First industry expert names added to Back in the Frame line-up
- Reclaim The Frame Team
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
We're excited to announce the first wave of coaches, consultants and industry experts joining Back in the Frame, a six-month return-to-work intervention supporting experienced women and marginalised gender directors and producers re-entering the screen industries after a career break.
Delivered with support from Sony Pictures Television (SPT) International Production, the programme responds to the sustained loss of mid-career talent from the UK screen industries and the absence of structured, supported re-entry pathways for experienced filmmakers.
Applications remain open for twelve UK-based participants. Further industry contributors will be announced in the coming weeks.
Industry expert line-up
Afia Nkrumah - AI ethicist working with Google Labs, where she tests and evaluates advanced AI models. She works with the film and TV industry to help understand what artificial intelligence means for creative practice, rights and livelihoods. Author of Ethics in the Age of AI: An Analysis of AI Practitioners’ Awareness and Challenges (2023).
Ameenah Ayub Allen - BAFTA-nominated, BIFA-winning producer whose work includes Rocks, Ali & Ava and Typist Artist Pirate King, with multiple international festival selections and major UK award recognition.
Carine Hejazi - Investment Manager at Fourth Culture Films, working across film financing and market strategy, with a background in investment banking and specialist training in film marketing, distribution and exhibition at the NFTS.
Caroline Goyder - Executive Coach specialising in voice, presence and communication through the Gravitas Method, supporting creatives and leaders to develop clarity and confidence in high-performance environments.
Cíntia Gil - Programmer at Quinzaine des Cinéastes and former Co-Director of Sheffield DocFest and Doclisboa, also working across distribution and curation within international film ecosystems.
Fi Tudur - Senior Associate (Film & TV) at Lee & Thompson, specialising in entertainment law across development, production, financing and distribution.
Line Langebek - Screenwriter and Co-founder of Raising Films, the UK campaign organisation supporting parents and carers in film and television. Her feature The Girl with the Needle has received major international recognition including Cannes Competition selection and Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
Lucy Jones - Executive Director at Comscore, leading film measurement and box office analytics across UK and European markets, providing audience intelligence for theatrical distribution.
Michelle Reynolds - Co-Director of ReelTime Media and Co-founder of Share My Telly Job, specialising in job-sharing models and flexible working structures across the screen industries.
Kristy Matheson - Festivals Director at the BFI, leading the BFI London Film Festival and BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival. Previously Creative Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Director of Film at Australian Centre for the Moving Image.
Tacita Small - Founder & MD of The Small HR Company, bringing nearly 30 years of HR leadership experience across major media organisations including Disney, Apple, BBC Worldwide and Fremantle, focused on human-centred workplace practice.
Tejinder Jouhal - Director of Marketing and Distribution at HanWay Films, with 20 years’ experience across independent exhibition, distribution and international sales, previously she held roles at Altitude, Protagonist Pictures and the ICA Cinema in London.
Valeria Bullo - Production Wellbeing and Inclusion Consultant and Co-founder of Cinemamas, and former lead on the Film and TV Charity’s Whole Picture Toolkit supporting mentally healthy production practices.
Wendy Mitchell - Journalist, podcaster, moderator and film festival consultant. She consults for San Sebastián International Film Festival, the Creative Investors' Conference, Berlinale EFM and Cannes Marché du Film initiatives, while continuing to write for Screen International and host the Screen Podcast.
Programme overview
Running from September 2026 to March 2027, Back in the Frame will support twelve participants through three in-person labs in London, online industry sessions, mentoring, and facilitated cohort development.
The programme is led by Melanie Iredale, Director of Reclaim The Frame, and producer Camilla Wren, bringing together extensive experience across film culture, production, commissioning and talent development.
Through the programme, participants will gain insight into:
The current commissioning, financing, sales and distribution landscape.
Audience trends, market intelligence and film positioning.
Rights, contracts, representation and career strategy.
Access, disability inclusion and equitable production practices.
Flexible working, caring responsibilities and sustainable workforce models.
Leadership, confidence, communication and professional visibility.
The impact of AI and emerging technologies on creative careers.
Building and sustaining professional networks after time away from the industry.
A cross-industry return-to-work intervention
Back in the Frame is designed as a structured return-to-work intervention for experienced filmmakers whose careers have been interrupted. It brings together industry recalibration, mentoring, rights education, peer learning and group coaching, alongside tailored one-to-one support.
The programme convenes expertise spanning commissioning-adjacent industry insight, production leadership, legal frameworks, access and disability inclusion, workforce structures, distribution strategy, audience intelligence, wellbeing and emerging technologies.
The programme brings together expertise, networks and practical support to help experienced filmmakers return to work, rebuild professional momentum and sustain long-term careers in film and television.
Applications are currently open for twelve places. Further contributors will be announced in the coming weeks.
For further information and applications: reclaimtheframe.org/back-in-the-frame
