After watching our 16 finalists films here, we have gathered a selection of further resources on the themes covered in the films:
DAY 1 - SHE CAME TO ME
FILMMAKER
Saffron Burrows is an accomplished stage and screen actor. Films include the upcoming Canary Black and The Morrigan.
Burrows has starred in such films as The Bank Job, Troy, The Guitar, Timecode, Miss Julie, Gangster No. 1, Circle of Friends and Welcome II The Terrordome.
Recent television includes You & Westworld. Burrows starred in the Golden Globe-winning comedy Mozart in the Jungle.
TV includes Boston Legal, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Dennis Potter’s Karaoke.
On the New York stage in the spring Burrows starred in Corruption at the Lincoln Center Theater, written by JT Rogers, directed by Bart Sher. On the London stage, Burrows starred in the world premiere of Neil Labute’s Some Girls, Gielgud Theatre, Peter Whelan’s The Earthly Paradise, The Almeida Theatre, Jeanette Winterson’s The PowerBook directed by Deborah Warner, Royal National Theatre London, Theatre National Du Chaillot, Paris, Teatro Madrid, Rome, Two Lips Indifferent Red, Bush Theatre, London. In Los Angeles Burrows performed in Melissa James Gibson’s This, Kirk Douglas theatre, LA, and as Jackie Kennedy in a one-woman play Tom Dugan’s Jackie Unveiled at the Wallis Annenberg Centre for the Performing Arts.
Burrows made her directorial debut with the short films Michael & Indigo - part of the anthology feature Everything I Ever Wanted to Tell My Daughter About Men, which won the best film award at the Cannes Independent Film Festival. Burrows directed & co-produced the short film She Came To Me starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
In 2022 Burrows produced Ngozi Onwurah’s Neighborhood Alert. The film is an examination of racism in present day Los Angeles, now winning multiple awards on the festival circuit. Burrows also produced In The Skin Of The Water, a UK short film currently in post-production.
Burrows is in development to direct several features.
She is an advocate for Greenpeace & The Circle, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts.
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FEMALE FEAR FACTORY: UNRAVELLING PATRIARCHY’S CULTURES OF VIOLENCE by Pumla Dineo Gqola
An empty street at night. A crowded bus. A lecture hall. All sites of female fear, instilled in women and those who have been constructed female, from an early age.
Pumla Dineo Gqola’s ‘Female Fear Factory: Unravelling Patriarchy's Cultures of Violence’ is a sobering account of patriarchal violence and a hopeful vision for the work of unapologetic feminist imaginative strategies... drawing on examples from around the world - from Uganda, Nigeria, South Africa to Saudi Arabia, the Americas and Europe.
WATCH
In the wake of the #AmINext movement, we asked the question – what does it mean to be a woman in South Africa today? The answers from a broad cross-section of South African women revealed that we are more than our statistics and our challenges. We are more than the headlines that dominate the global narrative. We are not victims or survivors but a nation of ‘thrivers’. WOMANHOOD gives a voice to South African women and showcases the stories that connect us as women.
LISTEN
NONGCEBO MCKENZIE: THE PODCAST
Dr Nechama Brodie is a guest on this episode of the podcast with Nongcebo Vukile McKenzie, talking about her latest book 'Domestic Terror: Intimate partner violence in South Africa' which sheds light on the plight of women who face domestic violence and the harsh realities they encounter when trying to protect themselves. In South Africa, intimate partner violence is the leading cause of female homicide and often, the warning signs are ignored.
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THE CIRCLE NGO + NONCEBA FAMILY COUNSELLING CENTRE
The Circle NGO is a global feminist organisation, founded by Annie Lennox and other leading women, supporting women and girls confronting gender-based violence and economic inequality across the world.
“The Circle brings together Global Feminists to use their resources, networks and creativity to cultivate long lasting change. Standing shoulder to shoulder, we are engaged in the mighty process of change-making. Through fundraising, advocacy and convening and connecting, our global community support each other on the journey towards a future where there is safety and equality for all women and girls.”
They work in partnership with organisations including The Nonceba Family Counselling Centre just outside Cape Town providing a vital lifeline for women and their children in crisis, bringing sanctuary and support to those fleeing the horror of abuse, violence, and homelessness. Women, often with young children, are given a safe place to live with access to counselling, new skills, and the unique support of female friendship. Nonceba gives women, and their children, a chance to escape violence and abuse, and the belief in a new beginning. We want to ensure that the women at Nonceba can remain as long as they need, so they leave completely confident and with the skills and ability to live an independent life.
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DAY 2 - SAFE
FILMMAKER
Debbie Howard was an actor for twenty five years before moving into writing and directing. She made the critically acclaimed feature documentary, Still Loved, which was BIFA long listed and received fantastic reviews. Debbie’s latest award winning short film, Safe, starring Laura Bayston and James Nelson Joyce, is funded by the BFI Network and Produced by Rachel Robey and Al Clark at Wellington Films. Her feature documentary, Lifted, has been in production for four years and her upcoming feature film, Cold, is currently in development with Wellington Films. Debbie also works as a freelance television director. She has directed many episodes of television for the BBC, ITV and C5. She Directed Series 2 of The World According to Grandpa, which is nominated for an Royal Television Society Award. Drawing on her own extensive experience, she works well with actors, ensuring an excellent on screen performance. Debbie was a mentee on the Women in Film and TV Mentoring Scheme in 2014. She completed Filmonomics in 2017 with Mia Bays of Birds Eye View/BFI. She is keen to champion other women in the film industry. She is a member of Cinesisters, Primetime, Director’s UK and Women in Film and TV. She lectures in film at Sheffield Hallam University. She has been on the jury for several film festivals is a full voting member of BAFTA and BIFA.
