filmmakers with our growing network of supporters. 

Through our social media platforms, we have created a stage to share our filmmakers’ art with audiences who might not otherwise see these stories reflected on screen. Year after year, lesbian filmmakers and attendees from across the country not only found our festival, but they showed up in our sweet river town in Western Kentucky. Thanks to creating our Facebook page ten years ago, our festival and community have grown in ways we never imagined. 

Our content is centered around our upcoming film line-ups, which we showcase through Reels, paired with Pride graphics and events that we boost, allowing us to engage with our ever-growing community. While our reach is now across the globe, we have not lost sight of our local community by resharing posts from like-minded organizations next door, like Paducah Pride United Together. 

I’ve found that success stems from having the courage to promote your business and a willingness to learn. In my case, I manage the social media tools available to me, and I encourage anyone looking to build community to explore what social media has to offer. 

The heart of Pride is visibility, and Cinema Systers Film Festival maintains a commitment to this visibility by not only hearing lesbian voices but celebrating them not only during Pride month, but in the other months of the year. Together, this mission and our commitment to leveraging the tools at our disposal allow us to continue to write the next scene–bold, proud, and unmistakably ours.