Birds Eye View (BEV) [1] was founded by Rachel Millward and Pinny Grylls in 2002, as a unique platform for emerging women filmmakers. Pinny Grylls is an award winning British filmmaker In 2001 Grylls co-founded Invisible Films with Rachel Millward BEV began touring short film programmes around the country, inviting key female figures in the film industry, including Greta Scacchi, Naomie Harris and Sally Phillips, to participate as guest speakers and discuss issues related to women making films. Greta Scacchi (born February 18, 1960) is an Italian -born Australian Actress. Naomie Melanie Harris (born 6 September 1976) is an English screen Actress known for her starring role as Selena in 28 Days Later Sally Phillips (born 10 May 1970) is a British Comic Actress.
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History, events and tours
In 2003 BEV undertook a 10-city UK tour, launched with a gala event at the National Film Theatre, hosted by Birds Eye View patron Juliet Stevenson and writer/actress Meera Syal. BFI Southbank (formerly known as the National Film Theatre) is the leading Repertory cinema in the UK specialising in seasons of classic independent Juliet Anne Virginia Stevenson CBE (born October 30, 1956) is an English Actress. Meera Syal MBE (born Feroza Syal,, Wolverhampton, England) is a British Comedian, Writer, Playwright In 2005 the Birds Eye View Film Festival[2] was born - a 6 day 3 venue event (NFT, Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), Curzon Soho) and the UK’s first major women’s film festival. BFI Southbank (formerly known as the National Film Theatre) is the leading Repertory cinema in the UK specialising in seasons of classic independent The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA is a Modern art centre on The Mall in London, England. The festival opened at the NFT with a programme of outstanding shorts by UK women directors, presented by Matthew Wilcock and Rhona Cameron, followed by a party with sounds from the Siren Suite. Rhona Cameron (born September 27, 1965 in Dundee) is a Scottish Comedienne. The week continued with more UK shorts, international features and international documentaries, including contributions from Kim Longinotto (world premiere of Cannes award-winning Sisters in Law), Tracey Emin (specially licensed teen screening of Topspot with teen debate chaired by Miranda Sawyer), Xiao Jiang (internationally award-winning debut feature Electric Shadows), Andrea Arnold (Oscar-winning Wasp) plus Beeban Kidron (Bridget Jones), Penny Woolcock (Principles of Lust) and Alison Peebles (Afterlife) and veteran documentary maker Marilyn Gaunt. Kim Longinotto is a British documentary maker most famous for making films which highlight the plight of female victims of oppression Cannes (kan in Occitan Canas) is a city in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tracey Emin RA (born 3 July, 1963) is an English Artist of Turkish Cypriot origin one of the group known as Britartists Miranda Sawyer is an English journalist and broadcaster She grew up in Wilmslow, Cheshire with her brother Toby, an actor best known for Xiao Jiang ( (born 1972) is the stage name of female Chinese Film director Jia Yan, Electric Shadows is a 2004 Chinese film directed by Xiao Jiang. Wasp is a short film (26 minutes written and directed by Andrea Arnold. Beeban Kidron (born 1961 is British television and film director Bridget Jones is a franchise based on the fictional columnist with the same name " Principles of Lust " is a 1991 song created by the musical project Enigma. AfterLife is a film drama set in Scotland directed by Alison Peebles made in 2003 about an ambitious Scottish journalist forced to choose between The festival closed with an awards party at Café de Paris, with presenters including Nik Powell and Jessica Stevenson. Nik Powell (born c 1950 in Surrey, England) is one of the co-founders of the Virgin Group with Richard Branson. Jessica Hynes (née Stevenson; born 15 November 1972) is an English actress and Writer, best known as one of the creators The evening was marred by a protest outside by disabled protesters. They were protesting against the exclusion of disabled film maker Liz Crow of Roaring Girl Produtions who uses a powered wheel chair. The event had been moved from an accessible event to the Café de Paris which has stairs in the main entrance and no lift thus effectively excluding Crow. Liz Crow had won an award for he film Nectar, coincidentally a film about disability and access, but Liz Crow was unable to pick up her award due to the inaccessibility of the venue. The protest caused many celebrities, including Joanna Lumley, who were due to hand out awards, to cancel. For the sixteenth century translator see Jane Lumley. Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE (born 1 May 1946) is an English The event was set up to highlight the exclusion of women in film, but still managed to be exclusive towards some women.