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EVERYDAY VIOLENCE by Simone Kolysh
Everyday Violence is based on ten years of scholarly rage against catcalling and aggression directed at women and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of New York City. Simone Kolysh recasts public harassment as everyday violence and demands an immediate end to this pervasive social problem. Analysing interviews with initiators and recipients of everyday violence through an intersectional lens, Kolysh argues that gender and sexuality, shaped by race, class, and space, are violent processes that are reproduced through these interactions in the public sphere. They examine short and long-term impacts and make inroads in urban sociology, queer and trans geographies, and feminist thought. Kolysh also draws a connection between public harassment, gentrification, and police brutality resisting criminalising narratives in favour of restorative justice. Through this work, they hope for a future where women and LGBTQ people can live on their own terms, free from violence.
WATCH
STREET HARASSMENT - IT’S NOT OK
Street harassment of women and girls is endemic. In the UK, two in three girls have been sexually harassed in public. In this passionate talk, Jess Leigh argues it’s time to stop blaming girls and take a stand against unacceptable behaviour.
Since joining Plan International UK's youth advisory panel at the age of 15, Jess Leigh has worked on a number of campaigns to give girls an equal chance in life and spoken in a number of venues including the House of Lords about issues facing girls in the 21st century.
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Strut Safe is a volunteer-operated and non-judgemental support line. They will stay on the phone with you until you arrive safely at your destination, no matter where you are going or where you have come from.
They stand in solidarity with marginalised people and are unaligned with the police. They provide kindness and reassurance to anyone who needs it during their travels.
Rape Crisis England & Wales is the feminist charity working to end child sexual abuse, rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and all other forms of sexual violence.
“We want a world without sexual violence where all women and girls live safely, freely and with dignity. We work for women and girls, in partnership with our member centres, to transform attitudes about sexual violence and abuse, improve responses for all victims and survivors and end sexual violence and abuse in all its forms”.
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DAY 3 - SER SEMILLA
FILMMAKER
Julia is a Mexican animator/illustrator/choreographer. She completed her B.A. at Bennington College '19 (USA) where she studied Animation and Dance. She has completed two Masters Degrees in Animation and graduated with honors, at Luca School of Art '21 (Belgium) and at the RE:Anima EMJMD program '23 (Belgium, Finland, Portugal). Her films have been shown in a variety of international festivals. Currently she works as a freelance animator and illustrator.
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LILIANA’S INVINCIBLE SUMMER by Cristina Rivera Garza
On the dawn of 16 July 1990, Liliana Rivera Garza was murdered by her ex-boyfriend and subsumed into Mexico's dark and relentless history of femicide.
Returning to Mexico, in ‘Lilana’s Invicible Summer’ author Cristina Rivera Garza collects and curates evidence... letters, police reports, school notebooks, voice recordings and architectural blueprints, to defy a pattern of increasingly normalised, gendered violence and understand the life lost. What she finds is Liliana: her sister’s voice crossing time and, like that of so many disappeared and outraged women in Mexico, demanding justice.
WATCH
RUIDO directed by Natalia Beristáin follows Julia, a mother, or more precisely, one of the many mothers, sisters, daughters, colleagues that have had their lives destroyed by the generalised violence in a country that is waging war against its women. Julia is in search of Ger, her daughter. And, during her search, goes weaving the stories and battles of the different women she meets.
LISTEN
In the border city of Ciudad Juárez, hundreds of women have gone missing. The ones that are found have strange symbols carved on their bodies, some have their wrists bound with shoelaces. All are discarded like garbage. The story of Forgotten investigates theories about what or who is responsible (a serial killer, organ traffickers, a Satanic Cult) and pursues an investigation with law enforcement on both sides of the border, terrified witnesses and corrupt authorities.
“Forgotten: Women of Juárez” is the essential return to the origin: who and why unleashed the violence in Juárez in the mid-1990s? Why so much impunity? What responsibility does the United States have in all this? Is it a serial killer, a satanic sect or an organized group? What role have Mexican and US authorities played in the investigations? Why are these murders still unsolved? Above all: why understanding what happened in Juárez is crucial to raise awareness and put a definitive stop to violence against women? To answer these questions, this podcast brings together statements from journalists, police authorities from both sides of the border, and relatives of the victims.
From hosts Mónica Ortiz Uribe and Oz Woloshyn.
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Fondo Semillas is a feminist fund in Mexico that believes in the transformative power of organised girls, youth, women, trans, non-binary and intersex people. Supporting and accompanying their journey to build fairer, freer and happier realities for themselves and their surroundings is their reason for being.
For 33 years, they have mobilised resources and provided them to organisations, networks and collectives. They support them to strengthen themselves and the movements in which they participate in order to sustain life based on equality and justice.
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DAY 4 - BATHSHEBA
FILMMAKER
Myah is a Barbadian-British award winning photographer, dramaturg & director based in London. She has previously worked with the likes of The Royal Court, Young Vic, TATE, The Photographer's Gallery & more. Her photography won the 2019 & 2021 Portrait of Britain Prize and has featured in a host of publications, including VOGUE, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Independent, ELLE, Aesthetica Magazine and British Journal of Photography. Victoria Bavister | producer Producer and co-founder of Two Birds Entertainment, set up with writer/director Henry Blake to create auteur driven, evocative stories for an international audience. Their debut feature was BIFA and BAFTA nominated COUNTY LINES. In development: Henry’s sophomore feature THE BEETLE (Starring Lucy Boynton, EP Mike Goodridge), Margarita Milne’s debut PLASTIC co-written with Xiao Tang - selected UK Next Wave Genre Lab. Recent short films: Myah Jeffers’ BATHSHEBA (won best performance at S.O.U.L. Fest, nominated Best British Short at Leeds & Norwich Film Festivals); Minha Kim’s FOR FOX SAKE for Film4 and WePresent. Participant of BIFA Springboard programme 2024.
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THE DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF EVICTION ON BLACK WOMEN
This report from the Center for American Progress discusses the eviction crisis that disproportionately affects communites of colour, particularly Black women in the US.
