Women directors and talent spotlighted on BFI Player for International Women’s Day
The BFI (British Film Institute) is celebrating International Women’s Day with a brand-new series on BFI Player of introductions by exceptional women working across the film industry to spotlight the Woman with a Movie Camera film collection on BFI Player’s Subscription service. Launching on International Women’s Day (Monday 8 March), each has chosen a favourite from this extensive 60 strong feature film collection, all directed by women, and reveals why they passionately feel their film is an essential watch; how it has influenced them, their lives and their careers.
- Actress Ruth Wilson introduces Céline Sciamma’s Tomboy
- Natalie Dormer selects the British coming-of-age drama Me Without You, directed by Sandra Goldbacher
- Susan Wokoma introduces Prevenge, directed by and starring Alice Lowe
- Lydia West, recently seen in the acclaimed It’s a Sin, picks Debbie Tucker Green’s Second Coming
- Perfect 10 director Eva Riley introduces Carine Adler’s Under the Skin
- Zeina Durra, who has recently directed Luxor, picks Lucrecia Martel’s The Headless Woman
- Film writer Hanna Flint introduces Clio Barnard’s The Arbour
- Film writer Hannah Woodhead selects Andrea Arnold’s Red Road
Further participants will also be announced in due course.
Woman with a Movie Camera Introductions will launch on International Woman’s Day, Monday 8 March, with Natalie Dormer. Her chosen film, Me Without You, stars Anna Friel and Michelle Williams as two troubled girls whose tumultuous friendship takes many twists and turns. Also on 8 March, at 7pm on BFI at Home on YouTube, Me Without You’s director Sandra Goldbacher will take part in a Q&A to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary and launch this exciting new series. Sandra talks to BFI Programmer Kim Sheehan about female friendships, working with Anna Friel and Michelle Williams, and the legacy of Me Without You.
The Woman with a Movie Camera collection comprises almost 60 inspirational and diverse films made by women from around the world, all focusing on women’s experiences. Highlights from the collection include: Jessica Hausner’s cool, witty sci-fi Little Joe, starring Emily Beecham and Ben Whishaw, Appropriate Behaviour, a fearless comedy following the misadventures of a bisexual Brooklynite, directed by and starring Desiree Akhavan, Joanna Hogg’s Unrelated, in which a fortysomething woman finds herself drawn to the company of a group of partying teens, including a young Tom Hiddleston, and the Idris Elba led family-drama Second Coming, directed by debbie tucker green.
Audiences can enjoy expertly curated recommendations from these fabulous female industry figures offering a first foray into the expansive collection. Introductions will be rolled out every two weeks.
The BFI is committed to celebrating women’s contribution to film and TV, both behind and in front of the camera. As well as being a permanent SVOD collection on BFI Player, Woman with a Movie Camera is also the name of a monthly event at BFI Southbank, originally launched on International Women’s Day 2016. In June 2018 and 2019 this culminated in a special annual event at BFI Southbank – the Woman with a Movie Camera Summit. This very popular day-long event, cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic but returning in 2021, features a keynote speech, a range of talks and discussions led by leading thinkers, programmers and film critics and interactive experiences to watch or take part in.
A subscription to BFI Player begins with a free trial for 14 days and then it’s just £4.99 a month or £49 a year. Sign up here: https://player.bfi.org.uk/subscribe
There are now around 500 films available to watch with a BFI Player subscription, ranging from contemporary, to classic and cult. Many of them are grouped within collections to help guide film fans through this huge offer.
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