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.