A recent dip in female-led theatrical releases in the UK - back to 2018 levels of 26% reminds us that our work is far from over; that we cannot be complacent.
Below you can read about the research we conduct into gender representation in film and the wider industry, tracking the release landscape to present an accurate picture of investment in films by filmmakers of marginalised genders.
Here you can also find out about news and opportunities at Reclaim The Frame, along with curated film recommendations, filmmaker interviews, and creative responses.
Our Director Melanie Iredale spent a sunny Cannes in a dark cinema last week (with thanks to support from Film Hub London), and we’re excited to share with you her #ReclaimTheFrame recommendations - reporting back on 7 of the titles (co)written and (co)directed by women, and focusing on films that premiered in the second week of the festival.
Disappointingly, though not surprisingly, only 4 of 22 titles in competition, 6 of 18 nominated for the Un Certain Regard, and 19% of the overall selection at Cannes were directed by women. According to data from Le Collectif 5050 – a fellow cine-campaigning organisation, in France with whom we met while at the festival – only 5.2% of films in Competition at Cannes since its creation have been directed by women.
That said, all the more reason to highlight those titles coming to the UK – or which we hope find a home in cinemas here – and including those that got less red carpet and industry attention.
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT written & directed by Payal Kapadia. India, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy 2024.
First up, starting with the Grand Prix-winning ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT by Payal Kapadia. The first film from India to compete at Cannes in 30 years, and the first Indian woman director to compete full stop. Kapadia’s first feature, the stunning documentary A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING, which won the Camera d’Or in 2021, sadly only got a very limited release in the UK. Kapadia’s latest already looks set to reach the audiences here it deserves. This is the story of 3 working class nurses of different generations, based in Mumbai, all of whom, between life and work, have dedicated their lives to the service of others, and each decide to embark on their own journey. ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT is a luminous film, a story of friendship and emancipation, told with gentleness and with the same humanity offered by its lead characters.
ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT has been picked up by BFI for theatrical distribution in the UK.
THE SUBSTANCE written & directed by Coralie Fargeat. USA, UK, France 2024.
Also competing for the Palm d’Or, and taking home the prize for Best Screenplay is THE SUBSTANCE – a feminist body horror, and subversive take on the screen industry’s damnation of ageing women. Demi Moore stars as a Hollywood actress turned Jane Fonda-styled TV fitness presenter who is unceremoniously dumped from her slot when she turns 50. Enter ‘the substance’ which offers a chance to generate a younger, ‘more beautiful, more perfect’ double. Not unlike DEATH BECOMES HER – just as comic and as camp but with more gore - THE SUBSTANCE explores not only impossible beauty standards but also the way in which patriarchy pits women against each other in the fight for survival.
Reclaim The Frame supported Fargeat’s previous feature, REVENGE, and we look forward to seeing THE SUBSTANCE reach UK cinemas via MUBI.
SANTOSH written & directed by Sandhya Suri. UK 2024
From British Indian (Darlington raised) first-time feature director Sandhya Suri and featuring a largely Indian cast and crew comes SANTOSH – a compelling debut exploring casteism and misogyny in the Indian police force. The story centres on Santosh, newly widowed, who through a government scheme inherits her husband’s role as Constable, which is her only means of being entitled to financial support. When a low caste Dalit girl is found dead, Santosh is pulled into the investigation, and into the brutality of the law enforcement system of which she is now a part. A powerful thriller with its lead character complexly written and performed.
SANTOSH is represented by Mk2 Sales with no news of UK distribution as yet.
SEPTEMBER SAYS written & directed by Ariane Labed. UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Greece 2024.
Another UK co-production, competing for the Un Certain Regard. Based on a novel called ‘Sisters’ by Daisy Johnson, Ariane Labed’s adaptation makes for a tense watch – a study of adolescence and bullying, through the characters of two interdependent sisters born less than a year apart: September (the title referring to her frequent demands of “September says… “) and July (always “silly July”). When September is suspended from school, July begins to explore her own individuality. Formerly an actor, known for ATTENBERG, SEPTEMBER SAYS marks a confident debut for Labad, with impressively in-sync performances from Mia Tharia and Pascale Kann as the sisters and by Rakhee Thakrar as their mother trying to assert her own independence.
