Comedy-drama in television has always been somewhat of a grey area. More suited to films, perhaps, TV writers are constantly told that they must master “one or the other” before attempting to combine the two, and that they don’t gel together seamlessly. To this, most writers scratch their heads and think… but what about a little show called Fleabag?
This year’s Feminista Film Festival took place on September 27th - 28th in the Soho Hotel, London, and sold out on all three events! The festival screened a series of shorts as well as feature-length films that dealt with empowering female characters that came from the worlds of sport and art. The films involved young girls in northern Pakistan who continue their battle in fighting for their right to go to school, the establishment of the first Afghan women’s national football team, Greta Thurnberg voicing her opinions on the current climate crisis, Fiona Oakes competing in the Marathon Des Sables, and many more stories of inspiring female role models. The last event on Saturday evening closed with a Q&A session with Fiona Oakes herself, moderated by Katie Goldfinch.
Hi there guys and gals! How are you today? I’m Léa, a frenchie camera trainee born in London, and raised in France. I moved back at the age of 17 to my birthplace to step into the fabulous and frightening world of filmmaking! I studied in EaIing for about 2 years, learning to become a semi-independent semi-adult during UNI. After a big post-graduation freak out I decided to jump in and start networking, putting my name out there and working wherever I could to help me build up my experience.
I’ve had the pleasure of trying, what I believe, to be some of the best picks for your winter skincare routine from Drunk Elephant. I would like to say that I am currently in postpartum mode ( 4 months ) and my skin has been looking and feeling all-over the shop, but mostly very dry.
What is your background?
When I was a child, a family friend was throwing out an old piano and my parents took the chance to get that and have it at home. I was only 3 years old, but I was fascinated by this weird piece of furniture that made loud sounds when I hit it with my hands. In fact, I was so fascinated, when I was 4 years old, my parents arranged piano lessons for me and I loved it. The only downside to that, was that I would wake up at 6am every morning before school and practice my piano very loudly! But on occasions I would also make them breakfast, so it wasn’t all bad.
Emily Skye is an absolute force. Business entrepreneur, mother, and an all-around filmmaker (Screenwriter/Director/Producer). Despite the different time-zones and hectic schedules, we managed to chat about motherhood, filmmaking, inspiration and balance.
F: What is your background?
G: I moved to London to study at University of the Arts as I wanted to be a painter or sculptor. When some of my sculptures became installations on the body, it was suggested to me to research costume degrees. My Nanny was a machinist in 1960s & 70s making sheepskin coats, famously worn by Del Boy in Only Fools & Horses, so I’ve always been encouraged to sew. With the current economical climate we are in, I pursued a degree where I could learn a skill. So my actual degree is in Costume Making. Realising I loved styling and design too, I started doing some work experience on the side with stylists and assisting costume designers in the industry.
With the Brexit deadline extended, we are finally approaching the official Brexit Day on October 31, 2019. With a “soft” or “hard”, a no-deal or no Brexit at all very much still on the table, all scenarios pose detrimental effects on the UK as a whole, including women in the film and television industry.
It was a perfect spring afternoon when I met Antony Penrose (son of Lee Miller) at Farley’s House in Sussex. A luscious farmhouse surrounded by greenery and pastures and just such an idyllic setting. I could have easily closed my eyes and picture myself hobnobbing with artists, thinkers, and writers during those ever-lasting evenings. We started drinking tea and settling in the very same kitchen, where Lee would cook green chicken, blue spaghetti and purple cauliflowers.
Stress! Stress! Stress! How many of us wake up each morning to an alarm, swig down some black coffee, rush out the door, grab food on the run, fly into a meeting, rush back out, text someone, call someone, hire a new nanny, speed to our kids school play, grab a chocolate bar for energy, take work home, drink caffeine to keep going, meet deadlines, go to bed late, get up early....Rush. Rush. Rush.
Last year we witnessed an unprecedented shift in the relationship between genders. As the waves of the #MeToo movement started to break, one question kept cresting: “What should men be doing differently now?”
Drunk Women Solving Crime is a true crime podcast with a twist… of lime. It’s the drunken lovechild of writer and comedian Catie Wilkins, screenwriter Hannah George, comic and writer Taylor Glenn, and producer Amanda Redman, which features a different guest every week who reveals a crime that has been committed against them. Catie, Hannah and Taylor take it in turns to host the podcast and guide the others through a true crime, which they try to solve… whilst feeling the joyous effects of a G+T.
Through decades and generations, values are constantly shifting and minds are opening. Social change is always slow, especially when it comes to discrimination of women because of their gender. Whether the argument was about a woman’s right to vote, work, or make her own decisions, these topics were often considered highly controversial. One interesting topic that has evolved a great amount throughout the years, is that of the female swimsuit. Women are finally able to wear whatever type of swimming suit they wanted, yet we still see issues and conflicts surrounding a female’s choice of outfit for the beach.
The godmother of French New Wave died, at the age of 90.
Agnès Varda left us with an incommensurable catalogue of films, photographs and multimedia installations that explore social and political issues in a viscerally personal way and celebrate the joy and beauty of life and art.
When you think of “sustainability on screen” – where does your mind go? Perhaps you think of news reports on freak weather or an episode of Blue Planet. You might even think of disaster movies like Day after Tomorrow or Deepwater Horizon. These are all valid examples of course, but what would your response be if we challenged you to help spark an environmental revolution through the content you make and the storylines you create, no matter the genre?
Summer is a wonderful season - the daylight hours are long, there is renewed energy to make the most of the day, enjoy the weather and feel the warm sun on our skin. As soon as the sun shines, the parks are full of people enjoying the outdoors, lying on the grass relaxing in groups and the pubs spill out onto the streets with jovial punters. The weather can most definitely impact on our mood, energy levels and overall sense of wellbeing.
I am pretty sure that we all love that endless summer feel. Everything looks brighter and better. However, not all of us will be able to enjoy a golden beach retreat and I know that most of you will be busy working on set. Ah, the joys of the world of freelancing!
Recently, I have been pretty bossy. I wrote, co-produced and starred in a web-series calledLive With It, and after this experience, I want more female screenwriters to create their own content.
Live With It tells the story of a couple who share nothing but a flat and a stubborn nature, and when they break up, neither of them want to move out. As they fight to co-exist, they irritate everyone around them and discover that their living situation may be more complicated than they first imagined. The protagonist is “bossy”; she’s basically a more annoying version of myself.
What is your background? What did you study?
My background is definitely in music. I started playing the cello when I was about 7 years old and I was one of two young women accepted to study music A-level at Harrow School on a full scholarship. I then went on to study music for my undergraduate degree at the University of York, before finally making my way to LA to take the film scoring programme at USC. It was a little while before starting at USC that I really started paying attention to film as well, my job requires both after all!
