Maria Govan, director of Rain receives flowers and speaks to the audience after the screening of Rain in Seoul.

Most recently we were in Seoul at the Women's International Film Festival of Seoul with RAIN, and it was amazing.  We were in the section "Girls on the Road,"  which was a section judged by a jury of teen aged, highschool girls.  It is the second award that RAIN has won that was judged by such a young jury.  We also won an award in France called Graine Cinephage at the "Festival International de films de femmes de Créteil -  France." It too was made up of some twelve young men and women who really loved the film.  In France when they presented the award they each said Rain in a different language with such enthusiasm - it was amazing!

What was so moving in Korea was that they shared, one by one, why they chose our film.  They said that they saw themselves reflected back in the character of Rain and that she gave them hope and inspiration to move forward even in the face of challenges and adversity.  I was so emotional that I cried.  It was so touching to hear that affirmation from across cultures and such a great distance. The fact that there was universal truth that transcended all of our differences and united young people from across the world was so moving to me.  I feel that it is so important to empower and inspire young people today in a world where there is far too much negativity to move through so these awards are particularly inspiring to me.

All in all RAIN has won the following awards:

Audience Award - Bahamas International Film Festival
Special Mention in the New Visions Section - Palm Springs International Film Festival
Best New Director/New Film - Pan African International Film Festival
Runner Up Audience Award - Bermuda International Film Festival
Graine Cinephage - Festival International de films de femmes de Créteil- Creteil France
Teen Movie Award - Women's International Film Festival Seoul

RAIN is at the Atlanta International Film Festival , and then onto the DC International Film Festival,  Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival (Norway), Phunket International Film Festival - Thailand, Taipei International Film Festival - Taipei and many others to come.