BFI NETWORK South East - Talent Guide (2021-22)

BFI NETWORK SOUTH EAST

2022

About BFI NETWORK

BFI NETWORK is a collaboration between the BFI, national film organisations and leading cultural venues around the UK with a mission to discover and support talented writers, directors and producers at the start of their filmmaking careers.

BFI NETWORK provides funding for short films, supports the early development of first features, and offers a range of professional and creative development programmes.

About Film Hub South East

The Film Hub South East region covers Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Surrey and Sussex.

Film Hub South East is working with BFI NETWORK to provide support for new and emerging filmmakers across the region. This support takes myriad forms, from devising and delivering talent development programmes and events that encourage networking, filmmaker collaboration and skills development, to working closely with filmmakers recommended for BFI NETWORK funding throughout the development, production, post-production and release of their short films.

What is the talent guide?

Since 2021, BFI NETWORK South East has commissioned over 40 short films and 9 feature ideas, supporting writers, directors and producers with creative and career development.

The talent featured here spans 2021-2022, during which time we distributed over £400,000 in awards, held over 100 events, labs, workshops, roundtables and 1-2-1s in Cambridge, Folkestone, Margate, Essex, Brighton, Luton, Oxford, Norwich, Hastings, Farnham, and of course, over Zoom, in collaboration with speakers, filmmakers and experts from across the industry.

Get to know some of the latest cohort of filmmakers supported by BFI NETWORK South East and the inventive, original, ambitious and entertaining stories they have been telling by reading this talent guide.

TALENT EXECS

Talent highlights

THOMAS WIGHTMAN

Prior to this role, Tom worked at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) where he managed STOP PLAY RECORD, a London-wide commissioning programme for emerging filmmakers, from 2015 to 2018; during which time he commissioned, developed and executive produced 72 short films made by filmmakers aged 16-24 for Channel 4’s Random Acts series. The programme also provided free monthly workshops for young people interested in all aspects of filmmaking. Previously Tom also worked for the BBC and gained independent commissions as a Producer and Director in film and visual arts.

NICOLE DAVIS

Nicole studied Film & Literature at Warwick University before starting her career in marketing for a video-ondemand platform. Prior to joining the BFI NETWORK team at the ICO, Nicole has worked at the BFI, Creative Europe Desk UK, Film4 and as a producer at digital content agency Little Dot Studios where she produced podcasts on documentary filmmaking, anime and a video essay series for Prime Video UK. She is also the host and producer of Best Girl Grip, a weekly podcast series interviewing women in the film industry.

Jamie Gamache (producer of BFI NETWORK short SANDPAPER, commissioned in 2019) recently had his debut feature as producer, KINDLING, selected for the BFI London Film Festival’s third annual Works-in-Progress showcase.

Dorothy Allen-Pickard (writer-director of BFI NETWORK short WEEKEND DAD, commissioned in 2020) has most recently been working as a director’s assistant on the Netflix series Kaos and was selected to take part in the 2022 edition of NETWORK@LFF.

Myriam Raja (writer of ZUBEIDA, feature idea commissioned for development in 2019) completed the Cowboy Films/Netflix TOP BOY director mentoring scheme in 2019, shadowing Aneil Karia and directing 2nd unit. She is developing a feature version of her short AZAAR with producer Nat Baring and Film4.

SHORT FILM FUND

DAMI ADEYEYE

Bio

Dami Adeyeye is a producer and actor. Through his production company Elysium Pictures, he directed and produced A DARK MIND — a documentary about mental health within the Black community, and is producing two short films with BFI NETWORK: (SPIN) and SANCTUARY.

Dami has a number of feature films and series in development, and he intends to learn how to build a business and an audience in order to create entertainment that will be both critically and commercially successful.

Currently working on

A slate of five short films in various stages of development and production. Dami is also developing two romantic dramas, one about a woman in her late twenties dealing with cultural pressures of being married and the other about two strangers finding love in a world deep in a climate crisis.

AASAF AINAPORE

Bio

Aasaf Ainapore studied directing at The London Film School before becoming a Commercials Director at Great Guns, where he directed several award-winning campaigns (Cannes Lions, D&AD and Clio’s). Subsequently, he directed a pilot for BBC Comedy based on his awardwinning web series Living with the Infidels. His feature treatment for The Season was optioned by Pathe with producer Frank Beddor. His short films have screened at LFF, Edinburgh Film Festival, Rhode Island Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival. He’s a visiting tutor at the The London Film School and the University of Suffolk.

Currently working on

Aasaf is developing a script for his first feature.

Writer-director

Wrote and directed BFI NETWORKfunded short THE LAST DAYS

Based in: Brentwood

DIPO BARUWA-ETTI

Bio

Dipo Baruwa-Etti is a playwright, filmmaker, poet and dramaturg. As writer-director, his short films include the award-winning THE LAST DAYS, a BFI NETWORK/BBC/Tannahill production film starring Adjoa Andoh and Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn.

As a playwright Dipo was the 2020 Channel 4 Playwright on attachment with the Almeida Theatre and shortlisted for the George Devine Most Promising Playwright Award that same year with his play When Great Trees Fall. His other plays include The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars (Theatre Royal Stratford East), An unfinished man (The Yard Theatre), Half-Empty Glasses (Paines Plough) and The Clinic (Almeida Theatre), all published by Faber.

As a poet he has been published in The Good Journal, Ink Sweat & Tears and Amaryllis and had his work showcased nationwide as part of End Hunger UK’s touring exhibition on food insecurity.

Currently working on

He has various projects in development for film and TV.

Producer

Wrote and produced BFI NETWORKfunded short CUPPA CHAI

Based in: Manchester Contact: radha@altaambit.com

RADHA BHANDARI

Bio

Radha Bhandari is a Manchester-based Producer and Development Executive. She produced the short film FOR HEIDI which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2022 and was selected for the 2022 edition of NETWORK@LFF.

After joining BFI’s Creative Producer Programme in 2020, she produced shorts for BFI NETWORK, ARRI & Director’s UK while working in factual television development on BBC One, BBC Three & Channel 4 commissions.

Currently working on

Radha is a Development Executive at Public Dreams Ltd, a television and film production company launched by Executive Producer & CEO Mary Burke. She is the Associate Producer on an upcoming feature film produced by Pretty Bird and Public Dreams.

JOE BINKS

Bio

Joe has been producing commercials, branded content and animation for over a decade. His varied background producing in-house at agencies and production companies, as well as a few years freelancing has enabled Joe to build up a talented network of creative filmmakers who can be harnessed to respond to any brief. Some of his highlights include producing work for Lexus, Amazon, Scania, Nokia, Facebook, Sony, Gillette and Nike.

Prior to starting Glass Onion Films in 2020, Joe completed a diploma in Producing at the NFTS and so Glass Onion was set up with an added focus on developing fiction and non-fiction projects. His films have received funding from the BFI’s Doc Society Made of Truth fund (THE ELVERMEN) and BFI NETWORK.

Currently working on

In post-production on SOULMATE and various short form content and commercials.

BARNABY BLACKBURN

Bio

In 2017 Barnaby shot his first short film and directorial debut, WALE, described by The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw as an “intriguing Hitchcockian thriller”, which was shown at over 50 film festivals around the world, shortlisted for the 91st Academy Awards and nominated for a BAFTA.

In 2019 he completed his second short film, DAD WAS, which he describes as a eulogy for his father whilst he’s still alive. The film was shortlisted for a BAFTA in 2021. In the summer of 2022 he shot his third short, PYLON, a film about a gang of boys who force a younger boy to climb an electricity pylon.

Currently working on

In post-production for PYLON. Barnaby is also pitching his first feature film FAUNA - about an art curator at the Royal Academy who sets out to discover the identity of a painter who anonymously submits a work for the Summer Exhibition made from human remains - and working on a new feature script about a family of Ukrainian refugees who find themselves living with an English family in a picturesque countryside village.

Producer

Produced the BFI NETWORK-funded short film US & IN BETWEEN

Based in: Reading Contact: gareth@flyerfilms.org

GARETH BROWN

Bio

Gareth is a creative producer known for hard-hitting female-led storytelling based on real world stories. He is currently Head of Production at Flyer Films. Combining experience in strategy development and project management from the automotive and airline sectors, Gareth founded Flyer Films in 2018 alongside filmmaker Katia Shannon. Under his guidance the company has produced a slate of short narrative films alongside UK service production and co-production facilitation for international productions, specialising in the UK-Canada market.

Currently working on

Currently in development with a slate of long form series and feature projects. Actively seeking relationships with those interested in developing cross-border projects through co-production or service production partnerships.

Writer-director

Wrote and produced the BFI NETWORK-funded short film DAYLIGHT RULES

Based in: Bedford Contact: info@alexbrowning.tv

ALEX BROWNING

Bio

Alex’s genre-bending short film DAYLIGHT RULES, commissioned by Sky Studios and BFI NETWORK, will be touring film festivals before a broadcast premiere on Sky.

Prior to this, he has directed and written a number of shorts with multiple international festival selections, including at BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica and London Short Film Festivals, a Best Short nomination at the ScreenNation awards, and broadcast on Channel 4 and screened at cinemas across London.

