About us
The International Women’s* Theatre Festival (IF*TF) has a feminist and collective approach and is organised by women* from the independent theatre ensemble antagon theaterAKTion and supporters of protagon e.V. as well as friends of the festival. What the festival actually is evolves along the way and is at the same time the result of this process. The aim is to bring artistic works made by womxn* to the stage in a framework of solidarity and thus to increase their visibility in the performing arts. For the sixth time in a row, the project takes place within the framework of collective structures and collective responsibility, thus making a lasting commitment to artistic change in the dynamics of power relations. Bárbara Luci Carvalho is the artistic director of the festival. She is a member of The Magdalena Project, an international network of womxn* in contemporary theatre. The festival is representing this project across Germany and is growing in international visibility every year.
Why a
Womxn*
Theater Festival?
When looking at the national and local situation of theaters is obvious: Womxn* are underrepresented in the theater industry, with only 22% of directxrs, and 24% of authxrs (as of 2014).
The IF*TF is the first contemporary women’s* theater and performance festival in Frankfurt. Since 2017, it creates space for feminist expression in an international and self-organized framework. Everyone can be on stage and in the audience, but we explicitly want women* as directors and in other key positions. Because: Who owns the stage is not a perpetual fact, but a question of negotiation and intervention. Helping hands and respectful interaction are welcome from all genders and we cordially invite men to experience women* as protagonists of the IF*TF.
„FEMINISM
(INTER)
GENERATIONAL“
We are looking forward to welcoming you all to the International Women* Theatre Festival in Frankfurt am Main! At IF*TF 2023, which is now taking place in Hesse for the 7th time in a row, we want to question the significance of generation within the feminist movement. Das Ziel ist es nicht eine Dualität zwischen dem Alten und dem Neuen aufzumachen, sondern einen Raum zwischen den Zeiten zu eröffnen und zu erkennen, dass wir als Menschen schon immer über Generationen hinweg in Beziehung standen.
The festival is part of the Magdalena Project, a dynamic international network that transcends borders and generations. Here in Germany we have been working intersectionally on the topic of “FEMINISM (INTER) GENERATIONAL”. Together with international artists from theatre, performance, video, visual arts and music, we are looking for moments of intergenerational dialogue that are radical and utopian. Which heal, inspire and transform artistic work into a form where womxn’s* work is more recognised.
At IF*TF 2023 you are cordially invited to ask questions, participate in performances and develop future concepts for the theatre stages! As independent artists, everything we do revolves around creativity, formability and change. That is why the question of transformation and revolution is always present in our work.
Within protagon e.V.’s organisation , the IF*TF 2023 focuses on the positioning of womxn* in the world in a cross-generational, feminist dialogue between theatre and politics. Since its foundation, the festival has been working on the visibility of womxn* in the performing arts, offering a platform for this debate and aiming to be a pioneer and space of practice for this process in the future.
Bárbara Luci Carvalho – artistic director
and the IF*TF team
The asterisk (*)
The asterisk (*) stands in German for people who define themselves as female. The International Women*Theater Festival is a platform for all womxn*. Which gender identity or sexuality a person ascribes to themselves is just as much a part of the feminist empowerment process as the promotion of people regardless of their origin, religion or age. Exclusions based on group-related generalizations are racism. Men* are welcome at the theater performances, performances and forums. The workshops remain a safe space for womxn*.