It discusses the disproportionate eviction of Black women and the harmful consequences of eviction on them; provides an overview of eviction policies during the pandemic as well as the current state of housing and economic vulnerability; and outlines specific policies, programmes and legislation that states can and should implement to protect tenants, prevent eviction, and mitigate the lasting consequences of eviction for the populations most affected.
WATCH
This film focuses on a single mother who decides to kidnap her son out of the foster care system as the two struggle with life in a constantly changing NYC. Director and writer A.V. Rockwell said,“Society, and even within our own community, inner-city Black women are so invisible and misunderstood. It was so important, for me, that I tell their story as best as I could and just try to be a voice for them”.
“By not simply showing a neighbourhood that is changing, but also particular examples of how longstanding residents are swindled out of their homes, how their vulnerabilities are further exploited to create that change... paints one of the most helpful portraits of urban gentrification so far.” - Nadira Goff, Slate
LISTEN
is a collaborative podcast between CaCHE and Housing Options Scotland which hears stories from those working in housing, from people who have experienced barriers accessing housing and those doing research in under-investigated areas to really show the important role that accessible, inclusive housing can play in people's lives.
In this episode, Rohini Sharma Joshi, an experienced equalities consultant who has been a prominent figure in Scottish Housing for over 30 years, speaks about the barriers ethnic minority older people face around housing, and how research, both existing and future, can improve their ability to access and meaningfully engage services.
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Stonewall Housing is the leading national charity supporting LGBTQ+ people of all ages in the UK and are experiencing homelessness or living in an unsafe environment. They provide specialist housing advice, advocacy and support for those homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Stonewall Housing have specialisms in Mental Health, Domestic Abuse, Substance Misuse and Supported Accommodation. They also offer specialist support for LGBTQ+ people over 50 who are facing housing difficulties.
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DAY 5 - NINE DAYS IN AUGUST
FILMMAKER
Ella Knorz was born in Heidelberg, Germany has been pursuing filmmaking and other artistic forms since the age of ten. She studied philosophy and literature in Berlin and continued her directing studies at the University of Television and Film Munich in 2020.
She was part of the European Youth Jury at the 77th Venice Film Festival and presented her work at various international film festivals. Ella also works as a photographer for high end arthouse productions with filmmakers like Ilker Çatak, Judith Kaufmann, Mariko Minoguchi or Edgar Reitz.
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You're the Only One I've Told: The Stories Behind Abortion
This book collects stories as they've been told to abortion provider Dr. Meera Shah to humanise abortion and to combat myths that persist in the discourse that surrounds it. An intentionally wide range of ages, races, socioeconomic factors and experiences shows that abortion does not happen in isolation--it always occurs in a unique context. Today, a healthcare issue that's so foundational to reproductive, social, and economic freedom for millions of people is exploited by politicians who lack understanding or compassion about the context in which abortion occurs. Stories have power to break down stigmas and help us to empathise with those whose experiences are unlike our own.
LISTEN
In this podcast series from Amnesty International, Tatyana Movshevich meets abortion rights defenders from across the world – from Venezuela to Morocco, from Malta to Namibia. Amid all the disinformation and hostility, abortion rights defenders have found themselves in the blinding spotlight – against their will and expectation. In this podcast we hear their stories and find out how they work against the backdrop of violence and stigma, and how they are also driving one of the most significant social shifts in recent years.
WATCH
Abortion Is Technically Illegal in Germany — This Is How Women Get Them Anyway
This documentary from Vice in 2022 explores what it’s like for those seeking abortions and abortion providers in Germany with a surprisingly restrictive abortion law.
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Franzis Kabisch is an filmmaker, artistic researcher, writer based in Berlin and Austria who focuses on topics such as abortion, reproductive justice, queer and feminist film and TV, body politics and the situated gaze.
For the last few years, Franzis has been researching the depiction of abortions in film, TV and media. She has been researching the topic artistically and scientifically since 2019 and wants to find out how cinematic narratives and social narratives about abortion are connected and publishes some of her findings at @abortion.tv.
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DAY 6 - GROWN
FILMMAKER
Jaja Meloche is a Canadian filmmaker based in Brooklyn. After graduating from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, she made her directorial debut in 2023 when her film 'Grown' premiered at Palm Springs International Shortest. It was selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick and is featured on Director’s Notes and Director’s Library. She is currently in post production on her second short, a documentary under the title 'No Angel'. She is also developing a feature length version of 'No Angel' as well as a feature length version of 'Grown'.
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REAL TALK ABOUT SEX AND CONSENT by Cheryl M. Bradshaw
“And as a teen, you need trusted resources to help you navigate sexual issues without shame, guilt, or judgement. But you may not have someone in your life that you can talk to openly about complicated sexual situations and what consent really means - and this information is crucial for your health, safety and happiness.”
‘Real Talk About Sex and Consent’ is a comprehensive guide with information about setting boundaries, coercion, reciprocity and communication. You'll learn how to make sexual decisions that honour your sense of values, this book goes past simple definitions of sex and consent and explores the hidden pressures, misrepresented expectations and realities of sex and what to do about it all to give you the tools you need to make decisions that are right for you.
WATCH
‘How to Have Sex’ examines British youth culture, consent and sexual pressure as three sixteen year old girls go on a rites-of-passage holiday. For Tara, her first sexual experiences aren't respectful or consensual and the film follows her processing what's happened.
Director Molly Manning-Walker said, “For me, every woman I know has been sexually assaulted and not every man I know would claim to have had that experience or to have been a perpetrator. So I think there's a real gap there in what people understand as assault”.
LISTEN
Like many teenagers, Megan got drunk at a house party when she was 17. When a friend offered to help sober her up in a bedroom, he instead coerced and sexually assaulted her. After opening up about it, Megan and her parents agreed to blame the incident on her drunkenness and the topic stayed dormant for years – until #MeToo erupted.
