60% of the films showing at bfmiff2015 this year are directed/co-directed by women.
This includes films from the UK and around the globe, from features to documentaries the films display an array of strong female filmmaking talent.
According to research, in 2014 75% of blockbuster crews were men and the number of women in all levels of the industry were extremely low. In 2013 only 2% of directors were female. Gender disparity is profound across the industry regardless of colour, where minority women make up an even a smaller percentage. The festival also highlights issues relating to women like perceptions of beauty and body image (Beauty Is) and the topic of natural hair amongst women of African descent (As It Grows)
Below are just some of the film’s showing at this year’s festival co-directed /directed by women and about women.
Kingston Paradise – Jamaica 2013 – Feature 83 minsStory: A depiction of life on Kingston’s streets for Rocksy a “small time” hustler and Rosie a prostitute it is all about survival. But both dream of something better.
Story: A depiction of life on Kingston’s streets for Rocksy a “small time” hustler and Rosie a prostitute it is all about survival. But both dream of something better.
Directed by: This is the first feature by Mary Wells. The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Caribbean Tales Festival in 2013.
Screening: Friday 3rd July Time: 9:30pm
Growing Up Positive– USA 42 mins
Story: Does race have an impact on HIV? Two women, one black and one white, both age 25, share what the impact of HIV has been on their dating, early childhood and sexual experiences. Growing Up Positive has recently been selected for the 2015 Toronto Black Film Festival.
Directed by Yasmin Shiraz has written over 8 books, including the Award winning Retaliation novel series.
Screening: Sunday 5th July Time 1:15pm
Afua’s Diary– UK 2014 Feature 90 mins
Story: Afua a pretty African girl finds love but her new found love is plagued with the problems, including that of an alcoholic father. Will the complications of her life destroy her relationship?
Directed by: Ben Owusu and Bibi Owusu-Shadbolt. Bibi is a Ghanaian stage and screenwriter. Afua’s Diary is her directorial debut.
Screening: Friday 3rd July Time: 4pm
Aissa’s Story– USA Short Film Selection 15 mins 2013
Story: Inspired by the New York v. Strauss-Kahn case, ‘Aissa’s Story’ is a about Aissatou Bah, an African immigrant housekeeper and single mother struggling to move on with her life months after the case against the wealthy hotel guest who assaulted her is dismissed.
Directed by Iquo B Essien is a Nigerian- American writer, director and photographer. Aissa’s Story was a regional semi-finalist in the 2013 student Academy Awards and 2014 Spike Lee Film Fund Winner. She uses various, medium for her storytelling including popular blog Alligator legs.
Screening: Sunday 5th July Time: 1:15pm
Blackout- Guinea/UK 2012, 47mins Documentary
Story: Every day during exam season, as the sun sets over Conakry, Guinea, hundreds of school children begin a nightly pilgrim age to the airport, petrol stations and wealthy parts of the city, searching for light. This evocative documentary tells the story of these children’s inspiring struggle for education in the face of the country’s own fight for change.
Directed by: Eva Weber was awarded Best Emerging UK Director by the Open City Film Festival for Blackout.
Screening: Friday 3rd July Time: 5pm
The festival will run between Thursday 2nd July –Sunday 5th July at the Bernie Grants Art Centre in London.
Tickets for all these films are on sale now.
For more films being screened at the bfm International film festival 2015 visit www.bfmmedia.com