Workshops and Training

We offer Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses and workshops for first time feature filmmakers of marginalised genders, and film distribution/exhibition professionals.

Currently, applications are closed, for all workshops and training programmmes. For future opportunities, subscribe to our enews HERE by becoming an advocate so you'll be the first to hear!

Course Leaders

Melanie Iredale

She / Her

Melanie Iredale is a film curator and cultural activist. She is the Director of Reclaim The Frame, a charity with a mission to champion broader perspectives of the world through films by marginalised creatives and to advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in cinema. She is also an Exec Producer on the award-winning REBEL DYKES, which screened in 50+ festivals internationally and 40+ cinemas in the UK since its premiere at BFI Flare 2020. Prior to this, Melanie served as Deputy Director and Programmer at Sheffield DocFest, 2014-2021, with a background of developing audiences in the North of England for international cinema since 2005.

Simone Glover

She / Her

Simone has worked in the film industry for over 20 years in various roles in story development and training. Prior to joining Reclaim The Frame in 2016, Simone worked at Academy Award-winning production company ‘Missing In Action Films’. Prior to this, Simone worked for Arista Development, a training initiative in which Pan-European writers, producers, directors and development executives gained theoretical knowledge and practical techniques vital to develop their stories. Simone is a graduate of the programme. Simone has been a freelance story developer, and a reader for most of the regional screen agencies, including Film London’s Microwave and London Calling schemes. As a screenwriter, Simone has written a number of short films and TV, one a winner of BBC Northern Ireland NIFTC for Northern Lights, another, starring Ben Whishaw, backed by the BBC, was nominated for Best Short at Danny Boyle’s Shuffle Film Festival. Simone’s co-written original comedy feature, created with actor Adrian Dunbar, is in development with Northern Ireland Screen. Simone’s original period/action/adventure feature got her a place as a finalist on The Writers Lab UK & Ireland in 2021.

Bringing ever-greater audiences to films by marginalised creatives, developing safe and accessible spaces for conversation, promoting a de-patriarchal and de-colonised lens on the world, and advocating for social justice in all film spaces.

Our Reclaim the Frame project brings audiences together and builds communities for films by women & non binary people through events and conversations at a network of 20+ cinemas in 16 cities across the UK.

We present preview and week-of-release screenings, curate cinema seasons and events, host workshops and activities, and invite filmmakers, cultural influencers, social justice campaigners, academics, artists, activists and critics into the cinema for discussions together with audiences. Our aim is to create a safe space to further the conversations sparked by the films we support. We define films by marginalised genders as directed and/or written by, with 50% marginalised gender credit or more.

Our events, however, are for everyone of all genders to enjoy.
Expanding on this, our Reclaim the Frame x International project works in partnership to take our shared mission overseas.

Our training courses for filmmakers and distribution/exhibition professionals of marginalised genders enable professional growth and, in turn, addresses their historical under-representation as creatives and gatekeepers within the sector.

We use our voice and platforms to advocate for access and inclusion in cinema, and for a fair, just and more compassionate film industry.

Supported by ScreenSkills as part of the BFI Future Film Skills programme using funds from the National Lottery.