In this episode of the ‘Sex & Consent’ podcast join hosts Dr Mardi Wilson and Lizzy Keen as they unpack Megan’s reckoning with her assault, how she's overcome its impact on her life and how her parents took part in an awakening.
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Schools Consent Project normalise conversations about consent in order to encourage safe, healthy interactions and reduce the likelihood of young people experiencing or perpetrating sexual harm. For nearly a decade, they have worked in schools across the UK – successfully educating over 50,000 young people and in 2023 began working with the military and in football clubs. They have also launched the Schools Consent Project in New York.
Their lawyer-led workshops explore the legal definition of consent, the age of consent, key sexual offences, online offences & how to check for and communicate consent. They want to give young people an ability to identify their boundaries and the boundaries in others, to understand the harms of sexually abusive behaviour and to feel confident speaking up.
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DAY 7 - TO HOLD MY LOVE
FILMMAKER
Elettra Giunta is originally from Sicily, Italy. Elettra works across the film, music video, fashion, live performances and installation settings. She is interested in making work that uses the body as a vessel to address issues surrounding the woman's body, the complexity of human emotions, and the notions of intimacy and care. Her choreography has been showcased in venues including Whitechapel Gallery, The Place, Ugly Duck and the Drawing Room. She has worked as assistant producer for Igor x Moreno and recently completed a work placement at Sadler’s Wells. Elettra has recently completed an MA in Arts Management & Administration at Goldsmiths University.
Adam Othman born in Malaysia and raised in the UK. Adam’s work spans the realms of fashion, music and visual arts. His approach to artistic practice is an unyielding dedication to storytelling, attempting to create consistent threads between his diverse creations. He aims to depict moments in time that resonate with marginalised groups who are often not centred in visual arts. He has amassed tens of millions of views online with works such as Paris Paloma’s music video ‘’Labour’’ and has also worked with fashion brands including Salvatore Ferragamo, Carhartt WIP, and Simone Rocha.
WATCH
Our Bodies are Not an Image - Mary Jelkovsky
In a society surrounded by pictures, videos, and social media, body-image concerns continue to be on the rise. 96% percent of women report wanting to change their body in some way which shows that this is not an individual problem of low self-esteem, but rather a collective disconnect with how we see our body-image. Mary Jelkovsky offers an approach for healing body-image struggles, building self-confidence, and cultivating unconditional self-love.
Mary's biggest inspiration is her spunky, 11-year-old sister Ilana who knows how to dance like no one's watching and love with her whole heart. Mary wants Ilana to grow up in a world where women are empowered to chase their dreams without being bogged down by beauty standards.
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DISOBEDIENT: RECLAIM YOUR UNRULY BEAUTY by Emma Dabiri
What part of your beautiful self were you taught to hate? We spend a lot of time trying to improve our ‘defects’, according to society’s ideals of beauty. But these ideals – which are often reductive, tyrannical and commercially entangled – are imposed upon us by oppressive systems and further strengthened by our conditioned self-loathing.
This book encourages unruliness, exploring the ways in which we can rebel against and subvert the system. Offering alternative ways of seeing beauty, drawing on other cultures, worldviews, times and places as well as looking beyond the capitalist model to reconnect with our birthright and find the inherent joy in our disobedient bodies.
LISTEN
Created off the back of @thegreatwomenartists Instagram, this podcast is all about celebrating women artists. Presented by art historian and curator, Katy Hessel, this podcast interviews artists on their career, or curators, writers, or general art lovers, on the female artist who means the most to them.
Talking to Barbara Kruger about her work which addressed power and control, championing the rights we should have over our bodies, life and world and Shahzia Sikander whose work focussed on hybridised female figures that references goddesses offers a perspective that breaks down all borders and disrupts assumptions around art historical boundaries amongst many others!
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BEAT is the UK’s eating disorder charity. Founded in 1989, their mission is to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders.
“Our national Helpline exists to encourage and empower people to get help quickly, because we know the sooner someone starts treatment, the greater their chance of recovery. People can contact us online or by phone. We listen to them, help them to understand the illness, and support them to take positive steps towards recovery. We also support family and friends, equipping them with essential skills and advice, so they can help their loved ones recover whilst also looking after their own mental health.”
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DAY 8 - HOMESICK
FILMMAKER
Maja Bresink was born in Frankfurt am Main. She completed her media studies at the Rhein Main University of Applied Sciences in 2020. Afterwards she worked as an assistant director, junior producer and casting assistant. For several years she has been the personal assistant to Christian Schwochow (e.g. on "Bad Banks", "Deutschstunde", "Je suis Karl" & "Munich - The Edge of War"). She has been studying film directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg since 2021. Her film HOMESICK an essayistic documentary, screened at numerous national and international short film festivals. Her last film ‘Thursday’ celebrated its premiere in the competition of the Max Ophüls Prize Festival.
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the sun and her flowers by Rupi Kaur
From Rupi Kaur, this collection of poetry is a vibrant and transcendent journey about growth and healing, ancestry and honoring one’s roots, expatriation and rising up to find a home within yourself.
Divided into five chapters and illustrated by Kaur, ‘the sun and her flowers’ is a journey of wilting, falling, rooting, rising, and blooming. A celebration of love in all its forms.
“Caught the imagination of a large, atypical poetry audience…Kaur knows the good her poetry does: it saves lives” - Evening Standard
WATCH
Marie Joan on Deep Und Deutlich
Content creator Marie Joan is very successful in educating people about topics related to sex, bodies and self-determination on social media. But the reason why this work is so important to her is a traumatic experience: when she was 17, she was raped at a party.
Marie Joan explains in an interview with the talk show Deep Und Deutlich why it took her a long time to accept this for herself and why she broke off contact with her parents.
LISTEN
3 Sekunden is a German song by Céline and Paula Hartmann released last year about sexual harassment and violence against women.
