February 23, 2010 12:00PM EST

NYU's Fusion Film Festival 2010

The Fusion Film Festival, which is having its seventh anniversary, aims to inspire NYU's women filmmakers, with classes, panels, and screenings of all flavors, from cinematography to sound editing to greening your film set. The festival begins with an intimate evening Wednesday night with NYU Tisch alums, and then will kick out the jams Thursday night with a special screening of The Runaways, with a Q&A with director Floria Sigismondi afterwards (NYU ID required, sorry!).

What makes Fusion so cool is that it offers opportunities for NYU's budding female filmmakers to connect with those already in the industry who can offer real-world advice and also inspire them to keep on filmin'. As their mission statement reads, "Little has changed for women in the film industry in the six years since then-students Gina Abatemarco and Emma Heald co-founded the Festival. Thus, Fusion's goal of celebrating and advancing the work of women filmmakers becomes more and more urgent as more time passes. During the 2009−2010 academic year, Fusion will not only continue its constant work of exhibiting and inviting discussion of the work of women filmmakers but will also grow its reputation both within and outside the walls of NYU to attract greater interest and support from the New York film community. Fusion hopes to inspire filmmakers of all genders to take notice of and celebrate the work of women at all levels in the film industry."

Fusion Festival also has a student film competition; the winners will be announced on Friday, February 26, after a screening of short film finalists.

3/1/2010 UPDATE: The Fusion Film Festival organizers report, "Our festival events last week were a hit and included guests like Joan Jett, Jenny Lumet, Nicola Kraus, Emma McLaughlin, Maryse Alberti, Eliza Paley, Tamara Jenkins, Emily Abt, and Susan Seidelman, but the culmination of the festival is our student film competition, which has been rescheduled for this Friday, March 5th at 7pm. The event will be held at the Cantor Film Center on 36th East 8th Street."

Check out the official website, stay up to date with the festival on its blog, or connect on Twitter or Facebook.