Alex’s stories are anchored by elements and nature, meditating on faith, spirituality and power.

Currently working on

Alex is currently developing projects in the UK and US including the feature film version of DAYLIGHT RULES and a TV drama mini-series that plays with time, memory and perspective.

GABI CARPENTER

Bio

Gabi Carpenter is a Chilean director and producer based in the UK.

She is familiar with producing short and long-form content including documentaries, narrative and commercials. Gabi has worked in high-end drama series for Amazon and Netflix, and with leading TV channels like the BBC and CNN.

Currently working on

TREASURES OF THE WORLD, a documentary series for C4 and BBC World News.

CHLOE CULPIN

Bio

Chloe is a freelance producer who has worked on a range of BBC, BFI and privately-funded shorts that have gone on to screen at festivals such as Edinburgh International Film Festival, Rhode Island Festival and Aesthetica. She also produces in the commercial space, including music videos for Louis Theroux and Jessie Buckley and campaigns for charities such as St Mungos. Chloe also writes and directs; her next short film, BURN OUT is funded by the BFI NETWORK / Film Hub Midlands. Alongside her producing, Chloe works as a Script Executive with US-based company, Stage 32. She is also in development on a feature with Clover Films.

Currently working on

Chloe is producing the BFI NETWORK-funded GIRL ON GIRL with Katie Sinclair, written and directed by Laura Jayne Tunbridge that is due to shoot later this year. She is also in prep for BURN OUT, which she will direct, produced by Messy Films. Chloe is also in post for three shorts: SANDRA GETS A NEW FRINGE (directed by Mike Beddoes and Penelope Yuelet), funded by the BFI Midlands and shot in May 2022. HAM, an entirely non-male production, is due to begin its festival run in the new year and QUEER FEAR, Chloe’s first short that she wrote and directed, is currently in post. When she’s not working on narrative Chloe is working on a range of commercial projects.

CHERI DARBON

Bio

Cheri Darbon is a producer with a background in commercials, television and independent films. Her work has spanned major broadcasters including Channel 4, BBC and Sky.

She has recently worked on Luna Carmoon’s debut feature with BBC Films and the BFI as associate producer. Other roles also include exec assistant to Anne Mensah in the UK Series team at Netflix, production manager for BBC Films and production coordinator on BAFTA-nominated Death of England: Face to Face, for The National Theatre & Sky Arts.

Currently working on

This past year she has filmed a number of shorts, including Peter Moor’s BUFFLEHEAD (Producer), Abdou Cisse’s FESTIVAL OF SLAPS (Producer, BBC Films), Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s FOR LOVE (Co Producer, BBC Films) and Mika Watkins’ directorial debut, WASURENAIDE 忘れない で (Associate Producer, Film4). Since being selected as part of the BFI Flare x BAFTA Crew cohort (2020) Cheri has established June & Stella Productions, continuing to develop inspiring stories and champion filmmakers from around the world.

SAMUEL DORE

Bio

Samuel is a Milton Keynes-based drama director who has an interest in exploring stories of coming of age, identity, people being marginalised from society, ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and the clash of fantasy and reality. Many of them are about Deaf identity, sign language and Deaf culture as he is profoundly Deaf / BSL. His films have been shown at film festivals both nationally and internationally, winning awards in the process and have been shown on Film4, CBBC, Sky on Demand and TogetherTV.

Currently working on

Samuel is currently pursuing a career in HETV through BBC Elevate and Directors UK, which he is a member of and developing various feature length screenplays.

EMILY EVERDEE

Bio

Emily Everdee is a BIFA-nominated, UK-based independent Film Producer and founder of Everdee Media. She is a BAFTA Elevate 2022-24 producer, a BFI Flare 2022 mentee, a former Film & TV Charity JBA Awardee and a BAFTA and Warner Bros. scholarship alumna. She’s a graduate of the MA in Producing at the NFTS. Emily has been previously selected for the EIFF Talent Lab, BFI South East Producers’ Programme, and the Film London Production Finance Market (New Talent). Emily has a slate of feature film and TV projects in development.

Currently working on

Associate Producer - LAYLA (BFI / Film4 feature film)

RHONA FOSTER

Bio

Rhona is a visual artist and film director from Edinburgh, now based in Margate. She studied BA Fine Art at the Slade School of Fine Art from 2013-2017 and before that HND Contemporary Art Practice at Edinburgh College.

Since graduating she’s been making short films with support from organisations including BFI NETWORK, BBC Scotland, LUX and Bloomberg New Contemporaries.

Thematically her work explores social issues of class, gender and identity and is characterised by absurdity, dry humour and playful design elements.

GEORGINA FRENCH

Bio

Georgina founded French Fancy Productions Ltd in 2013 to promote the female voice and imagination in film.

She has produced numerous award-winning shorts, including NIGHT ARMOUR’, directed by Carolina Giammetta, THE TOUCH, winner of the Canon Film Competition at Berlinale Talents, directed by Simon Pitts, PRICK THY NEIGHBOUR, directed by Tara FitzGerald and selected for Film London’s ‘London Calling’ scheme, WHAT HAPPENED TO EVIE, directed by BAFTA winner Kate Cheeseman and exec produced by Stefan AlleschTaylor and FROM A STRANGE LAND,’ directed by Caroline Steinbeis and selected for Directors Notes.

Georgina was a participant of BFI X Network BAFTA Crew and was one of 16 filmmakers selected for their mentoring programme in ’19/’20, paired with Rachel Robey of Wellington Films. Georgina participated in EIFF’s Talent Lab and has been selected for BAFTA Connects inaugural membership.

Currently working on

Georgina is currently producing two short films: CHARLIE’S FREEDOM, directed by BAFTA winner Rachel Tillotson and MY WEEK WITH MAISY starring Dame Joanna Lumley, both of which are now in post production. Georgina is also developing a slate of features, which includes VALERIE & ME directed by BIFA nominee Jane Gull. This comedy-drama was one of six selected for EIFF’s Talent Lab Connects.

ELLA GLENDINING

Bio

Ella Glendining is a writer-director dedicated to telling authentic disabled stories. She works in both documentary and fiction and has written and directed short films with backing from Film4, the BFI, Arts Council England, Screen South and the National Paralympic Heritage Trust. Ella’s first feature film, IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?, is a personal documentary about her search for others with the same rare disability as her, supported by BFI Doc Society, Chicken and Egg Pictures and Creative Scotland, and produced by Janine Marmot, which will premiere at Sundance 2023. Ella was named one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow 2020.

Currently working on

Ella is in the early stages of development for a historical drama feature with disabled characters at its core, produced by Janine Marmot. She is also gearing up to shoot a comedy/drama short written for Film4, produced by Justin Edgar of 104 Films. As well as her writing and directing work, Ella is currently taking part in a training course with Bridge06, Sminty and ScreenSkills to become an Access Coordinator, a brand new role created to ensure disabled people involved in film and TV productions have their access needs met.

JESSI GUTCH

Bio

Jessi is a BAFTA Elevate producer at Fig Films, as well as a BIFA- nominated writer and award-winning director. She’s worked with UK industry funders the BFI, Doc Society, Arts Council England, Audible and The Uncertain Kingdom. Living with incurable ovarian cancer, she is committed to working with disabled talent and representing illness, death and dying in a more empowering and uplifting way.

Her voice is at the intersection of documentary and narrative – playing with the hybrid form, with authenticity at the heart of the story. Her short films have screened at EIFF, BFI Flare and ASFF. THE FORGOTTEN C was nominated for the BIFA Best British Short award and acquired by the Wellcome Trust. Jessi is an alumni of BFI NETWORK @ LFF, Edinburgh Talent Lab and Sheffield Doc/Fest Focus Filmmaker Talent.

Currently working on

Fig Films has recently optioned an original screenplay written by Luke Ibbetson called SAINT GEORGE, a drama/dark comedy set in Kent about a man who becomes radicalised by the far-right and starts patrolling the coast looking for crossing asylum seekers. This will be Jessi’s debut feature as a producer and the film was selected for the Film London Production Finance Market (New Talent Strand) this year. She is also working on two debut features as a writer-director and director.

DAVIN JEAYES

Bio

Davin has been making films for over a decade and has taken on several production roles, with his main focus now on producing films in collaboration with others.

He works across different genres, seeking out rarely-told stories that inspire, engage and shine a light on interesting characters. As a producer, he is actively seeking to collaborate with others to apply for more short film funding and he is also developing feature-length projects through his film production company Octarine Films.

Currently working on

In post-production on ASA. He has a number of other shorts in development and is looking to step up to features soon.

STEVE LENNON

Bio

Steve has worked as a producer within corporate, advertising and nonscripted television. Originally as a PD on THE X FACTOR and BGT, then through his production company, Vloop. With Vloop he has produced content including BTS for AMC TV Shows and branded films for Buzzfeed.

Steve has produced four scripted short films: DEATH DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, MY FIRST TIME, GETTING CLEAN, and DEPARTURE POINT.