“The question of what to wear, the caution not to accidentally make eye contact with the wrong person in a club, the walk home at night - women in particular are familiar with these fears. And that is precisely the problem: things that should actually be harmless lead to collective negative experiences. It doesn't always happen more than that fear is triggered, but that alone is enough - and is then particularly difficult for men to understand.”
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Wildwasser services are aimed at girls and adult women who were exposed to sexual violence as girls or teenagers as well as their relatives and support persons.
They offer a safe space in which girls and women are treated with appreciation and empathy and their resources for change are recognised and respected. The ultimate goal of their work in public is the social condemnation of sexualised violence and a change in the way it is dealt with. From self-help, women’s night cafe, counseling, a residential group, assisted living and more, they provide support alongside other institutions in Germany and other countries.
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DAY 9 - 261
FILMMAKER
Juliette is a filmmaker since September 2022, she is now a screenwriter and director. Since then, she has directed six short fiction films and one documentary, all exploring feminist themes. Her latest short film, Conversation with Frida, aims to provoke reflection on the liberation of women from societal pressures related to beauty standards and self- image. In June 2023, she won the Feminist Short Film Festival at the Maison des Femmes in Montreuil with her film L’Art du ring. She will be part of the jury at this same festival in June 2024. In 2024, with her film 261, she won awards at the Chocolate City Short Film Festival (USA), the Woman, Life, Freedom Festival (Australia), and the BNCSPORT Festival (Barcelona). During 2023-2024, she is the third assistant director on the series Enjoy for FranceTV for a french channel.
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GOOD FOR A GIRL by Lauren Fleshman
Lauren Fleshman was of the most decorated US college athletes of all time and a national champion before becoming a coach for elite young female runners. Every step of the way, she has seen how our sports systems fail young women and girls as much as empower them.
Girls drop out of sports at alarming rates once they hit puberty and female collegiate athletes routinely fall victim to injury, eating disorders or mental health struggles. Part memoir, part manifesto, Good for a Girl is Fleshman's story of falling in love with running as a girl, battling devastating injuries and self-doubt, and daring to fight for a better way for female athletes.
WATCH
Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon despite being attacked by the race director who tried to physically pull her out of the race because she was a woman. In this video, Switzer remembers the famous day and explains how it revolutionised women’s running around the world.
Her subsequent marathons include a win in New York in 1974. She led the successful drive to get the women's race into the Olympic Games, has won an Emmy for her TV commentary and is the author of three books, including her memoir, Marathon Woman. Switzer's ongoing campaign to help women around the globe empower themselves through the simple act of running made her a 2011 Inductee into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
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‘WHAT WAS I MADE FOR?’ by Billie Eilish
While creating 261, director Juliette Henry was inspired by Billie Eilish’s song ‘What Was I Made For?’
Talking about her song, Billie said “I have a lot of internalized misogyny—I did not ask for it and I don’t want it, but it’s there—and I’m constantly retraining myself not to think that way. “What Was I Made For?” brought women together in this beautiful but devastating way: We were all bonding about the traumas of being a woman in the world... Hearing people talk about how much their experience as a woman resonated with what I wrote was so sad, but I also felt less alone.”
Read more from Billie here.
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We Change The Rules, hosted by Samira Ahmed, tackles the issue of gender inequality in the law globally. What’s the current state of legal equality for women and girls, and what damage is it doing to wider society? What obstacles are slowing progress, and what can we do about it?
Gender equality begins with the law, yet only 14 countries have full legal equality. In this episode, they explore the extent and global impact of legal inequality on women and girls everywhere. Guests include Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President for South Africa and Executive Director of UN Women; Ayesha Malik, the first female judge of the Supreme court in Pakistan; and Mona Sinha, the Global Executive Director of Equality Now.
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Charly and Becca were secondary school teachers in London when they witnessed the multiple barriers facing girls in their classrooms: the pressure to conform to ideals; limited confidence and self-belief; a lack of professional role models who are women in their networks.
They established a one-to-one mentoring scheme in 2013, based on research showing that conversations and personal relationships could have a big impact on challenging stereotypes and expectations. They believe that the girls need greater access to opportunities, but also the confidence to seize those opportunities and the skills to thrive in them. The Girls’ Network mentoring was soon in high demand, and now operates across the UK, working with around 1000 girls each year.
DAY 10 - LIMINAL ROOTS
FILMMAKER
Aliyah Harfoot is a Welsh Animation Director. She previously studied Animation and Illustration at Kingston University before developing her directing skills at the National Film and Television School. As a mixed media director, she is striving to push the boundaries with original, creative animation. Currently she is exploring the combination of stop motion, hand drawn and paper cutout animation. Approaching her films with intuition and spontaneity, guided by the tactile nature of the animation process. Drawing on her personal experiences, themes of identity are at the heart of her work. Her debut film ‘Liminal Roots' explores the complexities of mixed raced identity, taking inspiration from her own upbringing. For Aliyah animation is a means to convey emotions that are difficult to express purely through words.
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The Mixed-Race Experience: Reflections and Revelations on Multicultural Identity by Natalie and Naomi Evans
In this book, Natalie and Naomi Evans, founders of Everyday Racism, explore the complexities of mixed-race identities - from the discrimination endured by the 1.2 million mixed people in Britain and millions more elsewhere to the privileges it can afford. Sharing their own personal experiences of growing up in Britain, the book also weaves in: interviews with people from mixed backgrounds and in mixed relationships; research to dispel common myths and stereotypes; practical advice for mixed-race families and friendships. This bookwill help you to recognise and confront the racism within your own family and communities, helping us all to deepen our intersectional awareness and commitment to allyship.
WATCH
Alexandria Riley is a successful actor from Newport. But there is something niggling. Something unsettling. Something she comes face to face with every time someone asks her – 'Yes, but where are you really from?' It’s about the colour of her skin, it’s about being mixed race and it’s about how that squares with being Welsh.
