“ConnectHER was the first global organization to recognize my work as a journalist. They saw something (in me).”
- Aneta Felix, ConnectHER Filmmaker and Journalist
2022! What an impactful year!
When I saw past ConnectHER Filmmakers & Fellows Halimah Tariq of Pakistan and Aneta Felix of Nigeria onstage presenting awards at our 2022 ConnectHER Film Festival in Austin, it was a full circle moment for me. Both young women talked about how ConnectHER has uplifted them – through the Film Festival, the Fellowship, the Pitch Fest – to become storytellers and leaders. Both Aneta and Halimah have scaled their filmmaking skills by becoming ConnectHER Fellows—our unique and talented ambassadors who lead peer to peer filmmaking, storytelling and digital technology workshops in their rural communities. Turning dreams into reality for these young filmmakers and changemakers has been an overwhelming experience for our entire team and community. To see Aneta and Halimah on stage just a few years ago winning our film festival awards, and now, to see them on stage giving awards to other winners this past festival was everything I imagined for our ConnectHER ecosystem. I’m truly inspired by them and grateful to our entire community for making this magic happen. These special moments combined with the collective impact from our on the ground project partners, fellowship workshops, filmmakers & film submissions, film screenings, Gem support, sponsorships and Giving Circle support as well as everyone who keeps rooting us on makes us eternally optimistic and grateful for a wonderful 2023 and beyond.
With thanks and best wishes,
Lila Igram
Founder ConnectHER
We made grants to female-founded projects around the world that invest in girls’ education, health and leadership including:
“We believe youth participation in the political process is instrumental in any democracy and thanks to ConnectHER, we have been able to run our flagship course "Young Women's Political Leadership Institute" despite COVID19 challenges.”
- Hima Bista, Executive Director, Women LEAD Nepal
At this year’s 10th Annual ConnectHER Film Festival, we awarded $34,500 to young filmmakers at our first-in-awhile in-person festival in Austin, Texas. It was so wonderful to be back together, screen finalist films and host a filmmaker panel moderated by Elizabeth Avellán with ConnectHER Filmmakers Halimah Tariq, Tapiwa Gambura and Aneta Felix.
Read more here.
Thank you so much to presenting sponsor Eloise DeJoria, our other sponsors and all of our volunteers who made this wonderful day possible!
ConnectHER Fellows
The ConnectHER Fellowship is a filmmaking incubator program in which past ConnectHER filmmakers deliver peer-to-peer filmmaking workshops and mentorship in their communities. We are building a pipeline of young filmmakers to advocate for women and girls around the world. Workshop participants gain confidence as they learn to embrace technology and tell powerful stories that can change the world.
ConnectHER’s PitchFest gives those who have submitted films to our film fest in the past an opportunity to compete for a chance to make a ConnectHER-commissioned film.