He is a member of BAFTA Connect and Screen Yorkshire’s FLEX programme, and an alumnus of Creative Enterprise’s Market Trader scheme. He founded Harbourstone Pictures in 2022 for his slate of TV and Film projects.

Currently working on

Steve has a small slate of projects in development for film and TV. The furthest along is AUTO, a feature film, written by two-time Screenwriting Goldmine-winner Geoff Gedroyc, with Kasia Adamik attached to direct. Pencilled to shoot in 2024 in the UK and Poland, it will mark his feature debut as a producer.

THOMAS MCDONALD

Bio

Thomas is a London-based producer and member of BAFTA Connect. He started his career by founding a film festival at University, which led to him producing the BFI NETWORK/Film London-funded VIBRATION, which screened at numerous festivals including London Short Film Festival, and was longlisted for Best British Short Film at the BIFAs.

Since founding Tedium Entertainment, he has produced several shorts that have screened at festivals including BFI Soul, Norwich Film Festival, British Urban Film Festival and The Shortest Nights. He has been given career guidance in the past by BEAST producer Ivana MacKinnon, and is currently being mentored by SAINT MAUD producer Oliver Kassman, as he develops his first feature film slate.

Currently working on

Thomas is currently developing a slate of feature film projects at Tedium Entertainment, including a project in development with Elation Pictures. He has recently finished working with Candle & Bell to support them in making a series of short films for Shortflix, a Creative UK scheme. JIM was recently announced as the winner of the Iris Prize Audience Award 2022 and can be seen on All4.

DUNCAN MOORE

Bio

After studying philosophy at University College London, Duncan trained as an actor at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. In 2017 he founded the production company Project One. His credits as a theatre producer include ‘Caste’ (Finborough Theatre), ‘How Love Is Spelt’ and ‘Pippin’ (Southwark Playhouse). He is a recipient of the Stage One Producer’s Bursary and has worked as a production coordinator with the Anthology Theatre Group. REASONS has screened at a number of festivals, including Palm Springs ShortFest and Hamptons International Film Festival.

Currently working on

Duncan currently has a number of projects in development, including a short film which is shooting at the end of the year, and a feature. He also works regularly as an actor and voiceover artist.

GAV MUKERJI

Bio

Gav has produced dozens of short films, music videos and commercials as well as a feature film – MANFISH. He enjoys working with eccentric directors who have odd but heartfelt ideas. He puts the full weight of his lighting rental company Matte Black London LTD, as well as professional connections, towards ensuring directors tell their stories with the production value they deserve.

Currently working on

Currently working on the BFI NETWORK-funded short film NOT DARK YET following the fallout after a disappearance at a family gathering and the independent feature film WET DREAMS, a comedy slasher film following a male stripper group as they are hunted down by a witch. In post-production on SHOOT YOUR SHOT.

Based in: London Contact: craiseamurphy@gmail.com

CHRISTINA RAISEA MURPHY

Bio

Christina Raisea Murphy is a writer, director and actor from the Republic of Ireland. They are a graduate of the MA Creative Writing programme at Oxford Brookes University. They also hold an MA in Film and Visual Studies from Queen’s University Belfast. They made their debut as a screenwriter with ONLY FOR A FEW DAYS, which was released as part of the anthology feature film, ONE NIGHT IN DUBLIN.

Their creative writing has been published in journals based in Asia, Europe and North America. Their work has garnered attention as part of the International Literature Festival Dublin, having been selected for their annual Date with An Agent Competition aimed at new novelists.

Currently working on

With DEPARTURE POINT nearing completion, Christina is currently planning the next phase in their career, and is looking forward to seeking agent representation. Their ultimate goal as a non-binary, queer writer and filmmaker is to broaden the scope of LGBTQ+ storytelling and expand representations of trans experience.

Based in: London

Contact: jesseromain@gmail.com

JESSE ROMAIN

Bio

NFTS Producing grad, BAFTA Connect member, British Screen Forum Future Leader. Jesse works across live-action, animation and documentary and has produced shorts which have screened at TIFF, SXSW, Sundance, LSFF and many more.

Currently working on

Jesse is in post on a BFI NETWORK Short, shooting a live-action stopmotion hybrid horror with BBC Film in December and has two features in development.

Wrote and directed BFI NETWORKfunded short US & IN BETWEEN

Based in: Reading Contact: katia@katiashannon.com Producer

Based in: London Contact: ktsinclair04@hotmail.com

KATIA SHANNON

Bio

Katia Shannon writes and directs heartfelt stories about love and adversity for Film and TV.

Her award-winning films have received international accolades, playing at Oscar, BAFTA and BIFA Qualifying festivals. Her first short Standstill was also long-listed for the Canadian Screen Awards.

Katia holds a BFA in Film Production from the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema in Montreal. In 2020, she was selected for the Netflix x BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative. She has also led the film commission for the region of the Laurentides and edited award-winning feature documentaries with her work broadcast across the USA, Canada, the UK and in festivals internationally.

Katia is a keen photographer and uses photography to experiment aesthetically, informing the visual landscape of her films.

Currently working on

Expanding the world of US & IN BETWEEN into a series and looking for feature projects to join as a director.

KATIE SINCLAIR

Bio

Katie Sinclair is a film and TV producer and executive based in London. She is currently Head of Development for Jude Law’s production company Riff Raff Entertainment. Her credits as development executive include Martin McDonagh’s THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Andrew Haigh’s STRANGERS and LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER directed by Laure De ClermontTonnerre. She has worked in production and development at Blueprint Pictures, BBC Film, BBC Studios, Sugar Films, Disney and Lionsgate.

Her BFI NETWORK-funded short THE LAST DAYS – starring BRIDGERTON’s Adjoa Andoh — won Best Short Film at Fantastic Festival 2021, and is playing at Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying festivals across the world during its current festival run. Katie is also part of a collective that produces Canned Laughter, a charity comedy night that has raised over £100,000 for London’s food banks.

Currently working on

Katie is currently producing another short film for BFI NETWORK South East, GIRL ON GIRL, written and to be directed by Laura Tunbridge. She is also developing a host of other short-form project including with directors Bryn Chainey and Jamie D’ispirito, and a debut feature with writer-director Dipo Baruwa-Etti. At Riff-Raff, she is working across a host of film and TV projects.

Director

Writer-director

Wrote and directed the BFI NETWORK-funded short NEW ATLANTIS

Based in: South East Contact: matt@videofeet.com Producer Produced the BFI NETWORK-funded short NEW ATLANTIS

Based in: South East Contact: rhian@videofeet.com

MATT SMITH

Bio

Matt is a writer-director originally from Watford. He started making experimental short films during his time at Dartington College of Arts, which showed in competition at many BAFTA recognised festivals. His artist films have also been shown around the world with support from Arts Council England, The Arts Council of Wales and Drac Occitanie –Ministère de la Culture (France), among others. His work often explores unsettling realities and imagined histories, blurring the line between what is real and what is fantasy.

Currently working on

He is now focused on making narrative films.

RHIAN SMITH

Bio

Rhian is an emerging narrative producer and works closely with writer/ director Matt Smith, who co-founded micro-studio/production company VIDEOfeet. After producing several digital media projects supported by Arts Council England exploring the use of film and live performance she produced the UK tour of the official adaptation of Ted Hughes Gaudette with OBRA Theatre Company (FR) then co-produced a series of artist films in the Gers region of France.

Currently working on

Alongside NEW ATLANTIS, Rhian and Matt are currently developing their first feature.

SIMON SMITH

Bio

Simon is an EMMY and BAFTA-winning editor turned director. His editing work includes STAR WARS: ANDOR, HELP, and CHERNOBYL. Using everything he’s learned working with some of the best filmmakers, he is now focusing his attention on directing.

Simon likes to create unique worlds and grammar with his work and loves magical realism. His earlier directing work includes a Channel 4 documentary played out entirely in split-screen, and an immersive theatre production performed to an audience in a working launderette.

Currently working on

His short film MURMUR is being sent out to festivals and he is in the prep stages of an immersive theatre production for The Brighton Fringe festival. Currently developing more short films and seeking television drama directing work.

ARIJ AL-SOLTAN

Bio

Arij Al-Soltan is a British-Iraqi producer and documentary director whose films – both fiction and documentary- seek to offer alternative narratives and provoke a sense of self-introspection. Her credits include the critically acclaimed C4, Rose d’Or nominated drama series BAGHDAD CENTRAL, documentaries KOREAN LOVERS IN BAGHDAD, SAFIA and short fiction film TABBOULEH & PIE. Arij was a One World Media and Film4 bursary grantee and is currently developing a short fiction film in collaboration with BFI.

Arij works with a number of emerging British, Middle Eastern and international talents to produce films that offer unexplored perspectives.

Currently working on

Currently in post-production WEDAD, a co-production between BFI NETWORK and Barney Production, due to complete in early 2023. She is also developing a TV series with Viacom International Media Networks as well as a feature-length film entitled HASHED.

Writer-director

Wrote and directed BFI NETWORKfunded short WEDAD

Based in: Folkestone Contact: elias@suhail.tv

ELIAS SUHAIL

Bio

Elias is a British-Moroccan writer and filmmaker whose work explores the complexities of the human condition, liminalities and those who exist in the cultural margins.

