16 Days 16 Films is a short film initiative that empowers female filmmakers and campaigns to end all forms
of violence against womEn.
ABOUT 16 DAYS 16 FILMS
The initiative is presented by 16 DAYS 16 FILMS, by Founding Directors Johanna von Fischer and Ginta Gelvan, with the support of UN Women, UK Says No More, Voice of Change, Olivela , the Geena Davis Institute, and the BFI.
It is inspired by the UN Women campaign ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence’.
Each year, we run a competition for female filmmakers.
16 films are selected from hundreds of submissions, and for every one of the 16 days of the campaign (25 November - 10 December), one film is screened on our online platform.
The films explore, emote, or educate on a form of violence against women.
‘The Third Sorrow’, directed by Myriam Raja (2019 Winner)
Jayisha Patel, director of ‘Circle’ (2018 Winner)
Through selecting and screening them, the aim is to both champion the work of female filmmakers, and raise awareness for the campaign to end violence against women in all its forms.
The films might be centred around difficult topics such as femicide, FGM, domestic abuse, and sexual violence; but our theme also includes inequality and discrimination - which we also consider to be forms of violence against women globally.
The films must tackle or present these issues and topics with social and cultural sensitivity, and an intersectional feminist viewpoint. These may be any medium - fiction, documentary, animation or experimental - and under 25 minutes runtime. We accept submissions from female-identifying filmmakers, and films from the UK & Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, Mexico, the USA and for the first time in the festival’s history, Argentina and Nigeria.
We are now closed for submissions for 2024.
To see our Rules & Terms and more info, visit our FilmFreeway page here.
ABOUT 16 DAYS 16 FILMS FOUNDERS
Ginta Gelvan is co-founding director and producer of the yearly 16 Days 16 Films short film competition. Ginta co-launched the film company Modern Films highlighting female filmmakers and social issues driven stories.
Ginta comes from the fashion, luxury and entertainment world. Her expertise covers branding, PR and marketing for global brands such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Agent Provocateur.
Johanna von Fischer is co-founding director and producer of the yearly 16 Days 16 Films short film competition. Johanna has been director of the acclaimed British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) with over 15 years experience of producing the Film Awards.
Johanna's background includes acting in independent films and theatre, as well as creative event consulting. For Modern Films, Johanna ran Impact Campaigns for their film releases.
ABOUT 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence is an annual campaign, which has run since 1991, and has 164 countries and 3,700 organisations involved. It uses the 16 days between International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25th November) and International Human Rights Day (10th December) to reinforce that eliminating all forms of violence against women is a human rights issue, and that the act of perpetrating violence against women is a human rights violation.
Find out more on here.
ABOUT OUR PARTNERS
UN WOMEN is the UN organisation delivering programmes, policies and standards that uphold women’s human rights, and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential. UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. It works globally to make the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals a reality for women and girls, and stands behind women’s equal participation in all aspects of life.
UK SAYS NO MORE is the national awareness and prevention campaign for Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence across the U.K. The campaign was launched by London charity Hestia in 2016. UK Says NO MORE seeks to unite and strengthen a diverse community of members of the public and organisations nationwide to actively take a stand against domestic abuse and sexual violence under one powerful, visual symbol.
Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice has worked internationally and in the US since 2011 to engage men and boys as allies in gender equality, promote healthy manhood, and prevent violence. Equimundo works to achieve gender equality and social justice by transforming intergenerational patterns of harm and promoting patterns of care, empathy, and accountability among boys and men throughout their lives.
VOICE OF CHANGE supports art-based projects that champion meaningful education about - and action against - family violence. They believe that everyone has a role to play in preventing family violence, and that conversation and education is key. Their commissioned content serves as a therapeutic creative outlet for survivors, and as educational materials that can be used to highlight abusive behaviours, address patriarchal masculinity, and promote behavioural change.
The GEENA DAVIS INSTITUTE ON GENDER IN MEDIA was founded in 2004 by two-time Academy Award winning actor Geena Davis, and the Institute is the only global research-based organisation working collaboratively within the entertainment industry to create gender balance, foster inclusion and reduce negative stereotyping family entertainment media.
The BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE is a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. Their mission is to support creativity and actively seek out the next generation of UK storytellers; to grow and care for the BFI National Archive; to offer the widest range of UK and international moving image culture through programmes and festivals (online and in venue); to use their knowledge to educate and deepen public appreciation and understanding of film and the moving image; and to work with Government and industry to ensure the continued growth of the UK’s screen industries.
DDA is the leading global entertainment communications agency, with offices in Los Angeles and London, offering a bespoke service and truly global reach for festivals, networks, platforms, producers, distributors, financiers, government organisations, and brands.
DDA’s unrivalled knowledge of the entertainment industry adds undisputed value as a trusted partner for its clients. With deep-rooted industry and media contacts, as well as dedicated teams on the ground at all major industry markets, festivals, and conventions worldwide, DDA’s international reach and experience in publicity is unparalleled. We provide creative and insightful strategies, tailored campaign solutions, and a ‘round-the-clock’ service across all the agency’s lines of business, which includes International Publicity, Corporate Communications, Festival Publicity, Digital/Social, Design, Event Management, and Awards & Special Projects.
TIME’S UP UK is an organisation that insists on safe, fair and dignified work for everyone. We do this by identifying, creating and implementing significant and impactful interventions for lasting change amplifying the work of our partners and friends, by creative connections and advocacy. Our very first red carpet when we launched back in February 2018 saw us walk with activists to share the stage as we began our campaign against bullying, harassment, and abuse, which has so long been part of the DNA of our industry. From the casting couch to ‘sex sells’, women have been mistreated in front and behind the camera.
Introducing our newest partner, Olivela
Olivela is a fashion retailer with purpose at its core. Offering a curation of your favorite luxury fashion and accessories brands, Olivela promotes positive change by donating 20% of net proceeds from every purchase to 25+ non-profit partners championing women's and girls' initiatives, now including 16 Days 16 Films. Partners include CARE, Equality Now, Malaika, Sentebale, Women for Women International, among others. To date, the Olivela community has donated more than 1 million days of school for girls.
ABOUT OUR SUPPORTERS
Tiny Feature: is a film and video production company based in North London. We specialise in promotional and interview-based content with a focus on the Film and Television industry, providing services ranging from creative direction, through to multi-format delivery. We are passionate about building collaborative relationships to create tailored, high-quality and impactful projects.
Redsky Studios: renowned for advanced web and e-commerce platforms, effective SEO, and captivating digital marketing strategies, we excel in VR and mixed reality experiences. Our expertise extends to impactful brand and packaging design, along with specialised print and manufacturing services. Notably skilled in Amazon label design, innovative exhibition, and event marketing, we commit to elevating brands and enhancing online presence.