Always intent on bringing different art forms together, BEV also put on a special event mid-festival called Sound & Silents - a live music to silent film event. The music was composed and performed by the internationally renowned pianist and composer Joanna MacGregor, in collaboration with Shri Sriram (Badmarsh & Shri) and Rita Ray. Joanna MacGregor (born 16 July 1959) is an internationally renowned classical Jazz and contemporary Pianist. Badmarsh & Shri are an electronic / Trip hop duo from London, UK. The programme consisted of several short films from the last 100 years of women filmmakers, from Alice Guy Blache (1906) through Lotte Reineger (1954) to contemporary film artist Kathy Hinde. Alice Guy-Blaché ( July 1, 1873 &ndash March 24, 1968) was a pioneer Filmmaker who was the first female director in the motion picture
2006 has seen the festival experiment with a more consistent presence throughout the year. BEV held the International Women’s Day Gala on March 8 once again at the NFT. Events 1618 - Johannes Kepler discovers the third law of planetary motion. This time the international programme of short films, was accompanied with guest appearances from Gurinder Chadha and Confetti director Debbie Isitt. Confetti is a 2006 British Mockumentary Romantic comedy film that was released on 5 May 2006. Debbie Isitt is a comic writer Film director and performer Isitt set up world renowned theatre company 'Snarling Beasties' in the 1980's to great critical acclaim The second programme (screened in June) consisted of international shorts and features at the Apollo West End, opened by actress Fiona Shaw. Fiona Shaw, CBE (Hon (born 10 July 1958 is a leading Irish Actress who regularly appears in London theatre, although to international audiences Highlights included acclaimed Lebanese director Jocelyne Saab’s visually captivating feature Kiss Me Not On The Eyes, the world premiere of Philippa Lowthorpe’s Beau Brummell with attendance from its star James Purefoy (Rome, Vanity Fair), masterclasses with Martha Fiennes (Chromophobia) and innovative dance filmmaker Magali Charrier, as well as another fusion event, Ladies Who Laugh: live comedy with funny short films in partnership with Funny Women (comediennes including Shazia Mirza, Ayesha Hazarika and Debra Jane Appelby). Beau Brummell ( 1954) is a Historical film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. James Brian Mark Purefoy (born June 3 1964) is an English Actor. Rome is a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy -nominated historical drama Television series co-created by John Milius William Makepeace Thackeray 's novel Vanity Fair ( 1847 - 1848) has been the subject of numerous television and film adaptations Martha Maria Fiennes ( "fines" born 5 February, 1965 in the UK) is a Film director, Writer and producer Chromophobia is an ensemble film which debuted at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival in France. Funny Women is the only stand-up comedy competition in the UK entirely devoted to women This part of the 2006 festival concluded with the Birds Eye Review: Short Film Awards and Comment with a debate hosted by Miranda Sawyer, and a panel including Bonnie Greer and Natasha Walter. Bonnie Greer (born November 16 1948) is a Chicago born playwright and critic Award juries included Deborah Warner, Zoe Williams (The Guardian), Rebecca Mark Lawson (Lifesize pictures) amongst others. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group.
Current and prospective events (films/Documentaries)
BEV's final large-scale programme for 2006 features international documentaries at the ICA (September 15 - 17)[3]. The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA is a Modern art centre on The Mall in London, England. Screening 13 documentaries over three days, the programme will open with Hotdocs winner Martyr Street (dir. Shelley Saywell) and be launched by writer/director Amma Asante, followed by projections and sounds by celebrated DJ, Rita Ray.
The documentary programme includes a screening of a short film programme, as well as longer award winning and UK premiering documentaries covering subjects as diverse as taxidermy, octogenarian cabaret dancers, the environmental impact of Death Valley and the emotional impact of Hurricane Katrina, as well as the highlight and closing night documentary, Until The Violence Stops, a film exploring the grassroots movement which has erupted in response to Eva Ensler's the Vagina Monologues. Death Valley is the lowest driest and hottest Valley in the United States. Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States The Vagina Monologues is an Obie Award -winning episodic play written by Eve Ensler which ran at the Off-Broadway Westside Theatre As part of the touring programme, BEV has extensively toured the UK in 2006, and will continue to do so throughout the summer, with a programme of shorts being screened at festivals including The Big Chill and Bestival. The Bestival is a music festival on the Isle of Wight, England. In addition to the BEV festival and touring events, education programmes in schools, colleges and cinemas are also managed throughout the year.
Birds Eye View works toward seeing more women in creative, culturally defining roles, and seeks to present exciting work, bringing more inspiration and fantastic entertainment!
See also
- List of film festivals
- Women filmmakers
- Big Chill
- Bestival
- National Film Theatre
- ICA
External links
This is a list of major Film festivals. Africa List of film festivals in Africa Asia List of film festivals in Asia Europe The Bestival is a music festival on the Isle of Wight, England. BFI Southbank (formerly known as the National Film Theatre) is the leading Repertory cinema in the UK specialising in seasons of classic independent The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA is a Modern art centre on The Mall in London, England.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic