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.
The Equilibrium Between Water, Earth, and Everything in Between.
A curated online programme for Earth Day 2023
From
Leah Park, Maya Lambert, Chloe Miller and Rokhaya Thioub
This programme will take you on a journey through an intergenerational Black and Indigenous lens that jumps between present, past, and future to discover the equilibrium between water, earth, and everything in between.
We start our water journey with Asha, from Pumzi (2009) directed by Wanuri Kahiu, to see into the future the effects of extreme water deficiency after World War III, The Water War. We then reach back into the past with Sebastián Calfuqueo in Kowkülen (2020) to learn about water commodification in Chile and listen to the cold water speak to us.
Moving to the freezing water of Angry Inuk (2012), directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Barilwhen, we learn about the dangers of activism when certain voices are ignored. We close the water section to witness the effects of extreme weather and human-made obstacles through the eyes of a child in Beasts of The Southern Wild (2012). Co-written by Lucy Ailbar, this is a film that reinforces the message that we all exist in this perfect balance and are part of the pieces of the puzzle that is the universe.
In the earth section, the equilibrium messages still stand strong. We open with Kiss the Ground, written by Rebecca Harrell Tickell, a documentary explaining how every living being contributes positively to the growth of all organic life. It argues this by exposing the dangers of using chemicals in farming, which can strip the Earth of its mantle. We continue with Daughters of The Dust (1991) directed and written by Julie Dash, to focus on the story of a generational split of formerly-enslaved people in the Gullah community of coastal South Carolina. The film explores the discord between holding on to past traditions and the desire to move on into ‘civilization’. FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992), co-written by Diana Young, is an animation for the enjoyment of adults and children alike that has an important intergenerational message about the future of the rainforest. We conclude with this love letter to the planet, The Peace of Wild Things (2020) directed and animated by Katy Wang, highlighting the bond between nature and humans and their capacity to rebuild.
Pumzi (South Africa; Kenya, 2009, 23 mins)
Directed by Wanuri Kahiu
Pumzi is an afrofuturistic short film exploring the world 35 years after WWIII: The Water War. Asha’s community is extremely strict with its water and energy production. Even urine and sweat are purified and reused, and citizens are allowed only a small amount of water per day. Asha is the curator of The Natural History Museum. While working, she has a dream about a healthy tree and water, however, the machine promptly asks her to take a dream suppressant. Asha receives soil from an anonymous source and finds out it’s healthy. She embarks on a journey of discovery and restoration.
Kowkulen (Chile, 2020, 3.5mins)
Directed by Sebastian Calfuqueo
Kowkulen translates to “liquid being”, from Mapudungun. This short highlights the 1981 Water Code which describes the water in Chile as a marketable good. Directed by Sebastian Calfuqueo, they address the topics of the body, binarism, gender, sexuality, and the historical relationship between water and life. Calfuqueo uses this work to reflect on the nonbinary Mapuche identity and the non-binary way of inhabiting within nature, shown through the blue rope tied around their body.
Angry Inuk (Canada, 2016, 85 mins)
Directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril
Angry Inuk is a 2016 Canadian Inuit-themed feature-length documentary film written and directed by Alethea Arnaquq-Baril that defends the Inuit seal hunt. The documentary shows how important it is to hear everyone's voice as an activist, and not believe everything multi-million associations feed you. Otherwise, there’s a risk of ruining entire communities. Seal hunting has been demonized for decades leading to a market crash that greatly negatively impacted Inuit communities. It lead to famine and suicide, despite the supposed protection given by the law. After years of rebuilding, another campaign threatens to crash their economy again. Angry Inuk follows the journey of this campaign, led by Inuit adults and youth, to establish international and national protections for Inuit seal hunters so that they can secure income and care for the land in a traditional and efficient manner. It also shows that their hunting is sustainable, unlike how it's depicted by animal rights activists.
Kiss The Ground (US, 2020, 84 mins)
Directed by Rebecca Harrell Tickell, Josh Tickell
Written by Rebecca Harrell Tickell, Josh Tickell and Johnny O’Hara
Kiss The Ground is a 2020 American feature length documentary written and directed by Rebecca Harrell Tickell and Joshua Tickell, narrated by Woody Harrelson. It shows how we can help stop our ever-growing climate crisis through changing the way we farm.
