Women X Film Festival Podcast

Planning a festival is glamorous… said no one ever. From late-night spreadsheet marathons to last-minute schedule disasters, festival prep can be messy, stressful, and often downright hilarious in hindsight. This episode dives into ten things that went wrong while planning the festival — yes, the real behind-the-scenes chaos — and the bonus chapter: navigating burnout while still trying to make it all happen.

Whether it’s mismanaged emails, volunteer hiccups, unexpected tech fails, or just the simple reality of trying to juggle dozens of moving parts, this episode is both a cautionary tale and a laugh-out-loud look at what it really takes to make a festival happen.

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

The festival can be overwhelming — so many films, panels, and events, and only so many hours in the day! This episode shares top tips for curating your ultimate festival experience. From choosing the screenings that truly excite you, navigating packed schedules without losing your sanity, to using a festival pass like a pro, this is a guide to enjoying every moment your way.

Whether it’s a first-time visit or you’re a seasoned festival-goer, these strategies help make the most of the time, skip the FOMO, and leave with memories — not regrets.

What You’ll Learn:

How to pick screenings that excite you, not just what’s trending

Navigating the festival schedule like a seasoned pro

Insider tips for making a festival pass work harder (and smarter)

Finding balance: panels, networking, snacks, and self-care

Pack curiosity, and plan the perfect festival day!

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Festival season is here, and festival director Caris is spilling all the secrets from her festival bag! 🎒 From the must-have essentials to little extras that make your day easier (and way more fun), we're sharing what we pack for a full day of screenings, panels, and surprises. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned festival-goer, this episode has tips, tricks, and a few unexpected items you might not have thought to bring...

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Women X’s Caris Rianne dusts off the mic and dives into what makes this year's festival extra special, highlighting the experience for both returning festival go-ers and the newbies.

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Women X’s Caris Rianne and Ashton Clarke reflect on the last five years of Women X Film Festival, from what started as an online venture in 2020 to hundreds attending the 3-day festival at Darlington Hippodrome. (And we’re still growing!)

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://twitter.com/riannepictures

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Mel and Caris return for the third episode in our popular film festival scams series. They cover a well-known, successful festival that flopped after promising 1,000 films and bogus hotel packages, and a scam script competition offering AI feedback!

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://twitter.com/riannepictures

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Abbie from the Women X team is joined by Jessie Craig Roche, director of the short film ‘Three Things We Don’t Talk About’. She talks about why horror is so interesting as a genre, particularly for short films. They also discuss Jessie’s filmmaking experience, making a film in between COVID lockdowns, and more.

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://twitter.com/riannepictures

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Emily Garbutt from the Rianne Pictures team chats with Athanasia Bartzoka, whose film ‘Raja’s Had Enough’ screened at last year’s festival. Athanasia talks crowdfunding £10k for the film and how much work it took to get there, getting into filmmaking after a finance undergrad, and the challenges of balancing life and freelancing work.

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://twitter.com/riannepictures

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Emily Garbutt from the Rianne Pictures team chats with Athanasia Bartzoka, whose film ‘Raja’s Had Enough’ screened at last year’s festival. Athanasia talks crowdfunding £10k for the film and how much work it took to get there, getting into filmmaking after a finance undergrad, and the challenges of balancing life and freelancing work.

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://twitter.com/riannepictures

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.

Women X’s Abbie is joined by Ella Maree Carey, whose film ‘Prawn’ screened at WXFF 2023. Ella discusses making a film during lockdown, her bad directing experience which taught her to embrace failure and learn from her mistakes, and her top tips for making short films.

Find us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/riannepictures/

https://twitter.com/riannepictures

https://www.tiktok.com/@riannepictures

The Women X Film Festival Podcast is produced by Rianne Pictures:

https://riannepictures.com/

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to stay up to date with more episodes. Through this podcast, we take you behind-the-scenes of an exciting, fresh short film festival. Learn about the ins and outs of running a film festival, get tips for your short film, listen to interviews with filmmakers, other festivals and more.