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.
Following our widely circulated open call, we’re excited to announce film curator, writer, and audience development professional Aashna Thakkar (she/her) as our new Head of Audience Engagement.
In addition, the Board of Directors are thrilled to welcome three new Trustees: film programmer and producer Rebecca del Tufo; creative producer, exec producer, consultant and diversity advocate Tolu Stedford; and producer Yaw Basoah.
Stepping into a newly created full time management role that encompasses curation and communications, Aashna Thakkar (she/her) brings her experience in programming and marketing to the position of Head of Audience Engagement.
Originally from Toronto, Aashna was Manager of Programming for Regent Park Film Festival, Toronto’s longest running free community film festival, and Lead Programmer Breakthrough’s Women & Non-binary led Film Festival. Prior to that, Aashna worked in marketing at Toronto Ward Museum, and held outreach and education positions at Hot Docs, the largest documentary film festival in North America. Since moving to London, she has worked with Into Film on their UK-wide festival.
Aashna’s speaking, jurying and writing engagements have included Winnipeg Film Group, aluCine Latin Film + Media Arts Festival, Sarajevo Film Festival and Documentary Campus, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, Future of Film Showcase, Hot Docs, Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, and she is a member of the Programmers of Colour Collective.
As an audience-focused and community-minded professional, Aashna’s seven-year career to date demonstrates a commitment to promoting equity in the film industry and platforming stories of marginalized identities.
Rebecca del Tufo, Tolu Stedford and Yaw Basoah announced as new Trustees
As of this month, the charity also welcomes three new Trustees:
Rebecca del Tufo (she/her) is a film producer, programmer and freelancer, whose work covers exhibition, distribution and production. Rebecca co-founded and co-runs ScreenCraft Works, a not-for-profit which supports under-represented production and post-production talent worldwide with cross-border mentoring, talks and networking, and is a trustee of Refugees at Home.
Tolu Stedford (she/her) is co-founder of Story Compound, a creative film, TV and immersive media production company and consultancy with an emphasis on stories of the Global Majority that resonate globally. She is British Screen Forum’s Future Leader and member of the ScreenSkills Film Council.
Yaw Basoah (he/him) established Dark Pictures to produce bold, distinctive, and uncompromising work that explores the dark side of human nature, working across film, television, and the visual arts, with emerging, established, and world-renowned writers, filmmakers, musicians, and visual artists, predominantly from underrepresented backgrounds.
A fond farewell
Sadly, next month the team bid goodbye to long-standing team members Jo Taylor Hitchinson (freelance Campaigns Lead, who joined in 2018) and Cristina Garcia (Operations Manager since 2019), and to Rōgan Graham (Programme Producer for the past year). The work of all three has been critical to the continued development and impact of our audience building work at Reclaim The Frame, and our recent Girls on Film ‘Activist Impact Award’ is just one example in testament to that. All three will forever be part of the Reclaim The Frame community.
Starting in April, Aashna will be working closely with the Reclaim The Frame team, information on whom can be found here.
While our new Trustees join our five Board directors: producer Fozia O’Dowd, distributor Sophie Doherty, publicist Sophie Glover, barrister Stephanie Hayward, and curator/evaluator Tara Brown.
#ReclaimTheFrame with us
The Board of Trustees are currently recruiting for a Chair of the Board of Trustees – details of which can be found here.
To become an Advocate for the charity’s mission in building audiences for marginalized gender led films, join the #ReclaimTheFrame mailing list here.
The charity’s exhibition work is funded by BFI’s Audience Fund. Information on Reclaim The Frame’s partners and network of 20+ cinemas in 16 cities across the UK can be found here.
We’re excited to be returning to Glasgow Film Festival as part of the industry programme, and for the first time to be bringing a delegation of filmmakers to GFF.
Funded by ScreenSkills Film Skills Fund, and in partnership with the 20th Glasgow Film Festival, our now well-established continuing professional development programme involves taking eighteen talented writers, directors and producers from across the UK to Glasgow Film Festival in March.
#ReclaimTheFrame activity at GFF will include:
Monday 4 March
SOLD OUT!
18:00 - THE TEACHER directed by Farah Nabulsi + Q&A
Inspired by true events, a grieving Palestinian schoolteacher struggles to reconcile his risky commitment to political resistance.
Followed by a post-screening Director discussion, moderated by our #ReclaimTheFrame Director Melanie Iredale
Tuesday 5 March
13:00 - ORIGIN directed by Ava DuVernay
A powerful biopic about Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson as she works on her hit book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent.
Special introduction by Melanie Iredale
15:15 - THE TEACHER directed by Farah Nabulsi
Special introduction by Melanie Iredale
Wednesday 6 March
13:30 - Panel session: Reaching Audiences & Creating Impact
Join us and our delegation of Filmonomics filmmakers for panel discussion about building audiences and creating impact for your film. Bringing together marketing, publicity, and outreach professionals together, this session will explore different approaches to creating inclusive and impactful campaigns for your films at varying budget scales.
Our Director Melanie Iredale and Impact Producer for Scotland Sandra Kinahan will be joined by Tejinder Jouhal, Director of Marketing & Distribution at Hanway Films; Ged Fitzsimmons, Founder & CEO of Cosmic Cat; and a member of the Glasgow Film Festival Press team.