SEPTEMBER SAYS is represented by Match Factory with no news of UK distribution as yet.
GOOD ONE written & directed by India Donaldson. USA 2024.
In Director’s Fortnight, and previously premiered at Sundance, we adored GOOD ONE – a beautifully written story of a young woman’s backpacking trip with her father and his best friend. 17 year old Sam, wise beyond her years, helps to mediate the clashes of egos between her elders. GOOD ONE assuredly takes its time in creating the understated vulnerability in its central character, and in building bonds only for trust to be broken when a line is crossed. A confident commentary on generational differences and gendered experiences, complete with luscious cinematography of the Catskill Mountains.
GOOD ONE is represented by Visit Films with no news of UK distribution as yet.
EAT THE NIGHT written & directed by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel. France 2024.
Also in Director’s Fortnight, and up for the Queer Palm, is EAT THE NIGHT. An ambitious project, pitched as a drug-fuelled thriller, but one that works best in simpler terms: as a deeply tender story about a brother-sister relationship, and at best in what is left unsaid between them. Pablo and Apolline have grown up together playing Darknoon, an online fantasy video game - a shared past time which is threatened both by the impending death of the game and by Pablo’s neglect of his sister in favour of his new boyfriend, Night. Directors Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel deftly transport us between these two worlds: between its fascinating virtual universe and the very nihilistic everyday life in which the protagonists’ struggle.
EAT THE NIGHT is represented by Mk2 Sales with no news of UK distribution as yet.
THE FALLING SKY directed by Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha & Eryk Rocha. Brazil, Italy, France 2024.
“Here I am, letting myself be filmed… Are you really going to be our allies?"
An immersive documentary, opening with a seven minute un-cut scene in which we watch a group of Indigenous people striding towards the camera, from one part of the Amazon to another, to defend their land from the miners who threaten it. Titled after a book of the same name, by shaman Davi Kopenawa, inspired by the reahu ritual, a collective ceremony to hold up the sky, THE FALLING SKY amplifies the voices of the Yanonami people. Along with scenes in which we’re entranced in their everyday lives, traditions and struggles are sections in which they’re interviewed direct to camera - sections for which as a white audience member - “commodity people” - felt to be powerfully confronted with and reminded of our complicity in the killing and poisoning of their land.
Thanks go to Film Hub London for supporting our costs to go to Cannes.
For Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Florence Grieve reflects on her own experiences of inaccessible cinema, provides insight into recent developments towards access and disability inclusion in the film industry, and calls for more to be done.
The bright sunshine is brought to life through the audio description, and the sound of birdsong is expressed by the descriptive subtitles, which means Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) must be upon us. A day once a year for disabled people to shout about what we need and to call for access to be provided all year round.
When it comes to film, whether it’s watching the latest release in the cinema or hearing from filmmakers at festivals, I would like to say that this day is no longer needed. But as a deaf film lover, I know this isn’t the reality. From the freebies I got as a child when the subtitles failed at the cinema to scrolling through social media posts of film events that weren’t accessible for me to attend, gaps in accessibility continue to stand between me and the big screen.
In order for disabled people to be fully included, we need to achieve the perfect trinity -equality on screen, behind the scenes, and in the audience. That means authentic portrayals of disabled people by disabled actors and filmmakers that are screened in a way accessible to all audiences. In the past year, there have been steps forward in achieving this, no less when it comes to the recognition of disabled-fronted films.
I have told everyone I know to watch Ella Glendining’s (Reclaim The Frame supported) BAFTA and Sundance-nominated documentary Is There Anybody Out There? With humour and candour, it shows how exhausting it is to navigate an ableist world. Whilst my experiences differ from Ella’s, it is the feeling captured on screen that I, and many disabled people, resonate with. It is a difficult thing to put into words, let alone repeat to everyone who has never experienced it themselves, and so being able to see and share this is powerful. The documentary has functioned as a springboard for launching further conversation about disability inclusion in the industry. Another documentary using humour and candour to shine a light on discrimination is Your Fat Friend, which opened my eyes to access barriers faced by fat people, such as seat sizing, something the film aimed to raise awareness of with its release. Taking the conversation off-screen is an important step in translating the power of film into real change. Something Reclaim The Frame has helped facilitate through hosting conversations with the filmmakers behind both documentaries and providing live subtitling to ensure these events are accessible for Deaf audiences. It is this holistic approach, access to the film, the venue and the discussion, which ensures true accessibility, allowing us to be part of the conversation and the change.
One focus of GAAD is digital accessibility, and with the popularity of streaming services, it is notable that this year saw the Media Bill complete its stages in the House of Commons. If passed, the Bill, which is currently making its way through the House of Lords, will require streaming platforms to meet quotas on the access services they provide, including subtitles, audio description and sign language interpretation. Whilst this would not have a direct impact on cinemas, it makes a statement about the importance of accessibility. It may lead to a conversation of whether similar quotas could and should be introduced for other platforms for consuming audiovisual content, including cinemas and film festivals. But that isn’t to say that there aren’t those in the industry already going above and beyond the regulations a quota could impose. Two festivals committed to providing descriptive subtitles on 100% of their screenings are the Scottish Queer International Film Festival and Take One Action! But it is not clear whether this is a sign of a wider shift in the industry. As both organisations were set up to amplify marginalised voices, I have heard it said that they attract audiences who are more likely to be accepting of access provisions, even if they don’t require them personally. Is this true? Is it easier for organisations already subscribed to values of inclusivity, whether disability inclusion or other marginalised identities, to embrace accessibility, and if so, how can we make this attitude mainstream?
Perhaps we can believe in the power of Hollywood to shift attitudes; after all, CODA’s success at the 2022 edition of the Academy Awards was just one of a number of recent big hitters featuring disabled-centred stories. The A Quiet Place franchise is another, set in a world where the Deaf protagonist, played by Deaf actress Millicent Simmons, saves the day. Despite the state of the world resting on Deaf shoulders, a report by the National Deaf Children's Society found that less than half of UK cinemas showed A Quiet Place 2 with descriptive subtitles in its opening week. With the release of A Quiet Place: Day One in UK cinemas in June this year, it will be a telling gauge for the state of access at the multiplex. After little effort from the distributors of the franchise to ensure accessibility for Deaf audiences, will they finally follow the example set by the releases of CODA and Sound of Metal, which were all open-captioned?
However, the trial of new subtitle glasses, WatchWord, in a small handful of UK cinemas may render gains superfluous by the time any future titles in the franchise are released. The technology aims to remove the need for open subtitles at the cinema in favour of individually worn subtitling tech. Whilst early reports are mixed, cinema-goers reliant on subtitles will be following the trial with interest.
The recent launch of Crip Cinema Archive by Emily Simmons aims to both be a resource and push forward the conversation on disability representation. In an interview with Little White Lies, Emily candidly reminds us that disabled people ‘..aren’t a niche audience and we shouldn’t be segregated.’ This GAAD, it’s a good reminder that the needs of disabled people are important and must be considered on this day and all year round. After all, what is cinema if not a celebration of what it means to be human? That means we must achieve the perfect trinity - disabled people onscreen, behind the scenes and in the audience. Until this happens, I’ll be here shouting for our needs to be met, this GAAD and all year round - the audio description says, ‘girl with a megaphone,’ as the subtitles read, ‘Access now, please.’
Florence Grieve (she/her) is a deaf film lover, writer and poet based in Bristol. She writes about disability and access, including her experiences of subtitling and access for Deaf audiences, and is working with local film organisations to improve accessibility for disabled audiences. Her poetry has been published in Mslexia, Acumen and broadcast on BBC Radio Bristol, she was runner-up in the Bristol Lyra Poetry Festival Slam 2024. You can follow her on Instagram @florence_grieve
Updated: May 1, 2024
Although Labour Day or International Workers’ Day isn't traditionally celebrated in the UK, it holds significance in over 160 countries worldwide, championing the working classes and their rights for nearly a century and a half. In light of this, this programme aims to prompt reflection on the essence of being a worker. This curated journey will spotlight the triumphs of workers' rights and union achievements, while also underscoring the persistent need for further progress.