His short story, “The horrors I have seen”, was shortlisted from more than 750 submissions for A Writing Chance in 2021 which offered Elias his first paid commission.

His dramatic monologue, “For even your own shadow will leave you in darkness (No Regrets)”, was performed as part of Margins to Mainstream with Michael Sheen at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. The piece was subsequently released on BBC Sounds.

Currently working on

His debut short film WEDAD wrapped production in Morocco in November 2022 and he hopes to be able to expand it into a feature. Elias is also developing a collection of short stories.

Writer-director

Wrote and directed BFI NETWORKfunded short DREAM BIG

Based in: Essex Contact: pipswallow@hotmail.com

PIP SWALLOW

Bio

Pip is a writer/director who trained as an actor before writing her debut short GREAT EXPECTATIONS, which won Edinburgh TV Festival’s New Voices Award for ‘Best Pilot’, and also screened at Tribeca, Underwire, Cambridge and Norwich Film Festivals. Her second short as writer and directorial debut, is the comedy-horror DAY OF THE 20,000 GAMMON. DREAM BIG was developed and funded by the BFI.

Currently working on

Pip is developing her first feature.

COURTENEY TAN

Bio

Courteney is a writer/director of British & Malaysian ancestry. She recently took part in The Last Conker’s ‘The Big Short’ development programme and BFI NETWORK South East’s Development Programme.

In 2020 she directed her first short CAPTURE which is currently in the middle of festival submissions. Her next short LONGING was awarded BFI NETWORK funding and was shot in August 2022, starring Kae Alexander.

Currently working on

She is currently working on a feature in development with Ella Street Productions.

JACK THOMAS O’BRIEN

Bio

Jack has been working at Sixteen Films for the past eight years, and now works as a producer at the company. Within the last year he has taken an associate producer credit on Cristian Carion’s MY SON, featuring James McAvoy and Claire Foy, and worked on Ken Loach’s latest film THE OLD OAK.

He is producing three short films that will complete this year, which follow another short from 2020, STAYING (AROS MAE), supported by Ffilm Cyrmu Wales. Previous to that, he was assistant producer on Ken Loach’s last feature film SORRY WE MISSED YOU, as well as working on I, DANIEL BLAKE and the documentary VERSUS: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF KEN LOACH.

Currently working on

Producing Laura Carriera’s debut feature, titled ON FALLING. Currently in post on SOFT FACTS and PYLON, as well as another independent short LA CRESIMA by Alesandro Luchetti & Manuela Lazic. Jack has another four projects in development: SALVAGE, written by Tessa Hoffee and supported by the BFI; CATHERINE also written by Laura Carriera and supported by Film4; CERI, written by Zillah Bowes and supported by Ffilm Cymru, and in development at LIM; and finally THE LISTENER, written by Miles Mantle and to be directed by Sean Ellis. Additionally, he has a TV series in development through the Midpoint Institute, written by Simon Coss and to be directed by Georgis Grigorakis.

Writer-director

Wrote and directed BFI NETWORKfunded short PILLOW CHOCOLATE

Based in: South East

Contact: captidmas@outlook.com

CHARLIE TIDMAS

Bio

Charlie is a trans writer-director. He is an alumnus of the BFI Film Academy. He studied MA Screenwriting at MetFilm School in London and achieved the first Distinction in the school’s history; his graduation feature film script placed in a range of international competitions including the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Charlie works as a script reader for the BBC and British Film Institute. He has written and directed three short films about transmasculine identities and is currently developing longer format projects. Charlie is a BAFTA Connect member and has previously been a BAFTA Mentee, BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew member and BFI NETWORK weekender.

Currently working on

Charlie is currently wrapping up post-production on his BFI NETWORK short film and another for Creative Estuary, both of which will be looking to go to festivals in 2023. He is in early development on a feature film project and a television series, both addressing notions of trans masculinities, as well as collaborating on further shorts with other filmmakers.

Producer

Produced the BFI NETWORK-funded short CUPPA CHAI & co-produced LONGING

Based in: London

Contact: kelly@dyzygo.com

KELLY WONG

Bio

Kelly currently works in development at DNA Films & TV (TRAINSPOTTING, EX MACHINA, NEVER LET ME GO) working across film and TV on projects for BBC, Film4, and FX. Previously, in 2020, Kelly was selected for the BFI Creative Producers Lab, and in the past year produced three BFI NETWORK short films with emerging filmmakers.

Writer-director

Wrote and directed the BFI NETWORKfunded short JIM

Based in: Hertfordshire Contact: tomyoung179@googlemail.com

TOM YOUNG

Bio

Tom trained as a pianist and Classical composer and has had orchestral pieces performed on both BBC2 and BBC Radio 3. Since turning to filmmaking he has mainly made documentaries, including JAN: A REFUGEE’S STORY and BILL, both commissioned by and screened at the Earl’s Court International Film Festival. JIM, a short LGBT drama Tom wrote and directed, was developed with BFI NETWORK South East’s Short Film Development Programme and subsequently received funding from BFI NETWORK. It won the Iris Prize Audience Award 2022 and can be seen on All4.

Currently working on

Tom is developing JIM into a feature about the real life priest who inspired it, Fr Bill Kirkpatric, in partnership with Tedium Pictures. Bill was an extraordinary figure who overcame immense personal difficulties to become a pioneering carer for people living with AIDS in the 1980s. He was also one of the first openly gay priests to be ordained by the Church of England. Tom is also writing a sci-fi TV pilot and horror feature.

SHORT FILM FUND

Producer

BFI NETWORK short: THE LICENSED FOOL

Based in: London and South East

Contact: alexanderhandschuh@yahoo.co.uk

ALEXANDER HANDSCUH

Bio

Alex gained his first broadcast TV producer credit with Big Talk Productions on BILLI (written and starring Harry Trevaldwyn) for Channel 4’s latest round of Comedy Blap’s. Graduate of the NFTS’ Producing course and participant in the EIFF 2022 Talent Lab. He’s produced shorts that have won an RTS award, been shortlisted for a Student BAFTA and selected for HotDocs, UnderWire and Encounters.

Alex also works in commercials and music promos as a freelance producer. Recently being nominated for a UKMVA and a Broadcast Sport Award for his work. Alex has produced films for PUMA, EA Sports, Fontaines DC and many more.

Writer

BFI NETWORK short: THURSDAYS

Based in: London Contact: amysaralondon@gmail.com

AMY BATY Bio

Amy was recently dramaturge for Rambert’s live streamed dance theatre piece, NOTE TO SELF and Corey Baker’s RENEWABLE MOVES, performed at COP26. She is currently writing NOW YOU SEE ME, a punk feminist cabaret for Las Divinas in collaboration with composer, Micka Luna and developing her new play, GRAB, with the input of director Max Elton.

She collaborates closely with filmmaker Kibwe Tavares, and is currently story editor for THE KITCHEN, a Netflix feature in production written by Daniel Kaluuya and Joe Murtagh, directed by Kibwe. She is also story assisting Kibwe on a Netflix animation film in production, based on Wyclef Jean’s childhood.

In 2020, she won a spot on Bitter Pill Theatre’s Painkiller Podcast with THE LAST MANICURE, an audio piece performed by Miriam Margolyes. Now she has whipped it up into this short film called THURSDAYS... She writes about women: mothers and daughters in all their ugly, painful, beautiful iterations.

BARNEY PELL SCHOLES

Bio

Barney Pell Scholes is a writer and filmmaker from Liverpool. He co-wrote the script for GROWN IN THE DARK, an animated short film that has been selected for funding through the BFI 2022 Short Film Fund. He wrote and co-directed OURSELVES ALONE, a live-action short film that was selected for multiple international film festivals, and has been nominated in two categories at The 2022 British Short Film Awards.

His script THE HAUNTED VIOLIN was a short screenplay finalist at the 2021 Waterford International Film Festival. He also has a feature script in development with a major production company. Alongside his scriptwriting and filmmaking, he works as a freelance script and book reader for several television production companies. Before becoming a scriptwriter, Barney had a career working in politics for pro-European campaigns, a Labour MP, and a green energy consultancy.

BEN NORRIS

Bio

Ben is a writer and performer from Nottingham. His first short film, SEND HER VICTORIOUS, was made for Channel 4’s Random Acts ‘First Acts’ stream in 2015. It saw Ben nominated for Best New Talent at the 2016 Midlands Royal Television Society Awards.

His most recent poetry pamphlet ‘Some Ending’ was published by Verve Poetry Press in 2019 and he was a UK National Poetry Slam Champion in 2013 and 2017.

His debut one-man show, ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Family’, won the IdeasTap Underbelly Award at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe, before touring the UK in 2016, including a sell-out run at the Southbank Centre, and finishing at the Adelaide Fringe in 2018. He wrote the monologues for the Olivier-nominated hit musical ‘Choir of Man’, and originated the main role at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 and on the West End in 2021. He is a former Writer-in-Residence at Theatr Clwyd (2017) and Nottinghamshire Libraries (2018-19), and former Creative Associate at Nottingham Playhouse (2018-2021). He currently has two plays in development, ‘The Distance’ and ‘Autopilot’, which have respectively been supported by the Roundhouse, Nottingham Playhouse, In Good Company, Theatr Clwyd, the Yard Theatre and the Bush Theatre.