The breakthrough documentary reveals that by regenerating our soil we can stabilize the climate, reduce global emissions and even restore lost ecosystems. The film features celebrity activists, scientists and farmers that come together to form a global movement around regenerative agriculture and to encourage others to join the cause. In a way the film educates the audience about what they can do to help and comes up with different solutions that a range of people can try, whether it be other farmers who have access to fields and machinery or a family that can turn to composting excess food waste. We need to save our Earth and soil regeneration might be the way forward.
Daughters of the Dust (US, 1991, 112 mins)
Directed and Written by Julie Dash
Daughters of the Dust is a 1991 American German independent film written and directed by Julie Dash. The film gives the audience insight into three generations of Gullah women who live on St. Helena Island in South Carolina. The Gullah community is struggling to maintain their cultural heritage and contemplates making the decision to migrate to the North, away from their roots. Daughters of the Dust was the first film directed by a Black woman to receive nationwide theatrical release in America. The film first premiered in New York in 1991 and ran for four months straight with venues selling out on weekends. One of the many themes throughout the film shows how to grow and move on from trauma instead of letting it define who they are as a person. This theme is shown through one of the characters called Eula who faces trauma in her life and is told to embrace it as part of her story.
Beasts of the Southern Wild (US, 2012, 93 mins)
Directed by Benh Zeitlin
Written by Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar
Beasts of the Southern Wild is written by Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, who also directed the American fantasy drama. Raised in a wilderness community by her father, Wink, six-year-old Hushpuppy is forced to look outwards when her world begins to crumble. Hushpuppy ventures to search for her mother, whilst prehistoric creatures slowly trek towards her. The exceptional visuals of this film capture the beauty of Hushpuppy’s world, internally and externally, as she battles through the Earth, her resilience carrying her on when her father falls ill sees her exceed the boundaries of what she knows. Quvenzhané Wallis’ performance captures the youthful strength of Hushpuppy and the animalistic relationship between her father and outlook on the world. A beautiful film about human emotion, community and the environment.
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (US, 1992, 74 mins)
Directed by Bill Kroyer
Written by Diana Young and Jim Cox
FernGully: The Last Rainforest is an adventure cartoon written by Diana Young and Jim Cox and directed by Bill Kroyer. Within the vibrant Australian rainforest, FernGully sprite Crysta, shrinks human lumberjack boy, Zak. He promises to help save the rainforest from being inhabited by a logging company. Unintentionally, Zak releases an evil spirit, Hexxus, who’s incentive is to destroy FernGully. On a whimsical adventure to save the rainforest from the polluting force of destruction, Zak learns the importance of deforestation and the need to save the rainforest.
The Peace of Wild Things (US, 2020, 1 min)
Directed and Animated by Katy Wang
The Peace of Wild Things is a visual poem directed and animated by Katy Wang and illustrated by Charlotte Ager. It tells the journey of a man finding peace through nature as Wendell Berry narrates his poem, ‘The Peace of Wild Things’. The short animation embraces the beauty of nature with images of forests, wildlife and bodies of water whilst also bringing awareness to how troubled our planet is, and how we should live in the present despite the chaos in humanity.
From left to right: Leah Park, Maya Lambert, Chloe Miller and Rokhaya Thioub.
We are a group of final-year Film Studies & Screenwriting students at Sheffield Hallam University, passionate about films and fascinated by the influence they have on people.
Updated: May 10, 2023
Reclaim The Frame champions marginalised perspectives in cinema, connecting with audiences through community building and conversation.
Celebrating our 20th year, the charity was founded as Birds’ Eye View in 2003, launched originally as a film festival running each International Women’s Day, and now an organisation that works all year round to support, and build audiences for, films by filmmakers of marginalised genders.
In partnership with cinemas, distributors and festivals across the UK and beyond, we create impactful and inclusive campaigns to build audiences for the films we support.
We continue to diversify audiences; developing safe and accessible spaces for discussion, promoting a de-patriarchal, de-centralised and de-colonised lens on the world, and advocating for social justice in all film spaces.
Our Board of Trustees
The Board is currently comprised of eight trustees who bring a range of lived experience and expertise in film sales, curation, publicity, community cinema, and more widely across advocacy, health, HR, wellbeing, disability justice, legal, accounts, data and evaluation.
Our Board structure is flat, with a rotating Chair.
Who we’re looking for
We are specifically looking for individuals with an entrepreneurial approach, a commitment to our core values, and who bring expertise in any of the following:
Film production, sales, distribution, exhibition, fundraising and sponsorship
The successful applicants will have the opportunity to bring their professional and lived experience to guide the work we do, and help us fulfil our mission in line with our values.
