Actor Imelda Staunton, director Sally El Hosaini and composer Nainita Desai are among key UK industry figures taking part in Cinesisters Women’s Day Film Festival, taking place on March 8 at London’s All Is Joy Studios.
Cinesisters is a grassroots collective of female-identifying directors, founded in 2017. The event, open to all genders, includes workshops, panels and short film screenings.
The Swimmers director El Hosaini will be joined in a discussion on filmmaking with Isabelle Sieb, Debs Paterson, Jennifer Sheridan and Miranda Bowen.
An exploration of the legal considerations for composers will encompass For Sama composer Desai, alongside Aisling Brouwer, Carly Paradis and Harbottle & Lewis music associate Sofie Sigvardt.
Staunton will host an acting workshop, plus a discussion about the evolving landscape for women in cinematography will take place with Bridgerton cinematographer Diana Olifirova alongside Aman Sahota.
“We demand equality, we demand the infrastructure that allows female directors to be hired,” said filmmaker and Cinesisters event manager, Amal Al-Agroobi. ”We are no longer satisfied with opportunities to prove our capabilities and value, while our male counterparts receive favour.”
“Like them, we absolutely love what we do,” Al-Agroobi continued. ”Women accounted for 23% of directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 films of 2024, reflecting a modest increase from 17% in 1998. With so much uncertainty, directors are often walking on eggshells and consistently mindful of not creating waves lest they be dismissed; imagine still, how some women might find this even more difficult with added discriminatory factors such as pregnancy, having children, ageism or generalised gender bias.
“We claim this day for women on behalf of the filmmakers working towards a more equal, inclusive film industry while building a female-based framework from which conversations can be had moving forward.”
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