BFI NETWORK short: GIRL ON GIRL

Based in: Nottingham, London Contact: chloeculpin2@gmail.com Producer

BFI NETWORK short: NOT DARK YET

Based in: London Contact: darta.vijgrieze@gmail.com

CHLOE CULPIN

Bio

Chloe is a freelance producer who has worked on a range of BBC, BFI and privately funded shorts that have gone on to screen at festivals such as Edinburgh International Film Festival, Rhode Island Festival and Aesthetica. She also produces in the commercial space, including music videos for Louis Theroux and Jessie Buckley and campaigns for charities such as St Mungos. Chloe also writes and directs; her next short film, BURN OUT is funded by the BFI NETWORK / Film Hub Midlands. Alongside her producing, Chloe works as a Script Executive with US-based company, Stage 32. She is also in development on a feature with Clover Films.

Currently working on

Chloe is producing the BFI NETWORK-funded GIRL ON GIRL with Katie Sinclair, written and directed by Laura Jayne Tunbridge that is due to shoot later this year. She is also in prep for BURN OUT, which she will direct, produced by Messy Films. Chloe is also in post for three shorts: SANDRA GETS A NEW FRINGE (directed by Mike Beddoes and Penelope Yuelet), funded by the BFI Midlands and shot in May 2022. HAM, an entirely non-male production, is due to begin its festival run in the new year and QUEER FEAR, Chloe’s first short that she wrote and directed, is currently in post. When she’s not working on narrative Chloe is working on a range of commercial projects.

DARTA VIJGRIEZE

Bio

Darta is a Latvian-born and London-based producer of numerous short films, music videos, commercials and pilot episodes. A strong idea generator, she has a keen eye for stories and is now following a clear path in development and producing by working with executive producers to develop an HETV series.

Her most recently produced short film A MATTER OF CHOICE (2023) starring Will Merrick and Lydia Wilson is currently in post-production. Other films on her slate are UNDER THE INFLUENCE (2020), selected for the BAFTA-Qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival and BUMP IN THE NIGHT (2023).

Writer-director

BFI NETWORK short: THE LICENSED FOOL

Based in: Essex / London

Contact: garethbowen1@hotmail.co.uk

GARETH BOWEN

Bio

Gareth is an artist and filmmaker and alumni from Central St. Martins. His last short, RACE FOR THE CURE, starring Neil Bell (DEAD MAN’S SHOES, DUNE, PETERLOO) is a fast-paced, urban thriller shot on the streets of Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road about a wannabe filmmaker who loses his film.

Currently, he is in production for his latest film THE LICENSED FOOL, made with support from BFI NETWORK South East – a dark comedy, cosmic horror that follows a group of travelling jesters in medieval Britain. THE LICENSED FOOL is being produced under Grody Tavern and After Party Studios.

Writer-director

BFI NETWORK short: NOT DARK YET

Based in: Suffolk Contact: hermione.sylvester@yahoo.co.uk

HERMIONE SYLVESTER

Bio

Hermione is a filmmaker from Suffolk. She currently works in the camera department whilst making short films and music videos in her spare time. Her most recent short, FUEL (2020), starred Olivia Vinall (Screen Star of Tomorrow 2017), Angus Wright (Peep Show, The Courier) and Mary Roscoe (Unrelated, Exhibition). It was selected for the London Short Film Festival 2021, FilmBath 2020 and Fright Fest 2020.

Based in: London Contact: jamie@afterparty.studio

ISABELLA DE ROSARIO

Bio

Isabella is a short film producer and TV drama development executive. Her previous short film credits include LURKER (dir. Charlotte George, 2019) which was part of the Directors UK Arri/Trinity Challenge and selected for Leeds Young Film Festival and Moscow International Children’s Film Festival, and PUJA NIGHTS (2013) which was part of Film London’s London Calling and selected for the London Short Film Festival and Regiofun.

She currently works for Me+You Productions across their drama, film and comedy slate as their development executive. Prior to working for Me+You, she script-edited AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHTY DAYS (BBC/ The Alliance) at Slim Film+TV. She was previously a development executive in the Channel 4 Commissioning team, working across 4Screenwriting and the New Writing North Schemes, and also worked for the BBC Drama Commissioning team.

JAMIE MACDONALD

Bio

Jamie Macdonald is a BAFTA-nominated producer in film and TV across fiction, documentary and animation.

He started working in the production department and then for producers in the studio system before stepping up to produce. He’s produced numerous BFI-supported shorts and has two features being supported by their early development fund.

Recently, he produced a six-part online comedy-stunt series for Netflix and co-produced a feature documentary, and is currently working on a slate of feature films and short form projects.

JOSH SAUNDERS

Bio

Josh Saunders is a film director and animator based in South East England. His debut short film THE GREY HOUND won the Royal Television Society Award 2017 for postgraduate animation. It was nominated for the British Animation Awards People’s Choice Award 2018 and was picked for the BFI’s Best of Post Room 2018. THE GREY HOUND has screened at a variety of international film festivals.

Josh’s new work, commissioned by BFI NETWORK, centres around an allotment community in South East England and thematically addresses population displacement through the current refugee crisis and the positive effects of working outdoors whilst being part of an unlikely and richly diverse community. These are some of the things he has come to know and admire from allotments and what play an integral part in the makeup of English culture.

Based

KATIE SINCLAIR

Bio

Katie Sinclair is a film and TV producer and executive based in London. She is currently Head of Development for Jude Law’s production company Riff Raff Entertainment. Her credits as development executive include Martin McDonagh’s THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Andrew Haigh’s STRANGERS and LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER directed by Laure De ClermontTonnerre. She has worked in production and development at Blueprint Pictures, BBC Film, BBC Studios, Sugar Films, Disney and Lionsgate.

Her BFI NETWORK-funded short THE LAST DAYS – starring BRIDGERTON’s Adjoa Andoh — won Best Short Film at Fantastic Festival 2021, and is playing at Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying festivals across the world during its current festival run. Katie is also part of a collective that produces Canned Laughter, a charity comedy night that has raised over £100,000 for London’s food banks.

Based in: London Contact: ktsinclair04@hotmail.com

Director

KINGSLEY HOSKINS

Bio

Kingsley Hoskins has produced and directed several short films over the years, and recently assistant produced a six-part adaptation of Beth O’Leary’s bestselling THE FLATSHARE, for Paramount+, having previously assistant produced THE GIRL BEFORE for BBC and HBO Max.

She has spent several years with production and management company 42, working closely with the executive producers across TV and feature production and development, on features such as THE COURIER and MILITARY WIVES, and TV productions incl. WILD BILL (ITV), TRAITORS (Channel 4) and THE ENGLISH GAME (Netflix). She has gained a 360° view of the industry through the company’s management side, and through several years’ experience as an assistant director in high-end TV and film before moving in-house.

LAURA JAYNE TUNBRIDGE

Bio

Laura Jayne Tunbridge is a BAFTA-nominated writer and director from the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

Laura has written numerous award winning shorts. They include, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DREAD which won an Annie Award and an RTS Award, and was nominated for a BIFA and a BAFTA. Short animation OTHER HALF, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2021 and won Best Animated Short at Sitges. Her live action shorts include REQUIEM, which won an RTS Award and KISS CHASE, which was nominated for Best Screenwriter at Underwire.

In 2020 Laura wrote and directed DRAGGED UP, starring Gaby French. The short was selected for festivals including Encounters, Inside Out and Queer Screen’s Mardi Gras Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Short. DRAGGED UP was nominated for Best British Short at the BAFTA-qualifying Iris Prize and has been broadcast twice on Channel 4.

LORNA TUCKER

Bio

Lorna started her career creating promos and tour videos for bands such as UNKLE, Lupe Fiasco and The Cult, as well as experimental video and has created video art projects for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Nike, Redbull and ShowStudio. Lorna was recently named as one of Creative England’s CE50, included in the Evening Standard’s list of London’s most influential people, and was named by Harper’s Bazaar and Elle Magazine as one of the five biggest breakout female filmmakers of the year.

Her first feature documentary, WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST, debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film festival. Her second feature documentary, AMÁ, took 9 years to bring to fruition and is a gentle yet powerful film about the sterilisation abuses of Native American women across the United States over the past 60 years. Lorna is currently in production on a Netflix Docudrama on Katharine Hepburn. Coming out later in 2022 is SOMEONE’S DAUGHTER, SOMEONE’S SON, a character led theatrical documentary that explores what it takes to end homelessness, as Lorna looks back at her own homeless experiences, those who have survived it, and a few of her friends still there.

MARGO ROE

Bio

Margo Roe is a director, writer and choreographer from the Midlands.

Her career started with a theatre commission from the The Lincoln Company, co-directing a physical theatre piece for the TLC’s Edinburgh Fringe Tour 2014. In 2016 she was commissioned by Channel 4/Creative England Random Acts programme to direct and choreograph NAME, a short dance film now available on All4.