You do not need to have first-hand experience of serving on a Board previously.
Main Responsibilities
To enact the values of the charity in all discussions and decisions.
To consistently ask: “Does this help further the vision and mission of the charity?”
To individually and collectively offer support and feedback.
To consult KPIs for the charity to help assess whether it is developing in the right direction.
To serve the team in meeting the vision of the charity.
To commit sufficient time to become informed about the activities of the charity.
To go through an induction to build trust, understand our values and vision, and to learn to listen and feedback effectively.
To contribute lived experience as well as professional expertise.
In addition to the above, the Charity Commission provides clear top-level guidance on what is expected of Trustees, as detailed here.
Commitment
To attend 6 x meetings per year, plus ad hoc meetings and phone calls as required.
To serve as (revolving) Chair for approximately 10 weeks and facilitate approximately one Trustee meeting every 18 months. We are trialling this as a revolving responsibility so that every Trustee has the opportunity to facilitate and to make the Board non-hierarchical.
To fulfil a tenure of up to 3 x years, for a maximum of two terms.
Equal Opportunities
We want to see a broader range of people involved in cinema, and in our Charity.
We encourage applications from those whose lived experience is under-represented in our sector, including those who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQI+, Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent, and under-represented in our Charity (or on our Board of Trustees), including those who identify as male (cis and trans).
Though our Charity focuses on championing creatives of marginalised genders, we welcome people of all genders to apply.
We aim to create a safe space in which our trustees & team members can show up as their whole and authentic selves, understanding that each of us brings our lived experience and own perspective to what we do, and that no-one should be asked to represent any specific group of which they may be a part.
Reclaim The Frame celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair, just and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here.
We uphold the BFI Diversity Standards which drive change and best practice in on screen representation and creative leadership. We are also an accredited Living Wage Employer though please note that the role of Charity Trustees is voluntary.
Application Process
How to apply: Please send a CV and cover letter (no more than 2 A4 pages), or audio / video recording (no longer than 5 minutes), setting out the experience (including work, voluntary, and lived) you would bring to the role of Trustee / Treasurer and how you hope to gain from the experience.
Email mail@reclaimtheframe.org, addressed to the Board of Trustees, Reclaim The Frame, with the subject heading “Application for the Board of Trustees.”
It is also a requirement to complete the anonymised equal opportunities form here.
Access: Please let us know if you require any access provisions for the interview or any support with the application via the email address below. We will work with candidates to ensure their access needs are met during the interview process and will ensure access requirements are not a factor in decision making.
Closing Date: Friday 05 May, 10:00
Equal Opportunities Monitoring: We are striving to understand more about who applies to work with us. We invite you to complete our anonymous equal opportunities monitoring form, which will not be shared with anyone involved in the recruitment process - the form can be found here.
For any questions, please email mail@reclaimtheframe.org, FAO Sophie Glover (Trustee Board member).
With this multi-year support for our audience-facing activity, we will continue to grow, nurture and engage audiences for films from marginalised perspectives that are more representative of the UK population. We will continue with our intersectional approach to programming, audience development and community building in safe, accessible spaces for conversations around the films we support, focusing on increasing our reach UK-wide in partnership with 20+ cinemas across 16 cities.
With this, we’re mindful of the responsibility of an intersectional feminist and anti-patriarchal organisation like ours in taking an actively trans, non-binary and intersex inclusive approach. From hereon in, Reclaim The Frame commits to championing filmmakers of marginalised genders, however they identify, with the aim of further growing audience choice for a range of stories and ideas from a greater range of perspectives and lived experience as a means of broadening all of our world-views through cinema.
As announced in Screen International on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2023, Reclaim The Frame (formerly known as Birds’ Eye View) underwent a name change, designed to embody a renewed commitment to our #ReclaimTheFrame mission.
We also revealed our new visual identity, designed by Nicole Chapman, and new website, designed by Nicola Evans, and announced our new Programme & Events Producer Rōgan Graham. For more information on the Reclaim The Frame team, based in nine cities across the UK between Edinburgh and Brighton, click here.
We ask you to join us in this next stage in our charity’s development, and to #ReclaimTheFrame with us – as audience members and as allies.
You can sign up here as an Advocate to find out about our latest news, events and opportunities, and to spread the word.