Open to Glasgow Film Festival pass holders and filmmakers of marginalised genders. Register via Glasgow Film Festival.
17:30 - Networking Drinks
Join us and our friends at Film Hub Scotland for Glasgow Film Festival’s Happy Hour on Wednesday, to find out more about #ReclaimTheFrame in Glasgow and to raise a glass to our newly graduated Filmonomics cohort. Open to all GFF delegates.
We’re pleased to announce our lineup of speakers for our Filmonomics activity at GFF, including representatives of British Council, Hanway Films and more.
In Glasgow from 5 -7 March, some of our speakers.
L-R Top Row: Allison Gardner - CEO at Glasgow Film / Catherine Bray - Journalist, commissioner, producer, writer and director / Corinne Orton - Creative Producer and Transformative Coach / Ged Fitzsimmons - Impact producer and founder director of impact distributor, Cosmic Cat Films.
L-R Bottom Row: Paul Sng - Filmmaker / Rafa Sales Ross - Film journalist and programmer/ Sandra Kinahan - Freelance film promoter, writer, and editor / Tejinder Jouhal - Director of Marketing & Distribution at Hanway Films.
Please meet our delegation!
Amit Kaur (She/her) Writer/Director
Amy Coop (She/her) Writer/Director
Carina Haouchine (She/her) Director
Carys Lewis (She/her) Writer/Director
Em J. Gilbertson (They/he) Writer/Director
Dr. Isa Rao (She/her) Director
Jessica Bishopp (She/her) Director
Juliana Kasumu (She/her) Director
Kelly Holmes (She/they) Writer/Director
Laura McBride (She/her) Producer
Lotus Hannon (She/her) Writer/Director
Maja Bodenstein (She/her) Writer
Natalie Hewit (She/her) Director/Producer
Noemie Nakai (She/her) Writer/Director
Sarudzayi Marufu (She/her) Producer
Solene Guichard (She/her) Writer/Director
Seemab Gul (She/her) Writer/Director/Producer
Tracy Spottiswoode (She/her) Writer/Director
Also attending Glasgow Film Festival will be our director Melanie Iredale (she/her), and Training Manager, Simone Glover (She/her)
Updated: Jan 27, 2024
Reclaim The Frame champions marginalised perspectives in cinema, and connects with audiences through community building and conversation. With our 20+ partner cinemas in 15 cities across the UK, we continue to diversify audiences; developing safe and accessible spaces for conversation, promoting a de-patriarchal, de-centralised and de-colonised lens on the world, and advocating for social justice in all film spaces.
We're looking for a new, key management role within Reclaim The Frame.
The Head of Audience Engagement will lead on Reclaim The Frame’s audience-facing work: managing relationships with distributors, developing film release campaigns, curating public programmes and events, and developing audiences. The post-holder will bring their marketing and outreach expertise as well as a creative flair and a commitment to social impact through cinema to devising and delivering the charity’s communications strategies in support of its mission to connect and grow audiences for films by filmmakers of marginalised genders.
Salary 35,000-39,000 PAYE depending on experience
Leave entitlement 25 days leave plus bank holidays
Start date 02 April 2024 (plus induction end March)
Probation 3 months
Tenure Fixed term, to March 2026
Hours Full time / 40 hours per week
Location Within commuting distance of London or Sheffield, will be required to work at least 2 days per fortnight in Brixton office and regularly host London events
Key Responsibilities:
Contribute creatively and strategically to plans for Reclaim The Frame, leading on its new release campaigns, screening programmes, and audience engagement work;
Work closely with the Director and lead the wider team on the curation of the programme, editorial, and audience engagement activity;
Lead on communications with distributors for Reclaim the Frame: from pitching to negotiations to campaign management;
Develop Reclaim The Frame’s brand, awareness and impact, engaging new audiences and devising strategies to increase loyalty;
Produce communications, audience development and community engagement campaigns including overseeing RTF’s platforms, digital marketing and grassroots outreach;
Oversee the requirements for and adherence to Reclaim The Frame’s branding and tone of voice;
Manage, motivate and support the Events Producer and Communications Coordinator, setting clear expectations around roles and responsibilities, promoting a culture of inclusion and respect;
Host Reclaim The Frame events, and represent RTF at festivals and events, moderating Q&As, and participating on talks and industry panels as required;
Contribute to and work within Reclaim The Frame’s policies, action plans and procedures in support RTF’s mission for an equitable, inclusive, safe, fair and compassionate film industry;
Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and reporting of all of the above.
For full job description and information on how to apply, please see here
or for the plain text accessible version, see here.
Applications Close 5 February 2024, 10 am
Please let us know if you require any access provisions for the interview or any support with the application via the email address below. We will work with candidates to ensure their access needs are met during the process and that access requirements are not a factor in decision making. For any questions or for any access requirements, please email yasmin@reclaimtheframe.org with the subject line Head of Audience Engagement Application.
Should you wish to have a brief conversation about the role, prior to applying, you can arrange a call with our Director Melanie Iredale via the email above.