Women have always been at the forefront of the labour movement. From Rosie the Riveter to the Willmar 8 to the real-life secretaries working 9 to 5, women in the workforce have fought hard to make their voices heard. But what about the stories that don’t get amplified by Western media? This International Workers’ Day, we're platforming stories of marginalised workers from around the world, as told by marginalised gender filmmakers.
Central to the programme is a recognition that workplace rights are not universally guaranteed. Illustrating this is a diverse selection of films that provide a global perspective, allowing us to transcend our individual experiences. From nurses' strikes in 1960s Charleston to the advocacy of garment workers' unions in Bangladesh, from South Korean retail workers protesting unfair treatment to the poignant struggles of a young girl striving to support her family amidst conflict-ridden Afghanistan, this lineup paints a diverse picture of labour realities worldwide.
Directed by Madeline Anderson, celebrated as the pioneering African American woman to direct a televised documentary, I Am Somebody chronicles the courageous narrative of 400 Black and Brown nurses who initiated a historic strike in 1969. In the wake of their bold action, thousands rallied in solidarity, igniting a wave of protest that echoed far beyond Charleston.
This documentary not only captures the struggles faced by nurses in 1969 but also draws striking parallels to the ongoing mistreatment of nurses across nations and throughout history. It shows the profound impact that collective action can wield, resulting in meaningful change.
Through Anderson's lens, viewers are confronted with the timeless truth that the fight for justice and dignity knows no bounds of time or geography. I Am Somebody stands as a testament to the resilience of those who dare to challenge systemic injustice and a reminder of the transformative power of solidarity. Available to watch on Vimeo
Over half a decade, directors Hannan Majid and Richard York document the fight of garment workers in Bangladesh and the women at the forefront of the campaign for workers’ rights.
In the face of physical abuse, illegal sackings and unliveable minimum wages, the workers remain steadfast in their cause, committed to educating colleagues about their rights and the importance of a unified front. For them, it is often a case of life and death: the unimaginable tragedies of the 2012 Tazreen Fashion factory fire and the 2014 Rana Plaza collapse are not unfamiliar prospects for the millions forced to work in perilous conditions.
As well as examining the vicious cycle that traps generations of women and girls in a lifetime of unsafe, underpaid work, this revealing documentary impels its audience to consider their own role in this system. What is the true price of our consumption? Avialable to watch on YouTube
Sun-hee (Yum Jung-ah), a mother of two, is told she will be getting a full time contract after five years of hard work, before the company instead announces that they are letting her and the other all-female temporary workers go. Confused, angered and in desperate need of their jobs, the women band together to protest the firing and fight for justice.
Cart is inspired by true events. In 2007, a new law was passed requiring that employees be given regular worker status after a certain period of employment. However, a supermarket chain laid off its predominantly female temporary workers to avoid complying with this law. The ensuing strike in front of the supermarket of both the laid-off staff and the labour union lasted 512 days. This incident and the film it inspired highlight the lengths corporations will go to to cut corners, and the need for laws to protect workers. Available to watch on AppleTV
Dolores Huerta is an activist and labour organiser fighting for agricultural labourers’ rights, women's rights, and working to end racism. Throughout her life she has faced both racism and sexism as a Mexican American woman in a male-dominated working world.
In this short film, Dolores discusses the sexism and sexual harassment she and other women have faced in the workplace, from payment being withheld for work done unless sex is provided, to being cornered in an office and sexually harassed, to having men take credit for her work. Hannah McNally’s beautifully animated short shows only a snippet of the workplace discrimination Dolores and other women must face on a daily basis. Dolores continues to campaign for equal pay for women, health care for all and social justice. Available to watch on Vimeo
In The Assistant, Julia Garner portrays a young woman navigating the cutthroat world of entertainment, working as an assistant for a formidable industry mogul. Her job is a gruelling and dehumanising experience, marked by incessant belittlement and the unenviable task of cleaning up her boss's mess, both literally and figuratively.
