The Toronto Female Eye Film Festival, March 28th – April 1st, 2012: http://www.femaleeyefilmfestival.com/
Vancouver Women In Film Festival, also in March: http://www.womeninfilm.ca/WIFF_2011.html

Hope that helps, keep up the great work!
Kelly

I wrote the initial draft of the film that became MATCHING JACK in 1993, as I straddled life between a very supportive Australian Film & Televsion School writing department and The Sydney Kids Hospital, after my 6 year old youngest son, Edmund’s bombshell diagnosis with leukemia … 5 weeks into the full-time graduate course.
But, despite only a “50% chance” back then for Edmund’s sort of T-cell leukemia, after two rugged years of treatment he had joyfully survived ! Back at school, playing wonky soccer, growing hair … So, naturally, the compulsory celebration trip to Disneyland in the next school hols with Edmund and brother, Morgan . We did Disneyland in dreams-come-true style – and then travelled on to San Francisco. I particularly wanted to share this city that I loved with the boys. Since after a trip there at the end of the 70’s – with 2 year old Angus, my eldest son, who was born with severe cerebral palsy – involvement with inspiring post-Vietnam disability-rights movement folk in Berkeley was pivotal in my decision to enrol in visual media studies back home. And this was the area where I subsequently worked making ‘challenge and change’ community documentaries and other inclusive educational resources, until the early 90’s. But there were ‘disability themes’ that I wanted to explore dramatically, and on my second try, I gained a place in the Film School Writing Dept. Then again, life got in the way – and instead the script that became MATCHING JACK began…

Of course, lots of the focus of the holiday had been on Edmund – but Morgan loved sailing at the local riverside club back home, so a trip to the Fort Mason Maritime Precinct was a priority agenda for our time in San Francisco.
And it was our visit to the Naval Museum – with its wonderful display of traditional ships’ figureheads – which suggested a new marine & magical dimension for my story. And back in Australia, the subsequent new draft received an Australian Writers Guild Best Unproduced Screenplay nomination in 1998.
And after two further funded drafts Nadia Tass and her partner David Parker optioned the script. A decade later… due to their passion, multi-talents, and resilience – and with the support of a wonderful cast and crew – MATCHING JACK finally premiered in Australia in July 2010. Most jubilantly, 23 year Edmund – now striving to make in in the Aussie film industry himself – attended the premiere with his girlfriend. And finally a small irony … Angus, my son with cerebral palsy, who spent his second birthday in California, on the trip that ultimately launched me into screenwriting, and the hatching of Matching Jack is is 34 years old today.

I think your action plan is a great one, and I will join you.