A recent dip in female-led theatrical releases in the UK - back to 2018 levels of 26% reminds us that our work is far from over; that we cannot be complacent.
Below you can read about the research we conduct into gender representation in film and the wider industry, tracking the release landscape to present an accurate picture of investment in films by filmmakers of marginalised genders.
Here you can also find out about news and opportunities at Reclaim The Frame, along with curated film recommendations, filmmaker interviews, and creative responses.
DAY 2
CRASHING WAVES (2018)
Dir. Emma Gilbertson
03.42 mins
Available to watch on Vimeo
A short film where two men on a council estate express their desires through contemporary dance.
Crashing Waves provides an exploration of the way queer spaces are under-threat. Told through contemporary dance, Gilbertson uses the bodies and movement of the two men to express their desire for each other. They carve out a space to express their love in a world they are seemingly incompatible with. By using contemporary dance as the medium to express this struggle, Crashing Waves is able to create an immediately affecting and understandable story in a short amount of time. Crashing Waves is a story of conflict and hostility within the urban council estate, but within are also moments of care and tenderness.
FEATURE FILMS
The Namesake
Certificate 12A
American-born Gogol, the son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family’s unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways.
+ live spoken-word performance Wednesday 14 July 2021 17:40 NFT3 Click HERE to book
Wednesday 21 July 2021 20:40 NFT3 Click HERE to book
wants to live a normal life, and dreams of becoming a famous vlogger like her idol Tatyana.
Binti
Dir Frederike Migom
Cert tbc Binti was born in Congo but has lived with her father Jovial in Belgium since she was a baby. Despite not having any legal documents, Binti wants to live a normal life, and dreams of becoming a famous vlogger like her idol Tatyana.
Sunday 04 July 2021 18:20 NFT2 & Monday 19 July 2021 20:40 NFT2 Click HERE to book
English subtitles
wants to live a normal life, and dreams of becoming a famous vlogger like her idol Tatyana.
Shoot the Messenger
Dir Ngozi Onwurah
Cert tbc A man denying his black identity finds himself rejected by those he aims to appease.
Thursday 29 July 2021 17:45 NFT3 Click HERE to book
wants to live a normal life, and dreams of becoming a famous vlogger like her idol Tatyana. What Will People Say
Dir Iram Haq
Cert 15 The story of Nisha, daughter of a Pakistani-Norwegian family, who is kidnapped to Pakistan by her parents when her father finds her in bed with a man.
Friday 16 July 2021 20:30 NFT2 and Saturday 31 July 2021 17:30 NFT2 Click HERE to book
English subtitles
SHORT FILMS
What’s in a Name?
What’s in a Name?
UK 2020. Dir Runyararo Mapfumo. 11min In this documentary short, Brits explore the challenges they’ve encountered with their non-Western names. Two
UK 2017. Dir Daisy Ifama. 3min Two women discuss the complexities of defining their racial identities.
Two women discuss the complexities of defining their racial identities.
I Bit My Tongue
France 2020. Dir Nina Khada. 25min A young Algerian woman who was raised in France returns to Tunis and tries to reclaim the nuances of the mother tongue she has lost.
Two women discuss the complexities of defining their racial identities.
Like a Fish Out of Water
UK 2020. Dir Roxy Rezvany. 3min
A visceral battle between the inner and outer identities.
Taarof: A Verbal Dance
UK 2018. Dir Alannah Olivia. 17min Taarof is the story of one woman’s battle with herself, to fight against the cultural, social but also self-imposed limitations of what it is to be an ethnic female in today’s society.
an ethnic female in today’s society.
Yasmina
France 2018. Dirs Ali Esmili, Claire Cahen. 22min Yasmina, Moroccan in France without a visa, sees her father get arrested right in front of her when returning home from football training.
an ethnic female in today’s society.
But You’re not Black
Canada 2019. Dir Danielle Ayow. 19min A Chinese-Caribbean-Canadian woman tries to embrace her parents’ identity.
an ethnic female in today’s society.
The Long Goodbye
UK 2020. Dir Aneil Kura. 12min
The real nightmare of never being British enough unfolds in this short film starring Riz Ahmed.
an ethnic female in today’s society.
Sorry, My Somali is not Very Good
UK 2020. Warda Mohamed. 2min
A young Somali woman has trouble with her mother tongue.
an ethnic female in today’s society.
link to the season
an ethnic female in today’s society.
For the past few years T A P E Collective has programmed events around the themes of identity and heritage, observing the different ways in which filmmakers of mixed heritage attempt to respond to the question: ‘But where are you really from?’ It’s a universal sentiment experienced by those who have their feet in two worlds, exploring code-switching, losing a language and the whitewashing of names – all resulting in the ‘othering’ in one’s own country; whether it be the first, second or third one. Now, this tongue-in-cheek nod to anyone who’s been asked the question is presented as a season exploring the nuances of being of mixed heritage. It brings together classics like Fatih Akin’s heart-wrenching Head-On, Elia Kazan’s Pinky (which set a trend with ‘passing’ films), and recent releases such as the Esiri brothers’ Eyimofe, plus talks and an open-submission short film programme.