When she suspects her boss to be abusing his power, she courageously attempts to inform her superiors, only to find herself obstructed by a culture of complicity that pervades the entire industry.
Against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement, The Assistant emerges as a poignant and timely portrayal of the toxic underbelly of the entertainment industry. Through its understated narrative, the film powerfully underscores the devastating consequences of unchecked abuse and the insidious effects of silence. It serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need for systemic change and accountability. See JustWatch for where to watch.
This short documentary offers a glimpse into the working lives of four Palestinian women as they navigate careers both in male-dominated spaces and on occupied land.
Hanan Al-Sharef, The Filmmaker, works to maintain integrity in her profession within the bounds of her religion. Majda Al-Bahr, The Cabbie, wears her headscarf in the Jewish fashion and speaks Hebrew to assuage her Israeli settler customers’ discomfort over being driven by a Muslim woman. Niveen Al-Sawi, The Cop, finds pride in being one of the few women in the police academy, able to carry out duties her male counterparts cannot. Yusra Mansur, The Mechanic, studied the man who used to fix the machines from the sidelines until she was able to take over the job herself; now she must withstand daily harassment from settlers as she transports her goods.
As prejudice and oppression persist in these four different fields, so do the women’s bravery and resilience. Available to watch on Unplugged.com
The journey from Mongolia to China is bleak and hazardous. Maikhuu, a truck driver, delivers coal from the Mongolian basins to the Chinese border. This stark, visually striking documentary shows the loneliness and isolation of life in her profession; Maikhuu yearns to be at home with her family but has chosen a job in a male-dominated industry to provide for her children.
Filmed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film highlights the impossible conditions the drivers had to endure while waiting to continue their journey. Maikhuu remains steadfast as the only female driver, showing strength and resilience, living out of her cab for weeks at a time. Her husband, also a truck driver, joins her for a meal - a brief but poignant date on an arduous journey.
Maikhuu is sensitively portrayed in a beautiful film set in a remote part of the world often overlooked by Western filmmakers. Available to watch on YouTube
Author Deborah Ellis spent months interviewing women and girls in Afghan refugee camps. The stories she heard became the basis and inspiration for her bestselling novel and the animated film The Breadwinner. Parvana is an 11 year old girl growing up in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2001, after the Taliban have taken over. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana cuts off her hair and dresses like a boy in order to support her family.
Stories are a theme throughout and stories are an escape, a powerful tool to light the family through dark times. The telling of stories inside the main narrative, separated by masterful stop-motion styles, builds a beautiful, imaginative world. An early scene showing the centuries-long colonisation of Kabul with the different colonisers on horseback sets the tone of a powerful, exciting film aimed at a younger audience that will appeal to everyone. See JustWatch for where to watch
The Stroll explores the untold stories of Black and Latina transgender women who navigated the challenging world of sex work during the 1980s and 1990s in New York’s Meatpacking District. Director Kristen Lovell’s own story mirrors that of many shown in the film, forced into sex work after being fired from her job due to discrimination.
Through a powerful blend of archival footage and photographs as well as interviews, the film shines a light on an important moment in trans history. In these interviews, women share their harrowing experiences, offering a raw look into their lives during these times.
This film serves as a poignant reminder of the discriminatory barriers that have historically limited the options available to trans people, forcing them into dangerous circumstances such as sex work. These injustices still occur today, and The Stroll highlights the need for continued advocacy and action for trans rights, especially in the workplace.
See JustWatch for where to watch.
We would like to thank Jessica Campbell (she/her), Mae Roberts (she/her), Sarah Curtis (she/her), and Olivia Frazer (she/her), final-year Film students at Sheffield Hallam University, for putting this programme together, and sharing their passion for women and marginalised-gender-led stories and working-class representation in film.
Happy #InternationalWorkersDay, everybody!
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