Trustees

Please find our Advisory Group here and our Team members here.

Fozia O'Dowd (née Khaliq)

(she/her)

Award-winning Producer, former Production Accountant, and founder of Public Display of Affection Films, an emerging Film and TV production company with projects in development with the BFI and Sky Drama across Film and TV. Fozia is an alumna of our Filmonomics Programme.

Nidhi Gupta

(she/her)

Filmmaker, Entrepreneur & NHS Doctor. Nidhi has transitioned from medicine to a portfolio career, as Founder & Creative Director of Busy Doctor Films and as a mentor to women filmmakers.

Stephanie Hayward

(she/her)

Barrister with a decade's experience practising criminal law. As an organiser, Stephanie leads the Behind the Gown campaign - an organisation founded in 2017 by a group of barristers committed to
tackling harassment and abuse of power at the Bar.

Jaq Chell

(she/they)

Cinema Exhibitor, distributor, advocate, and Clore leader. Currently Head of Programme & Business Development at Cinema for All, supporting the 1500+ volunteer-led cinemas in the UK, and a writer for cultural website Our Favourite Places in Sheffield.

Sophie Doherty

(she/her)

Theatrical film distribution & exhibition programming specialist in the UK & Ireland, now Heading of Theatrical Film for Signature Entertainment. Co-led the Walt Disney Company’s first official Pride group supporting staff and promoting diversity & inclusion in the public space. Alumni of the inaugural Filmonomics Future Leaders in Distribution and Inside Pictures 2017.

Tara Brown

(they/them)

Film Curator and Creative Evaluator. With a background in community events and art education, Tara is currently Programmer at Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Festival and at London Indian Film Festival, also working as an evaluator within a disability justice framework.

Lisa Balderson

(she/her)

HR & Wellbeing Consultant providing freelance support to Film and TV Indies. Lisa is a certified Mental Health First Aider, CPD accredited, and has previously worked for BAFTA, BBC and Lion Television, and as part of BFI LFF and Flare programming department.

Sophie Glover

(she/her)

Sophie has over 20 years experience in Arts Publicity, specialising in film. She worked at Pathe UK for 11 years overseeing all aspects of publicity from production to international film festivals through to UK release campaigns. She currently works at Premier.

Advisory Group

Stephen Follows

(he/him)

Award-winning writer and producer at Catsnake, who runs one of the most respected research data and statistics blogs in the film industry.

Rowan Woods

(she/her)

Rowan is a programmer for the BFI London Film Festival, a freelance festival strategist and an acquisitions consultant for Shudder/AMC. She has previously led on international festivals at the British Council and worked as a Development Executive at BBC Film

Jill Tandy

(she/her)

Jill Tandy, a qualified solicitor, has 35 years' commercial experience in the Creative Industries. Previously Head of International Production at Universal Pictures. Passionate about talent development and diversity, she is co- founder of 'Breaking The Glass Ceiling, and Inside Pictures leadership programmes.

Tolu Stedford

(she/her)

Tolu Stedford is Co founder of Story Compound, a creative film, TV and immersive media production company and consultancy with an emphasis on Global Majority talent and narratives and all marginalised intersections. She is also PEG- INDUSTRY CHAMPION and a British Screen Forum FUTURE LEADER.

Laura Rothwell

(she/her)

Laura is founder of the multi-award-winning cultural communications agency Crystallised. A certified B-Corporation, Crystallised prioritises people, planet, and purpose. Laura is an outspoken advocate of the 4-day work week and for justice and equity in the workplace.

Bennett McGhee

(he/him)

Bennett McGhee is a BAFTA and BIFA- nominated producer and co-founder of film & TV company Home Team. Producer credits include Bassam Tariq's BAFTA- nominated FIPRESCI-winner MOGUL MOWGLI, VS. and BOBBY. Other credits include BROOKLYN, AN EDUCATION, QUARTET, and Executive Producer on Dionne Edwards' PRETTY RED DRESS.

Violette Martin

(she/her)

Violette started her career in Paris before moving to the UK to work in the international sales teams at BBC Worldwide, Sony Pictures Television and then at BFI. More recently she has moved to Film Soho/Studio Soho where she is working as Head of Distribution and International Sales.

Jessica Edwards

(she/her)

Jessica is currently undertaking a Clore Fellowship in cultural leadership. Until recently, she was the Director of Impact & Partnerships at Doc Society and has worked with documentaries in production & impact, film & television. She is an alumna of Birds' Eye View's Filmonomics Plus programme.

Lia Devlin

(she/her)

Managing Director of Altitude Distribution, a creative and strategic film distribution leader with 20 years experience across both studio and independent distribution. She is an alumna of our Future Leaders in Distribution programme, with a successful track record in independent, award-winning film releases.

Sharon Budwal

(she/her)

Sharon is a finance director with over 15 years experience in the media and entertainment industry, currently on maternity leave from her role as European Head of Finance at AEG Entertainment. Previous positions held include Head of finance at Channel 4 and Warner Brothers.

Sophie Buckle

(she/her)

Film Booking Director at ODEON Cinemas with 16 years experience across various roles in exhibition and cinema operations. Sophie is also a champion for inclusivity and responsible for internal and on-screen diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.