Margo’s short film SEARCHING FOR COWARDICE was created as part of the BBC New Creatives programme and broadcast as part of BBC4’s Female Filmmakers screening. SEARCHING FOR COWARDICE is now being adapted as a TV series with BFI Young Audience Content Fund and was selected for the Torino Series Lab 2021.

Margo’s BFI Midlands short film POP has screened at BAFTA and BIFAqualifying festivals and was placed in the top three of the Iris Prize 2021’s ‘Best of British’ category.

MAZ MURRAY

Bio

Maz Murray is a filmmaker also working within visual art and fiction writing. They studied Fine Art at Chelsea College of Arts and have since made short films with Channel 4 and Dazed Digital (as part of ICA’s ‘Stop Play Record’ programme), Institute of Contemporary Arts, Metal Southend and BFI. Their films have shown at galleries including Focal Point in Southend, QueerCircles, South London Gallery, and festivals such as London Short Film Fest, Outfest LA and Uppsala Short Film Festival. Maz is interested in portraying queer and transgender working class life by subverting genre and representational tropes with humour, surrealism and a dash of utopian dreaming. As well as writing and directing their shorts they often make the costumes and sets. Upcoming projects include two new short film projects, a feature script, their first institutional solo gallery show and a collaborative novella.

NIA ALAVEZOS

Bio

Nia has 7+ years of animation production experience. Currently she’s at Sun & Moon Studios, managing an adult anime series called HAMMER & BOLTER, in addition to a few other projects in development with Farside Features (Sun & Moon’s sister company). Nia is also part of Sun & Moon’s development department, working closely with key staff in their writer’s room to further develop the studio’s IP, in addition to directing numerous projects at the studio; such as last year’s Christmas Short, TIMELESS GIFTS.

Before moving to the UK in 2019 Nia was a Production Coordinator at DreamWorks Animation TV, working on THE EPIC TALES OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS for Netflix. Previously she was at Renegade Animation, where she was a Coordinator on THE TOM & JERRY SHOW, while also working as a Marketing and Development Coordinator for all of their original content.

She is also producing two animated shorts commissioned by Ffilm Cymru’s Beacons short film scheme, YMENYDD and SPECTRE OF THE BEAR. Additionally, Nia is working with Josh Hicks, the director of SPECTRE OF THE BEAR in bringing his hilarious comic Glorious Wrestling Alliance to life through funding with Creative Wales.

SAMIRA MUSA

Bio

Samira Musa is a British-Somali film and TV producer with extensive experience in corporate and film finance. She is currently at Netflix as the Global Franchise Coordinator. Her passion for exploring, capturing and showcasing the evolving complexities of the human race led her to producing film, TV, documentaries and audio productions.

Her credits before joining Netflix included: Associate Producer for a series of 5 short films exploring Afro-Futurism through a Black British cultural lens, with Fruit Tree Media and Film4. Associate Producer for AISHA AND ABHAYA for The Royal Ballet and Rambert, with BBC Films and Robin Saunders. Production Manager for EAR FOR EYE, written and directed by debbie tucker green. Her latest Production Accountant credits include THE GIRL BEFORE starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and David Oyelowo, directed by Lisa Brühlmann.

SIVAN RAPHAELY

Bio

Sivan brings a vast array of transferable skills from her 20 years experience in film, TV and theatre. She has directed short films, musicals and plays for young actors. She has worked extensively with actors over her career, teaching acting to students of all ages from 7-30yrs at various institutions across South Africa and the UK. In 2016, Sivan directed DOG, a short for her MA at Wits University. The film was in competition at Rapid Lion International Film Festival 2017 (Best Student Film). While at Uni she also directed CROSSROADS – a microshort.

Sivan has taught filmmaking at the National Youth Film Academy, guiding students from concept to post production on several 12 minute films. She has also taught Acting for Directors at London Film School where she works with film directors to help them understand how to work with actors. Sivan has vast experience as a voice artist in her native South Africa

EARLY DEVELOPMENT FUND

ALEXANDRA BLUE

Bio

Alexandra is an award-winning producer committed to bold, original and inventive storytelling. Alexandra’s short films have been Oscar-longlisted and received acclaim at festivals including BFI London, Clermont-Ferrand, Flickerfest and Palm Springs. Alexandra’s accolades include being selected as one of 12 producers for BFI Insight, Film London Lodestar of 2021, Emerging Producer of the Year (SASA), Best Emerging Filmmaker (Shorts Film Festival) and Short Film of the Decade at the Australian Academy Awards.

Alexandra has been mentored by some of the top production companies, including a Screen Australia Talent Escalator placement with Element (THE LOBSTER, ROOM) and a six-month Producer placement with Warp (THIS IS ENGLAND, ‘71). Alexandra also worked as a Development Executive at Heyday for Producer David Heyman (HARRY POTTER and PADDINGTON) until 2017, before collaborating with Eleven as a development producer with her own projects. Alexandra’s slate includes projects that have been developed with Film4, BFI, and Screen Australia.

TITLE

OF FEATURE:

NORM Depressed, repressed, and totally forgettable, Norm is a complete failure at life. But when Norm’s passion for true crime sets him on a path to find a monster he sees the bright lights of fame in his future...although things might turn out a little differently than Norm imagined. Is the real monster the one in the mirror?

JESS DADDS

Bio

Jess Dadds is a new generation UK filmmaker, writing/directing films often focused on youth culture and social issues, whilst making them in a way that is progressive within independent cinema.

Jess’ latest short film I AM GOOD AT KARATE was awarded a special mention by the international jury at Encounters Film Festival for how the film “explores the complex intersections of class, mental health and coming of age, with a strong self-assured visual style” The film also screened at various other BAFTA and Academy Award qualifying film festivals, such as Oberhausen, Montréal Du Nouveau Cinema and LSFF.

Jess is currently in the early development stages of his first feature project.

TITLE OF FEATURE: KITT AND THE DEATHLESS

Kitt and the Deathless follows a teenager who has a dream that convinces him he can communicate with the dead. Shortly after being kicked out of his family home, Kitt goes on a road trip with his friends, whilst his world begins to spiral out of control.

Based in: Folkestone Contact: jessi@figfilms.co.uk Writer-director

JESSI GUTCH

Bio

Jessi is a BAFTA Elevate producer at Fig Films, as well as a BIFA-nominated writer and award-winning director. She’s worked with UK industry funders BFI, Doc Society, Arts Council, Audible and The Uncertain Kingdom. Living with incurable ovarian cancer, she is committed to working with disabled talent and representing illness, death and dying in a more empowering and uplifting way.

Her voice is at the intersection of documentary and narrative - playing with the hybrid form, with authenticity at the heart of the story. Her short films have screened at EIFF, BFI Flare and ASFF. The Forgotten C was nominated for the BIFA Best British Short award and acquired by the Wellcome Trust. Jessi is an alumni of BFI NETWORK @ LFF, Edinburgh Talent Lab and Sheffield Doc/Fest Focus Filmmaker Talent.

TITLE OF FEATURE: MY CELLS ARE TRYING TO KILL ME

Bonded together through misbehaving cells, Lucie, Tash and Dylan are less fussed with winning or losing a cancer ‘battle’ they never signed up to fight and more determined to party, make a career and fall in love –despite the big ‘c’ word. But facing your mortality, whilst mates are still out doing mandy is no mean feat.

ROWLAND JOBSON

Bio

Rowland Jobson is an award-winning writer and director with a background in drama, commercials, documentary, online content, and immersive interactive drama. He has directed films for over 30 major brands, agencies and broadcasters including Samsung, Sony PlayStation, Shelter, Shell, Mazda, Channel 4, ZDF and ITV.

His past work has won a D&AD award, and 2 IVCA Clarion Award and his film GIRLLIKEME was selected for the Official Competition at Venice International Film Festival going on to win 4 awards, 1 Jury Special mention and screen in competition at over 30 international film festivals. His feature film project SLEEPER was selected for Beijing International Film Festival’s project pitch and in his feature film INTO THE LIGHT was selected for Venice Film Festival’s Biennale Film Lab with whom he developed the film. His film THE SEA was more recently selected for Torino Film Lab.

TITLE OF FEATURE: MARE

A young woman, Eppy, returns to the sea-misted levels of Romney Marshes in the guise of a young man to resolve her past, connect with a girl she loved and with the horse that gave her freedom. Led by a young girl, perhaps the ghost of her childhood, she sets out to reveal the truth, evoke ancient spirits and exact revenge upon the man that killed her mother and continues to haunt the community.

Writer-director-producer

RYUSHI LINDSAY

Bio

Ryushi Lindsay is a British-Japanese filmmaker based between Britain and Japan, working across experimental non-fiction and non-experimental fiction film. His work has screened at festivals including Aesthetica (UK) and Short Shorts (Japan), while his 2019 documentary, Kokutai, exploring spectacle in Japanese high-school baseball, has just completed a run on MUBI.

In 2022 he took part in the BFI NETWORK Short Film Development Programme, writing an original short film – he is currently writing a treatment for a feature version: a contemporary mystery thriller set in the Scottish Highlands.

