WFTV…
Women in Film and Television UK (WFTV) has this week announced their WFTV Festival 2025, a unique event dedicated to showcasing the incredible work of women in the industry. Taking place this year with an exciting lineup of screenings, discussions, and networking opportunities, the festival is an unmissable experience for members of WFTV.
WFTV (UK) is committed to supporting, empowering, and celebrating women at every level of the industry. It provides an extensive events programme and professional development initiatives. The organisation also hosts the WFTV Awards, the prestigious Four Nations Mentoring Scheme, the Fearless Leadership Programme, and the Kay Mellor Screenwriters Lab.
As part of WFTV’s mission, the inaugural WFTV Festival 2025 will launch on Friday, 7th March at the Garden Cinema in London, in celebration of International Women’s Day. The festival will then travel across the UK, screening work by members in Cardiff, Belfast, Manchester, and Edinburgh. This unique event will shine a spotlight on the remarkable creativity of WFTV members, offering them the opportunity to showcase their projects on the big screen.
The WFTV Festival is exclusively open to WFTV members, making this the perfect time to join their growing community. Membership is just £100 per annum, granting access to the festival alongside year-round networking events, mentoring schemes, and industry insights.
Tickets for the festival will be released on 17th February 2025. Festival highlights announced to date include an exclusive screening and Q&A with award-winning BBC documentarian Stacey Dooley ahead of her latest films. The Festival Circuit: A Film’s Journey – A thought-provoking panel discussion hosted by Wendy Mitchell (Journalist and Film Festival Consultant) featuring Katie Bignell (Film Festival Strategist & Founder of Festival Formula).
Motherboard – A film by 2024 WFTV Award Winner and BAFTA award-winning director Victoria Mapplebeck, with an introduction by the filmmaker herself. ‘Motherboard’ sees Victoria turning the camera on herself after she found herself single, pregnant and broke at 38. Shot over two decades, the film is a celebration of messy lives, solo motherhood, and proof that epic journeys can begin and end at home.
Zurawski vs. Texas – Produced by WFTV member Amy Flanagan, with an introduction hosted by Wendy Mitchell, ‘Zurawski vs. Texas’ sees a group of women denied abortions, even at the brink of death, band together with a fearless attorney to sue the state of Texas in an extraordinary effort to regain their rights and reproductive futures — not only for themselves but millions of others.
Pauline Black: A 2 Tone Story – A screening and introduction from producer Nikki Parrott and director Jane Mingay. Pauline Black, lead singer of 2-Tone hit band The Selecter, tells her extraordinary life story in the same frank manner that helped shape her as an iconic, era-defining female musician. Pauline had a difficult upbringing and joining the 2-Tone music movement in 1979 was the perfect catalyst; enabling her to explore and express all sides of herself. Looking back at her own ground-breaking experience in this feature documentary, Pauline traces how her legacy came about and how it is relevant to the world today, especially where society pushes the boundaries of gender, politics, race and identity.
Also a short film section featuring Sister Wives – Written, directed by, and starring WFTV member Louisa Connolly-Burnham, this Oscar® and BAFTA-qualified, BIFA-longlisted short stars Mia McKenna-Bruce as Galilee one of two sister wives married to the same man who start to develop feelings for each other. Sign 2 Win – An episode of the BSL Zone Deaf game show created by BSLBT Operations Coordinator and WFTV member Jennifer Clarke. Sign 2 Win sees three teams’ BSL language and deaf cultural knowledge put to the test to see who will win £1k.
With additional announcements on the way, the WFTV Festival 2025 promises to be a standout event, celebrating the extraordinary talent of women in the film and television industry. More information on the WFTV Festival at https://www.wftv.org.uk/festival.
The WFTV Festival in London will be in partnership with Loop Talent. Loop Talent is an Agency & Diary Service exclusively catering to professional Heads of Department and Crew working in Film, TV & Commercials. Membership is open to all women working in film, television, and digital media. Sign up today for just £100 per annum to unlock exclusive access to the WFTV Festival and a host of other invaluable opportunities.