The film is her personal journey to explore her identity. She talks to other mixed race people and how they have come to terms with who they are and she hopes that a DNA test may help her to resolve her uncertain feelings. The number of people in Wales from a mixed race background is growing, Alexandria wonders how they connect to the images of Welsh heritage presented to them – and when will that question 'where you really from?' stop being asked.
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Mixed Up is a podcast for mixed people everywhere and for anyone looking into a deeper insight on race and identity. Hosted by Emma Slade Edmondson and Nicole Ocran, the show is about straddling two worlds and multiple identities. “Now more than ever, it feels like people of mixed heritage are seeking out their space to talk about their lived experiences. But despite searching, we could find very little to relate to. We decided to make something we would have appreciated hearing”.
In this episode, they talk to Paige Lewin, host of Texture Talks and creative Oneness Sankara about the hair texture chart, how to talk to each other properly as Black and mixed women about hair knowing that the struggles are different and dissect the myth on how "difficult" it is to have Black hair
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Mixedracefaces is an organisation that captures portraits and stories of people with mixed heritage. They challenge the definition of the term mixed-race, it’s not so ‘Black and White’, stories are subjective, allowing each person to be open and truthful about their own life experience and opinions. Their goal is to raise awareness of the vastly growing population of mixed-race people around the world, both in communities and organisations and show how mixed background and cultures influence the unique way they navigate their everyday lives. They are activists for diversity and passionate to show the true representation of the world.
DAY 11 - THREE WISHES. ONE TRUTH
FILMMAKER
Cecilia Petrujno was born in Argentina. She has a Degree in movie and TV production and direction (B.A.C.). She has worked in the audiovisual industry for over 20 years. She started working as a producer and screenwriter, then she turned to editing and she started to take part in the directing area of audiovisual projects, ranging from video clips to movies. In 2021, she made her debut as a director with the short movie "Three wishes. One truth". It has received multiple awards both nationally and internationally and has been declared of cultural interest by the Buenos Aires Legislature.
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BREAKING THE SILENCE: THE MARIA SOLEDAD CASE
María Soledad was the first recognised case of femicide in Argentina. She was kidnapped by her boyfriend, Luis Tula, and handed over to a group of men, including Guillermo Luque, the son of a powerful Argentine politician. Her body was discovered three days later, abandoned on a roadside outside the city, with evidence of extreme violence.
Thirty years after the murder of María Soledad Morales, her schoolmates, the young women who fought to bring the truth to light, gather in Catamarca to commemorate the death of their friend and retrace the steps of a tragedy that marked a milestone.
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Being exposed to domestic abuse is a form of child abuse and children don't need to be directly involved for this to be the case. They may have seen or heard or experienced the effects of domestic abuse in the family and this can have a big impact on their behaviour, development, education and wellbeing.
In this podcast episode, experts from the NSPCC Helpline and Childline talk about that potential impact, as well as how you can spot the signs of domestic abuse and support children who are affected.
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THE WAR AGAINST WOMEN by Rita Segato
The systematic killing of women in Ciudad Juárez has given way to a violent surge that is worldwide in its scope... Femicide is no longer just an intimate event: it has become anonymous and systematic, a crime of power. An intensified form of capitalism, the product of a colonial modernity that is still with us, now fuels new wars on women, which destroy society while targeting women’s bodies.
In this book by Rita Laura Segato, ‘one of Latin America 's most celebrated feminist anthropologists’, she argues it is only by revitalising community and repoliticising domestic space that we can redirect history towards a different destiny. At stake is nothing less than the future of humanity.
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The children’s home Hogar Maria Luisa in the San Martín Municipality, Buenos Aires Province takes care of children who have been in danger and offers them a home where they feel safe to develop their full potential and prepare them for their future.
They take in about 30 children a year who have been victims of violence and domestic abuse. The home welcomes all children and is committed to protecting children’s dignity and their right to live free from fear and violence, to build together a better future for them by ensuring their rights to food, education, health, inclusion and recreation.
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DAY 12 - WINDS OF SILENCE
FILMMAKER
Radha Mehta (she/her) is a civil engineer-turned-filmmaker with an MFA in Film Directing at American Film Institute; a CAPE Julia Gouw & Janet Yang Grant Winner; Disability Belongs Entertainment Fellow; and voting member of The Recording Academy. Her works stem from personal experience as a South Asian first-gen mother that explores themes of motherhood, women empowerment, and dismantling cultural taboos around mental health and disabilities. Radha's award winning films include DOSH (Slamdance Spirit Award); Evan Ever After (Florida Film Festival & Out On Film Jury Award); Being Gina (STARZ/Lionsgate/WRAP Top 3 Finalist); and Standing with Moms (Mother's Outreach Network).
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Nearly half of the South Asian American diaspora experiences violence, yet this crisis remains shrouded in silence. ‘Sanctuaries’ aims to break that silence—creating a space for survivor stories to be held with care and inspiring collective healing, solidarity, and action.
‘Sanctuaries’, an anthology of 20 South Asian Survivor Stories by South Asian SOAR, is a testament to survivor power, an ode to stories of resistance and healing, and a promise to survivors everywhere that we will create a different world.
Available to read online.
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To Kill A Tiger is a cinematic, David and Goliath story about Ranjit, a farmer in Jharkhand, who takes on the fight of his life when he demands justice for his 13-year-old daughter, the survivor of sexual assault.
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary feature and directed by Nisha Pahuja, this is a story of hope, resilience and a father’s unwavering love. Sometimes, one person’s bravery can be all it takes to spark change.
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At the age of thirteen, Serena Lalani entered a relationship not knowing it would become abusive. Six years later, when she was finally able to leave.
In this episode of the ‘She Is Your Neighbour’ podcast which aims to create awareness around domestic violence, Serena explains what unfolded after she shared her story. Joined by her friend Jenny Jay, they share their perspectives on how domestic violence impacts South Asian communities, discussing relationship norms, expectations and more.
