16 DAYS 16 FILMS RETURNS FOR 2024.
THE SHORT FILM FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION LAUNCHES WITH SUPPORT FROM ADVOCACY PARTNERS UN WOMEN, GEENA DAVIS INSTITUTE, UK SAYS NO MORE, EQUIMUNDO, VOICE OF CHANGE AND TIMES UP UK in association with THE DDA GROUP.
16 DAYS 16 FILMS, the organisation which shines a light on female filmmakers and gender based violence returns for its seventh edition with expansion into new global territories
Submissions for 2024 edition opens on 8th March, International Women’s Day
Global communications agency The DDA Group joins for the first year with financial and professional support
(London, UK, Wednesday 6th March 2024) – Today, the short film initiative, 16 DAYS 16 FILMS is proud to confirm the return of its annual short film festival and competition for 2024. Having launched in 2018 the festival is now in its seventh year, and returns with the continued aim to empower female filmmakers and address all forms of violence against women on a global scale. For the first time, the festival will be hosted in association with global communications agency The DDA Group, as well as annual advocacy partners UN Women, Geena Davis Institute, UK Says No More, Equimundo, Voice of Change and Times Up UK.
Johanna von Fischer & Ginta Gelvan, 16 DAYS 16 FILMS founders, said: “We are excited to bring 16 DAYS 16 FILMS back again for 2024. It is incredibly apt that we open submissions with our special event on International Women’s Day as we continue to address the issue of violence against women on a global scale with the support of some incredible partners and organisations, including this year’s addition of The DDA Group.”
Vicky Tupper, Director of Film at The DDA Group, said: “The work that 16 DAYS 16 FILMS has done over the last six iterations has been nothing short of ground-breaking and we are proud to be able to lend the full weight of DDA’s backing to enable Johanna, Ginta and the team to continue and grow their work in what is a vital vehicle for necessary change.”
Kalliopi Mingeirou, Chief, Ending Violence against Women and Girls Section at UN Women, said: “International Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate women’s achievements as well as to reflect upon the persisting barriers to global gender equality. UN Women is proud to partner with 16 DAYS 16 FILMS to champion female filmmakers whilst also highlighting the most pervasive violation of human rights, violence against women which is also the most significant barrier to gender equality. Through this collaboration we aim to elevate awareness of the diverse manifestations of violence against women and girls through the compelling force of film.”
Dame Heather Rabbatts, Chair, Time’s Up UK said: "Time’s Up UK have been proud supporters of 16 DAYS 16 FILMS for many years and shares its vision to champion female filmmakers and to tell story that help shape a world free from violence. We know that violence against women in all its forms is one of the greatest violations of human rights that exists in the world today and we stand together with the team at 16 DAYS 16 FILMS, with UN Women and the Geena Davis Institute on this International Women’s Day to call for an to end all forms of violence”.
To celebrate the announcement of the 2024 festival, 16 DAYS 16 FILMS are set to host a special International Women’s Day event in London in association with UN Women, BFI Inclusion, Times Up UK & The DDA Group on 8th March. The event will welcome the winners of 16 DAYS 16 FILMS 2023, Lorena R. Valencia’s “Dandelion (Cuanacaquilitl)”, Ciara Kerr’s “Homemaker”, Jo Smyth’s “Smile” and Alice Johannessen’s “Barricade”, back to London to screen their film’s to audiences once more.
Founded in 2018, 16 DAYS 16 FILMS raises awareness for ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence’ and runs from 25th November to 10th December, between International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and International Human Rights Day. It looks to platform female filmmakers and their films which explore, emote and educate on all forms of violence against women.
The festival is open to submissions from female identifying filmmakers from the UK, Ireland, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, USA and for the first time in the festival’s history, Argentina and Nigeria. Sixteen films will be selected by a nomination panel, with one film released each day of the 16 Days of Activism, and a winner will be chosen by an independent jury with an Audience Award open to a public vote. Submissions are open from today and will close on 1st October.
Previous finalists of 16 DAYS 16 FILMS short film festival include BAFTA nominated Molly Manning Walker, Director of How To Have Sex, and Adura Onashile, Director of Girl.
You can find out more about 16 DAYS 16 FILMS at www.16days16films.com
Images for the winning films of 16 DAYS 16 FILMS 23 can be found HERE
@16days16films #EndVAW #16daysofactivisim #16days16films
For further press information please contact:
ebba.blakeborough-tait@ddapr.com
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 https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/take-action/16-days-of-activism
ABOUT THE DDA GROUP
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. For more info visit https://www.theddagroup.com/
ABOUT UN WOMEN
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide.UN Women supports UN Member States as they set global standards for achieving gender equality, and works with governments and civil society to design laws, policies, programmes and services needed to ensure that the standards are effectively implemented and truly benefit women and girls worldwide.
ABOUT GEENA DAVIS INSTITUTE
GEENA DAVIS INSTITUTE - Founded in 2004 by Two-Time Academy Award Winning Actor Geena Davis, 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.
ABOUT UK SAYS NO MORE
UK SAYS NO MORE seeks to unite and strengthen a diverse community of members and organisations nationwide to actively take a stand against domestic abuse and sexual violence under one powerful, visual symbol. UK Says No More is home to Safe Spaces and Online Safe Spaces.
HESTIA is one of the largest providers of domestic abuse refuges in London and the Southeast and is the main organisation supporting victims of modern slavery in the capital. It is the home of domestic abuse and sexual violence campaign UK SAYS NO MORE and developed the Bright Sky domestic abuse app in partnership with Vodafone.
ABOUT VOICE OF CHANGE
VOICE OF CHANGE (Australia) 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.
ABOUT BRTISH FILM INSTITUTE
BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE - Founded in 1993, the BFI 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, the world’s largest film and television archive; to offer the widest range of UK and international moving image culture through programmes and festivals — delivered 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.
ABOUT TIMES UP UK
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.
Our work from the outset has always been one of collaboration and shared purpose, with allies, women’s organisations, and grass roots campaigns. We have acted as a convenor and partner to join forces with others to shift the dial together. No grand gestures and policy statements, but practical and meaningful intervention to push cultural change. We launched the Justice & Equality Fund in 2018 from a hugely successful crowdfund campaign which raised nearly £3m, to fund projects with one common aim, to bring an end to the culture of sexual harassment, abuse and impunity that exists in the UK by resourcing a network of advice, support, and advocacy organisations. Through the Justice & Equality Fund we were able to set up the UK’s first and only free legal advice line for women who have experienced sexual harassment delivered by Rights of Women, working with Fawcett Society and partners, Chwarae Teg, the Women’s Resource and Development Agency, and Close the Gap, we launched the Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Toolkit, a free resource to help employers create workplaces where women are safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and support employers to respond appropriately – creating environments where sexual harassment does not happen
in the first place and much more: www.timesupuk.org.
ABOUT OLIVELA
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.