[1] Established in 1989, the festival includes a year-long program of film screenings, workshops, and other events promoting women filmmakers.

The main event is a five-day Film Forum in October with several thousand attendees and hundreds of submissions.

[5] SJIWFF screens documentaries, short films and feature work written and/or directed by women (self-identified).

[3] It features films by local Newfoundland and Labrador talent, as well as Canadian and international artists.

National honours include recognition by Telefilm Canada in 2016, for their work on gender parity,[2] Women in Film and Television Vancouver awarded SJIWFF the Please Adjust Your Set Award in 2015 for outstanding leadership in promoting gender diversity.