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South Asia Soar is the home for the national movement to end gender-based violence in the South Asian diaspora. Founded in 2021, it’s aim is to unite a national movement of survivors, advocates, and allies committed to preventing and ending violence. Their vision for change is rooted in harnessing collective power to transform culture and systems.
They offer training, mentorship, and resources to a network of 40 direct-service organisations and hundreds of advocates . They empower survivors and allies to become agents of change through education, skill-building, leadership development and community organising. Plus, they shift cultural narratives and influence policy change through national research, advocacy campaigns and survivor stories, driving change at every level.
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DAY 13 - NA SAVI
FILMMAKER
Mexican producer, writer and director. She is an alumna of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Gold Rising Program, which seeks to develop careers of filmmakers with diverse backgrounds and that only accepted 100 out of 9,189 applicants in the year she participated.
Because of her great performance and achievements during the Gold Rising program, she was chosen as a Trophy Presenter at the 94th Academy Awards. She is a fellow of Blackmagic Collective, from Blackmagic Design, and was part of the First Frame Initiative for emerging directors. She founded her production company, Zanate Films, with the purpose of promoting filmmaking in Tecpan de Galeana, Mexico, the town where she is from. In 2022 she won the Sigma Film Student Scholarship for her film "Bonsai" and was chosen as 1 out of the 10 filmmakers for the LALIFF Inclusion Fellowship, which is sponsored by Netflix. She has been interviewed in Good Morning America, Spectrum News 1, EFE Noticias, among others for her work both as a filmmaker and as a member of a diverse community.
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Child marriage may be a thing of the past in many Western countries, but remains a reality for many girls in Mexico. While the law has changed, the practice remains and almost one in four girls in Mexico are married before the age of 18. The persistence of this practice continues to have harmful impacts on Mexican girls, something Girls Not Brides: The Global Partnership to End Child Marriage is trying to change.
In this episode, host Meghan Murphy speaks with Elvira Pablo, an indigenous lawyer from Oaxaca who works as regional Policy and Member Engagement Officer for Girls Not Brides in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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This animation from Girls Not Brides is a story of resilience and hope on the journey to ending child marriage told in Valeri’s own words, a girl from Venezuela who experienced abuse.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, 25% of girls marry or enter unions before the age of 18. They are more likely to experience physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse. To end gender-based violence and violence against children like her, we need to end child early and forced marriage and unions.
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SAVE THE CHILDREN - GLOBAL GIRLHOOD REPORT
As fragile states struggle to provide essential services like healthcare, education, and protection, girls face disproportionate risks. Girls face the dual threat of child marriage and fragility, as conflict, climate change, and economic instability increase their vulnerability to early marriage and rights violation
This year’s adolescent-friendly Global Girlhood Report focuses on the intersection of fragility, child marriage and girls’ rights, revealing how crises exacerbate existing vulnerabilities for girls worldwide. The report draws on new data and shares stories of resilience as girls advocate for their rights and call for stronger protections.
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Mano Vuelta A.C. is a feminist centre for community studies and capacity strengthening based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Founded in 2017, it aims to build an equitable and rights-based society through research, training and community initiatives from a gender and intercultural perspective.
Among its activities, Mano Vuelta A.C. runs a feminist camp for indigenous girls to strengthen their social and emotional skills and raise awareness about their rights. Through a holistic approach incorporating drama and arts, Mano Vuelta raises awareness, educates and promotes confidence in young indigenous women creating a positive impact in their lives and in their communities.
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DAY 14 - PERIPETEIA
FILMMAKER
Tracy Kiryango is an award-winning Director of Photography based in London, UK. Her feature documentary ‘Our Place is Here,’ was nominated for the ‘Best Documentary’ award at the BAFTA accredited British Urban Film Festival 2023. She started her career in video journalism and fell in love with the art of visual storytelling. Tracy has spent over 10 years cultivating a naturalistic and nostalgic approach to her imagery. She always aims to serve the protagonists in her films, rather than overshadowing them with elaborate camera movements. Her directorial debut short film ‘Colour Blind,‘ won an award for ‘Best Actress’ at DBUFF Film Festival 2018, and was selected into four film festivals.
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THE POWER OF SPEAKING OUT WITH FKA TWIGS
In this episode, singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, and model FKA twigs sits down to explore her journey of healing, resilience and reclaiming self-worth after going public with allegations of domestic violence against her ex-partner Shia LaBeouf. As her legal battle approaches, she reflects on her decision to seek justice and shares her thoughts on the upcoming trial, emphasising the importance of holding men accountable, no matter their status or success.
twigs offers profound insights into her experience as a survivor, shedding light on how emotional manipulation can consume one’s entire psyche and leave lasting effects on both mind and body. She discusses the challenges of leaving an abusive relationship and the lifelong process of rebuilding trust and reclaiming every dimension of one's identity.
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IN CONTROL: DANGEROUS RELATIONSHIPS AND HOW THEY END IN MURDER by Jane Mockton Smith
Every four days in the UK, a woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner... domestic abuse has become an epidemic. For 30 years, Jane Monckton Smith has been fighting to change this. A former police officer and internationally renowned professor of public protection, she has developed her ground-breaking research into an eight-stage homicide timeline, laying out identifiable stages in which coercive relationships can escalate to violence and murder.
Drawing on disciplines including psychology, sociology and law, Monckton Smith talks to victims, their families and killers to piece together the hows and whys of abuse while shining a light onto the society and media that allow it to thrive.
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Violence and abuse against women and girls shows up in so many ways... Domestic abuse is more than just physical abuse. From tracking someone’s phone, removing their bank account access or isolating them from friends and family, these insidious forms of abuse are becoming more common and can be even harder to spot.
Actor and Refuge ambassador Billie Piper has partnered with the charity for ‘Make The World A Refuge’, a short film exploring the different and often subtle, insidious ways abuse can show up in relationships. Featuring real-life testimonies from survivors of domestic abuse, allowing their stories to be heard by protecting their anonymity.