He also participated in the 2022 B3 Biennale Hessenlab, working on development of an installation film about the 1954 Daigo Fukuryu Maru incident. He is currently in post on a Japanese culture ministry-funded fiction short: a romance set in the 1930s in a traditional Japanese ryokan inn against a backdrop of rising fascism and impending world war, inspired by a true story.

TITLE OF FEATURE: CREST

When his colleague goes AWOL on the job, environmental officer Tommy is sent to take over the inspection on a major development project near his Highlands hometown. Whilst surveying the landscape for rare and endangered species which would halt construction, Tommy begins to suspect that his coworker didn’t simply disappear but was *deliberately* disappeared.

JULIE MAYHEW Bio

Julie is a journalist turned actress turned writer. She is the author of four Carnegie-nominated young adult novels, and is currently published by Bloomsbury, writing literary suspense for an adult audience. IMPOSSIBLE CAUSES (2019), featured in the New York Times’ pick of female-penned thrillers, while LITTLE NOTHINGS (2022) is being developed for TV by Hazey Jane Films.

An alumnus of the BFI Network x BAFTA Crew scheme, Julie has directed three short films: including offbeat romantic comedy UNKNOWN NUMBER (2019), which played at festivals in London, Paris, and LA.

Her original TV pilot OFF GRID was a Screencraft Screenwriting Fellowship 2021 semi-finalist and one of six Studio21 Drama Series finalists showcased at Content London (the script was subsequently optioned). She has recently returned from Stowe Story Labs in Vermont where her naturalistic sci-fi feature script FOR ONLY AN HOUR was a selected project. Representation: Yasmin McDonald, United Agents.

TITLE OF FEATURE: MADGE

The almost true but most definitely audacious, riches to rags to riches story of Madge Sayers – the British woman who single-handedly brought down the patriarchal structure of the formerly men-only sport of figure skating, scoring a lasting victory for women on ice. Or did she...?

WILLOW MIRZA

Bio

Willow Mirza is an emerging writer and alumni of the 2018 BBC Comedy Writers Room where her script was chosen from over 3000 entries. Most recently she has worked as assistant writer to Romesh Ranganathan and as part of a team of writers on Nick Love’s upcoming Sky series A Town Called Malice.

Willow’s current television projects include WICKED with Lucy Lumsden; BURIED, a dark comedy/drama with Chris Clark and Working Title; and GALDEM, a comedy about a wannabe girl gang from West London based on Willow’s own experiences, with Big Talk.

Willow’s personal work centres on multidimensional female characters; with a keen interest in social class, LGBTQ+ issues and mental health.

TITLE OF FEATURE: NORM

Depressed, repressed, and totally forgettable, Norm is a complete failure at life. But when Norm’s passion for true crime sets him on a path to find a monster he sees the bright lights of fame in his future...although things might turn out a little differently than Norm imagined. Is the real monster the one in the mirror?

SABINA SMITHAM

Bio

Sabina Smitham is founder of Hinterland Pictures, an independent production company with a slate of feature films and TV. She has several features in development, including with the BFI, BBC Films and financier / co-producer Pia Pressure.

Sabina’s most recent short film was produced with the support of Film4 and premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2021 (JOY, dir. Alexandra Brodski). She is in post-production on short film ORIGINAL SKIN for BBC Film (directed by Screen International Screen Star of Tomorrow Mdhamiri á Nkemi, and written by Eve Hedderwick Turner), which is now being developed as a feature film.

Alongside her work with Hinterland, Sabina develops original film and HETV projects as Development Producer with Faye Ward’s Fable Pictures. Sabina is a BIFA voter, a member of BAFTA Crew X BFI network, and she has participated in the Edinburgh International Film Festival Talent Lab and the Les Arc Talent Village.

TITLE OF FEATURE: THE DOULA

A pregnant woman is gaslit by her charismatic doula as part of an occult plot to steal her baby.

Writer

Based in: London Producer Based in: London

JULIA STOVELL

Bio

Julia studied for her BA & MA in Fine Art Painting at Chelsea School of Art.

Julia wrote and directed MILK & HONEY which was nominated for Best European Dramatic Short at Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Subsequently she wrote and directed RUNAWAY for BBC1 & THE BOY WITH PROTEUS SYNDROME for Channel 4. Additionally The Boy With Proteus Syndrome was longlisted for the BAFTA HBO NEW TALENT AWARD.

Currently Julia is working on two feature-length documentaries: ZERO HOUR with producer Alex Gibney and Executive Producer Will Clarke and RAISING HELL with Executive Producer James Gay-Rees. Recently Julia was selected for the prestigious Guiding Lights Mentoring Programme and paired with acclaimed director James Marsh (The Theory of Everything).

TITLE OF FEATURE: DEADEYE

Estranged from his family, a traumatised soldier bonds with a mistreated horse and begins to heal the wounds from his past.

CHARLIE TIDMAS

Bio

Charlie is a trans writer-director. He is an alumnus of the BFI Film Academy. He studied MA Screenwriting at MetFilm School in London and achieved the first Distinction in the School’s history; his graduation feature film script placed in a range of international competitions including the Academy Nicholl Fellowship. Charlie works as a script reader for the BBC and British Film Institute. He has written and directed three short films about transmasculine identities and is currently developing longer format projects. Charlie is a BAFTA Connect member and has previously been a BAFTA Mentee, BFI NETWORK x BAFTA Crew member and BFI NETWORK weekender.

TITLE OF FEATURE: BRICKING

IT

When one of them comes out as trans, a rag-tag group of apprentice bricklayers struggle against financial pressures, an unholy workload, and a sceptical community in order to raise money for his top surgery before the stress of obscene waiting list times cause him to do something irreversible.

Writer

Based in: Hastings Contact: bethe.townsend@gmail.com

BETHE TOWNSEND

Bio

Bethe Townsend is a recent graduate of the screenwriting MA at the NFTS and recipient of the Leverhulme Scholarship. She writes across various genres with a particular interest in female-led stories that scratch beneath the surface of how we live. She has written five produced short films which have been screened at festivals around the world and has had two short plays performed at Soho Theatre: IMRAN’S CHICKEN (dir. Andy McNamee) and THE LOVESONG OF THE ORTOLAN (dir. Audrey Sheffield). Bethe also freelances as a writer in the games industry –pitching, outlining and writing narrative games.

TITLE OF FEATURE: THE DOULA

A pregnant woman is gaslit by her charismatic doula as part of an occult plot to steal her baby.

SHORTS DIRECTORY

INDEX

Director: Precious Wura Alabi

Writer: Precious Wura Alabi

Producer: Victoria Wijeratne, Dami Adeyeye (page 6)

After meeting for an illegal date in an East London laundrette, Zekiel has as long as it takes for the countdown of one full wash cycle to convince Izzy that they’re perfect for each other.

ASA

Dancing with delivery robots helps a single father connect with his highly autistic son.

Director: Samuel Dore (page 11) Writer: Michael Hallett

Producer: Davin Jeayes (page 14)

BAKED BEANS

Nik, a British Asian actor, auditions for a radical retelling of the 70s classic East is East. Disillusioned and uneasy, he begins to wonder if everyone around him is also stuck in the past.

BINGO QUEENS

Amid the spit and the slurs of a transphobic attack, a young gay musician and a transgender ballet dancer are flung into each other’s orbit.

Director: Matt Ayleigh Writer: Sid Sagar

Producer: Ewan Black

BURNINGS

Burnings is a film about a queer young man’s struggle to save his family after the recent loss of his carpenter dad.

CANNED LAUGHTER

Retired comedian Deirdre Gossamer has knitted herself an appreciative audience in lieu of performing to a real one. But when one of her home-made punters comes to life and destroys her career memorabilia, she’s forced to reevaluate her attachment to the ‘glory days’ and face the once unthinkable prospect of moving on.

Director: Nick Finegan Writer: Nick Finegan Producer: Tuli Litvak

Director: Joseph Chalmers

Writer: Joseph Chalmers

Producer: Vankshita Mishra

Director: Chris Brake

Writer: Chris Brake

Producer: Ryan Bennett

CUPPA CHAI

After the passing of her Nani Ji, a young woman looks to recreate the perfect cup of tea.

Director: Amit Kaur

Writer: Radha Bhandari

Producer: Radha Bhandari (page 7), Kelly Wong (page 23)

DAYLIGHT RULES

Sasha, a teenage woman, possesses an unstable cosmic power that reveals itself once she’s exposed to the sun. With her mother, Jenn, she lives in a secluded forest commune where she learns to use her power and prove she is strong enough to live without the protection of her mother.

DEPARTURE POINT

When her identical twin is eaten alive by a shark, Juliet attempts to process her sister Jackie's unconventional death via unconventional means. Gabriel, Jackie's fiancé, is both a hindrance and a help.

DREAM BIG

After being passed over for a big promotion at work, Miranda discovers that she can control the world via her model railway. A bittersweet comedy about a derailed woman, trying to mould herself to the institution but ultimately finding the power within to create her own.

ESSEX GIRLS

When a racial incident shunts her into the orbit of the only other Black girl at her school, “Essex Girl” Bisola journeys to discover a new side of herself. Will she find the balance between these two worlds? Or in doing so will she push away her white best friends?