All copy by season curators Angela Moneke, Nellie Alston and Isra Al Kassi
Want more? A complementary collection of shorts and features will be available on BFI Player from 28 June..
T A P E was founded in 2015 as a response to the lack of representation on screen. Find out more about this curatorial collective at tapecollective.co.uk
Birds’ Eye View (BEV) is seeking to recruit a new Director, who is :
– a special, inspirational person
– a bold, values-driven, film-savvy leader
– an advocate for gender equality and diversity in all film spaces with experience in curation and building audiences for film (probably from a distribution/ exhibition/ festival background)
– a leader who will embrace the new in all its forms, being as comfortable welcoming the radical as well as the regular
– someone who will work to push boundaries and challenge the status quo towards creating a more enlightened society. someone who will work to
Birds’ Eye View (BEV) is a not-for-profit that centres the female and non-binary perspective in film through events, conversation and community. Our mission is to celebrate culturally diverse perspectives of the world by drawing ever-greater audiences to films by women. We are not just for women, but for everyone.
Now in its 18th year, BEV continues to spotlight and celebrate new, and classic, films created by women through our #ReclaimTheFrame project (RTF). With funding from the National Lottery via the British Film Institute’s Audience Fund, we support women working in film through advocacy, investment, mentoring and events. Since we established RTF in 2018, we have supported over 50 films and filmmakers such as PIN CUSHION, starring Joanna Scanlan, THE SOUVENIR, written and directed by Joanna Hogg, MISBEHAVIOUR, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, THE ASSISTANT, written and directed by Kitty Green, BIRDS OF PASSAGE, directed by Cristina Gallego & Ciro Guerra, as well as documentaries such as SEAHORSE, CRIP CAMP, and the Oscar-winning FOR SAMA. We also hosted exclusive preview tours of ATLANTICS, with director Mati Diop, and BEEN SO LONG, starring Michaela Coel.
Through our RTF network in 15 UK cities: Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Chester, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth and Sheffield, we host preview, and week-of-release, screenings and events with filmmakers, actors, and guest experts such as cultural influencers, social justice campaigners, thinkers, influencers, artists and critics. We invite sociologists, criminologists, historians, psychologists, and, whenever possible, and appropriate, descendants into the cinema space to share their insights. Our in-person A&Q format subverts the traditional Q&A panel by asking speakers to pose questions to the audience and encourage discussion. Our events nearly always sell-out, generate word-of-mouth buzz, and raise the profile of the films whose releases we invest in.
● Increase the profile and market impact of films by women / gender non-binary people.
● Encourage greater industry investment into the marketing and promotion of films by women / gender non-binary people.
● Encourage more women / gender non-binary people in key distribution, programming and marketing positions.
We represent the true breadth and diversity of international cinema that is written and/or directed by women or based on a book/story by a woman, and is aligned to BEV’s wider mission and strategy. BEV has an outstanding record of agitating for equality in film and championing strong work in an intersectional dimension.
We also run CPD (continued professional development) programmes for executives and filmmakers such as Filmonomics and Future Leaders In Distribution. It is important to us to advocate and mentor new and emerging talent across the film value chain.
START DATE: Early to mid -September (date to be agreed) to allow overlap with the current outgoing director
INITIAL TERM: September 2021 to March 2023 and on a rolling 3-month notice period, with an initial 8-week trial period.
Closing Date: Wednesday July 7th 1000
Please send your biography / CV to Simone Glover at simone@birds-eye-view.co.uk with a covering letter which highlights why you would be a good candidate for the role. It is also a requirement to complete the anonymised equal opportunities form here. Applications to be received by July 7th 10am latest.
If you are invited for an interview, these will take place on July 9/12/13, via Zoom, for 45 mins, for which you will need to be available. Second interviews will likely take place on July 14. Decisions made/offer sent July 15-20.
We only accept emailed applications. If you require a reasonable adjustment or other assistance to participate in the recruitment process, for example due to disability, please advise by email to the address above. If you have access requirements for example for the online interviewing please tell us when you submit your application so we have a chance to prepare and book any access needed in good time.
Equal Opportunities Statement
BEV celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here.
Safeguarding Statement
BEV is committed to a safe recruitment process to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact us as above.
Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early and therefore we encourage you to apply for this position early.
We thank you in advance for your interest in BEV and for applying for this position. Unfortunately, we will not be able to give feedback to those who didn’t get through to the interview stage as we simply don’t have the capacity.