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Refuge is the largest domestic abuse organisation in the UK. On any given day their services support thousands of women and their children, helping them to overcome the physical, emotional, financial and logistical impacts of abuse and rebuild their lives — free from fear.
From emergency accomodation, legal advocates, enabling survivors to regain financial independence, emotional support and specialist services, they put the experiences of survivors at the heart of their work and help amplify their voices. Their specialist staff understand the diverse and complex needs of women and their children – and are experts in the dynamics of domestic abuse and gender-based violence.
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DAY 15 -SWIM AND FLOAT
FILMMAKER
Janina was born in Passau, Germany in 1999. She is currently studying "Motion Pictures" at the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt. Janina is interested in bringing young, queer and feminist perspectives to the forefront of her films and in giving the emotional worlds of young people a secure place in her stories.
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IS THIS OKAY?? TALKING TO TEENAGERS ABOUT AFFIRMATIVE CONSENT
In a fast-paced world with endless streams of information and content in their pockets, young people are more aware of and tuned in to conversations about sex, sexuality, consent and gender than ever before. So how do we, the adults, parents, educators and role models in their lives, talk about these subjects with them?
This four-part podcast series provides tools, tips and techniques to help you support young people to understand affirmative consent with host is the Lindsay Marchment, a Senior Facilitator and Project Coordinator at The Man Cave a preventative mental health charity empowering communities to raise generations of healthy young men.
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IST DAS OKAY? by Agota Lavoyer
This German language children's textbook by author Agota Lavoyer, an expert on sexual violence, and illustrator Anna-Lina Balke prepare the topic of the prevention of sexual violence in an age-appropriate manner using familiar scenes and appropriate questions. In this way, caregivers can talk to children and examine together in different situations: Is this okay? Or is this violence?
The book is intended to help children recognise and disclose behaviour that violates boundaries. It is intended to support adults in taking responsibility for protecting children and being able to face the taboo subject with more strength and confidence.
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Sexual Violence: Katharina fights against her trauma
As a teenage, Katharina was raped by an acquaintance. She was afraid, felt guilty, ashamed and feared that no one would believe her. Despite all these feelings, she took photos of her wounds and wanted to report the sexual assault to the police. But she never filed a complaint against the perpetrator. For seven years, Katharina did not speak to anyone except her boyfriend at the time about the traumatic experience.
Then Katharina decided to share her story on her Instagram channel - and that was the turning point. After numerous girls and women wrote to her who had experienced similar things, she no longer wanted to remain silent. On the contrary: she speaks openly about her trauma in order to remove the taboo surrounding sexual violence and to encourage other survivors.
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Teach Us Consent, founded by Chanel Contos, is a youth-led not-for-profit which campaigned for Ministers of Education from around Australia to unanimously commit to mandating holistic and age appropriate consent education in every school, every year, from foundation until Year 10, beginning in 2023.
Their work spans partnering with organisations to refine and improve their safety, consent and respectful relationships mechanisms, campaigning in Australia and internationally for mandatory consent education in all pockets of society, and continuing to drive cultural change through effective education on social media.
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DAY 16 - WE DID NOT CONSENT
FILMMAKER
Dorothy works across narrative, documentary and theatrical modes of filmmaking to explore subjects such as community resistance, living with mental illness and disability, the criminal justice system and policing. Her collaborative approach to filmmaking is often inspired by her protagonists' lived experiences. She has a particular interest in blurring the line between performance and reality, and is founding member of Breach Theatre, and associate artist of Kestrel Theatre, who run theatre and film workshops in prisons.
Her work has screened at festivals including London Film Festival, Hot Docs, Clermont Ferrand, Palm Springs, Doc NYC, and Sheffield DocFest, and on news and broadcast channels including PBS, Guardian Documentaries and the BBC. She has been awarded Best UK Short at Open City Doc Festival, a Special Mention at Oberhausen, Grand Prix at Arts Convergence, shortlisted for a Grierson, and received multiple Vimeo Staff Picks.
She was director's assistant on Kaos (Netflix), directed 2nd Unit on Rye Lane (Searchlight), and was selected to take part in Network @LFF in 2022. She’s an accomplished commercials director, working with production companies internationally, and is currently developing her debut feature.
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Groomed. Gaslighted. Ghosted. These five motivated, independent women each thought they'd met their perfect partner... These men were undercover police officers, who had targeted the women for their links to activist groups. They had been working from a set of guidelines and were all using the same manipulative techniques. ‘Deep Deception’ is the story of lives stolen by state-sponsored spies and how they uncovered the shocking truth.
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Police Officer Mark Kennedy aka ‘Mark Stone’ is unmasked by the friends and lovers he was sent to spy on. In this BBC Sounds podcast Andy Whittaker investigates how he and other ‘spycops’ operated.
Over a period of seven years, Mark “infiltrated a network of left wing climate activists who had planned to shut down a power station in Nottingham. And part of his undercover work, Stone had multiple intimate relationships with several people in the network, who did not know his true identity. This sensitively handled series looks at the implications and consequences.”
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'I was duped by an undercover policeman' - BBC Newsnight
This Newsnight clip tells the story of Andrea, she became engaged to a man who, entirely unknown to her, was for many years working undercover for the police. For more than two years he promised her a new life, a new family and marriage. Then he simply disappeared. She had no idea what had gone wrong until she started to understand that the whole relationship had been a sham. He was married, living a double life and sent to infiltrate her group of friends who were being watched for their political beliefs.
She calls the entire relationship a government sanctioned lie. It's not the first time this has happened within the Metropolitan Police.
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Police Spies Out of Lives (PSOOL) is a support group campaigning and working to highlight and achieve an end to the sexual, emotional and psychological abuse by undercover police officers, organised by and for people deceived into relationships with undercover police.
“We are united in believing that every woman, and every person, has a right to participate in the struggle for social and environmental justice, without fear of persecution, objectification, or interference in their lives.”