Director: Alex Browning (page 9) Writer: Alex Browning Producer: Thomasina Gibson

GIRL AT PARTY

A grim reaper in the form of a teenage girl realises the limits of her power when sent to dispatch a 17 year-old boy.

Director: Christina Raisea Murphy (page 17) Writer: Christina Raisea Murphy Producer: Steve Lennon (page 15)

Director: Pip Swallow (page 21) Writer: Pip Swallow Producer: Georgina French (page 13)

Director: Yero Timi-Biu Writer: Busayo Ige

Producer: Angela Moneke, Simon Hatton

Director: Jess O’Kane

Writer: Jess O’Kane

Producer: Chloe Culpin (page 10)

GIRL ON GIRL

On move-in day, a lesbian couple are forced to acknowledge that the problems between them don’t just exist in the bedroom.

GROWN IN THE DARK

Joan discovers a strange makeshift shelter in one of the overgrown lots. Scared for her daughter’s safety she tears down the hazardous structure only to realise that, to something or someone, this was home.

HORMONAL

Young trans man Gary joins an all trans heist team to rob a bodybuilder gangster of his clandestine testosterone supply.

IT’S DOG TO MAKE A HOUSEPLANT IF YOU’RE SANDWICH

Graeme, a middle-aged man living in an anonymous suburbia, becomes slightly perplexed after his neighbour’s dog vanishes, his wife and child disappear and then his favourite gadget goes haywire – but surely things can’t get any worse?

JIM

Inspired by true events. West London, 1982. Gay priest Jim Fitzsimmons reaches a decision: he’s going to spend one night with a rent boy. The night will change Jim’s life forever, but not for the reasons he expects.

LONGING

On the night before her flight home, a Malaysian woman with a secret finds herself on an impromptu date with another woman.

Director: Laura Jayne Tunbridge (page 32)

Writer: Laura Jayne Tunbridge

Producer: Katie Sinclair (page 31), Chloe Culpin (page 10)

Director: Josh Saunders (page 31) Writer: Barney Pell Scholes (page 27) Producer: Jamie MacDonald (page 30)

Director: Maz Murray (page 34)

Writer: Maz Murray

Producer: Charlotte Hurst

Director: Olivia Waring Writer: Olivia Waring Producer: Jesse Romain (page 17)

Director: Tom Young (page 24) Writer: Tom Young

Producer: Thomas McDonald (page 15)

Director: Courteney Tan (page 22)

Writer: Courteney Tan

Producer: Emily Everdee (page 12)

MAMMY

After the immediate passing of his partner of 26 years, David, an irritable and heartbroken soul must intercept not only the emotional implications of such a loss but also the mundane and logistical ones too.

MONITOR

In an overpopulated future, where prospective parents are assessed by the state, Jenna and Fi must raise a robot ‘baby’ under observation to secure a licence to start a family. But as the trial takes its toll on their relationship, will they get the result they want — and deserve?

MURMUR

The story of a single mother and her relationship with her nonverbal autistic daughter. Using a magical-realism approach, the narrative subverts the mythology of the Changeling, and promotes Autism Advocacy.

NAILS & BEAUTY

Awkward teen Lucy escapes dull suburbia and archaic gender constraints when she’s thrown into the absurd world of the buff and brilliant builder Louisa at ‘Nails & Beauty’.

Director: Jesse Lewis Reece

Writer: Jesse Lewis Reece

Producer: Ike Newman

NEW ATLANTIS

While exploring an abandoned building, two teenagers discover a recording of a woman who claims to be the last citizen of a lost Utopia.

Director: Margo Roe (page 33) Writer: Ben Norris (page 27) Producer: Isabella de Rosario (page 30)

NOT DARK YET

At a rare family gathering, the depressed father disappears. His wayward son, reckoning with his own parental failures, goes out to search for him...

Director: Simon Smith (page 20) Writer: Temi Oh Producer: Ed Feilden, Helen Simmons

Director: Rhona Foster (page 12) Writer: Rhona Foster Producer: Tuli Litvak

Director: Matt Smith (page 19) Writer: Matt Smith Producer: Rhian Smith (page 19)

Director: Hermione Sylvester (page 29) Writer: Hermione Sylvester

Producer: Darta Vijgrieze (page 28)

OCTOPUS

A disabled woman goes back to her hometown for the funeral of a close friend and confronts the feelings and friends she left behind…

Director: Ella Glendining (page 13)

Writer: Ella Glendining

Producer: Jessi Gutch (page 14)

PEREGRINE

When an emotionally mistreated boy is pushed by his father to steal a rare osprey’s egg, he finds the courage to stand up to him. With this experience comes his first sense of freedom.

Director: Aasaf Ainapore (page 6) Writer: Aasaf Ainapore Producer: Anu Anderson

PILLOW CHOCOLATE

For transman Jamie, a one-night stand is more than just sex, it’s a question of self-worth.

Director: Charlie Tidmas (page 23) Writer: Charlie Tidmas Producer: Hope Moon

POLE

Set in Watford, a lonely outsider who has just lost his job is driven to the periphery of society, where he undergoes a cathartic and bloody rebirth as a vigilante.

Director: Matt Hass Writer: Matt Hass Producer: Richard Parry

PYLON

A field. A gang. A gun. A frightened boy. His brave sister. Their determined mother. And a towering steel obelisk, overseeing it all.

REASONS

When a dinner party descends into a vicious argument between siblings Tom and Emily, their partners Jade and Norman can’t wait to escape. But clumsy revelations quickly expose that the one thing they have in common is a truly awkward secret.

Director: Barnaby Blackburn (page 8) Writer: Barnaby Blackburn

Producer: Jack Thomas O’Brien (page 22)

Director: Charlotte Peters Writer: Duncan Moore (page 16) Producer: Duncan Moore

REFLECTION

A convicted murderer travels back in time to prevent his younger self from being caught.

Director: David Anderson Writer: Aaron Diebelius

Producer: Pamela Drameh

SHOOT YOUR SHOT

An emotional stand-off takes flight as two immigrant teens come to terms with navigating that fuzzy feeling in their stomachs in a post-internet age.

Director: Mishaal Memon Writer: Mishaal Memon Producer: Gav Mukerji (page 16)

SMALL HOURS

A disparate cohort of British-Ghanaian extended family members gather very early in the morning to partake in a tradition involving a suitcase in remembrance of a member who passed away a year ago.

SOFT FACTS

When Danny McCarthy is sent a video of his wife Maia, a humanitarian aid worker, apparently being kidnapped in the Middle East, he launches a digital investigation into an online world where nothing is as it seems.

SOULMATE

When a lonely computer coder’s illicit romance with an AI is uncovered in her tech company’s simulation, she’s forced into a tense and desperate battle to save her precious relationship.

THE LAST DAYS

In a near-future world where you can discover your Death Day, an apolitical teacher learns that she has been given an incorrect date and determines to cement a legacy before her time runs out – that same day.

Director: Michael Mante Writer: Michael Mante

Producer: Ludovico Zanette, David Drake

Director: Paul Copeland Writer: Paul Copeland Producer: Jack Thomas O’Brien (page 22)

Director: Richard Fenwick Writer: Richard Fenwick

Producer: Joe Binks (page 8)

Director: Dipo Barruwa-Etti (page 7) Writer: Dipo Barruwa-Etti Producer: Katie Sinclair (page 18), Cheri Darbon (page 11), Gabi Carpenter (page 10)

THE LICENSED FOOL

A travelling court jester, known as The Licensed Fool, begins to unravel when he learns of a sinister motive for him being hired for an upcoming performance.

THE SMELL OF CHICKEN

During Shabbat dinner with her family, an elegant granny transforms into a gluttonous beast when she gorges on roast chicken. Her grandchild follows her back in time through post WWII Lithuania to Israel, where she learns why Granny eats chicken like it’s the last day of her life.

THURSDAYS

78-year-old IVY falls headfirst for her cleaner and seizes her last chance to be a lover. Her 50-year-old cleaner SULMA, far from her native Venezuela and trapped in an abusive relationship, has her own intentions. In this bed of repression, need and power lies the most unconventional of love stories.

US & IN BETWEEN

In a busy care home, Agnes and Eddie, long-lost lovers in their 80’s set on a quest to have sex and circumvent the Open-Door policy.

Director: Gareth Bowen (page 29)

Writer: Gareth Bowen

Producer: Jamie MacDonald (page 30), Alexander Handschuh (page 26)

WEDAD

A woman’s quiet rebellion against the patriarchal paradigm means she must walk out of her life and leave behind her young children.

Director: Sivan Raphaely (page 35) Writer: Sivan Raphaely

Producer: Nia Alavezos (page 34)

Director: Lorna Tucker (page 33)

Writer: Amy Baty (page 26)

Producer: Kingsley Hoskins (page 32), Samira Musa (page 35)

Director: Katia Shannon (page 18)

Writer: Katia Shannon

Producer: Amanda Dorsett, Gareth Brown (page 9)

Director: Elias Suhail (page 21)

Writer: Elias Suhail

Producer: Arij Al-Soltan (page 20)