Over the years, Sheffield has excelled in hosting film festivals, with notable occasions such as DocFest, Sensoria’s annual film-focused programme and thriving horror extravaganza Celluloid Screams becoming staples on the events calendar. Soon to be joining this esteemed list will be the Females/Films/Screens festival, or FFStival, an international film festival celebrating women in cinema and scheduled to take place at The Showroom this November. Mark Perkins spoke with festival directors Melanie Gourlay and Dr Diane Rodgers to delve into the inspirations behind this event.
What led you to setting up FFStival?
Mel: I have been involved in film festivals before, and I’ve done some programming too, so I’ve had some experience. I’ve also been making films myself for about 16 years. I’ve just made my first feature film, which was an incredible experience, and I’m now making my second. They’re all horror, because that’s my thing, and this one is actually a horror musical. As a filmmaker, I’m very aware that there just don’t seem to be enough opportunities for women in filmmaking and, maybe I’d had too much wine, but one night I just messaged Diane with the idea for a women’s film festival, and she said yes.
Diane: That’s right. I think Mel’s message came at just the right time, and I agree with her that it’s so disheartening that still today there is such a lack of opportunities within the film industry for women – behind the camera, behind the scenes, not just making films but promoting them, or being represented adequately in them. I was always film-obsessed and wanted to make films, and I studied film in my first degree. Now I teach film and media at Sheffield Hallam. I have a lot of students who make films and animations, and it’s noticeable how on the courses female students find themselves outnumbered. Even the staff are disproportionately male. I mean, what’s going on? It’s 2023! We thought if we can do this tiny thing to address this imbalance, it would be a good thing.
Photo credit: Key Reflections
Mel: Once we had that initial conversation, it felt like we didn’t really have a choice. This film festival is not really something we feel like we must do; it feels more like something we can’t not do. The festival is intersectional, with a genuinely diverse outlook, aimed at female-presenting and non-binary people, avoiding a restrictive definition of women, which seems increasingly important in this day and age. We opened submissions on 1st of November and it closes 31st of May. We’ve already had 300 films submitted, and it’s free to submit this year as we wanted to prove our worth. I’m now starting to work my way through them, giving my take on each. Diane and another friend are helping us, and there will be a panel of people to keep it fair.
Diane: After the initial sift, there’s going to be a selection panel who will be a mixture of academics, industry people and people who work in women’s support. On the actual day of the festival there will be a jury, so we can hopefully award prizes for best feature and best short. Also, we’ll soon be launching our one-minute film competition on this year’s festival theme, rebellion. We hope to target this towards students, as we’re keen to get people who haven’t made films before, with no track record, encouraging them to have a go.
This film festival is not really something we feel like we must do; it feels more like something we can’t not do.
Mel: It’s something I feel really strongly about. I hear people say, “I’d love to make a film, but I’m not good enough.” How do you know? You’ll only get good at making films by actually making one, then keep on getting better. We want to have a safe space and a platform for female-identifying and non-binary people, with a networking vibe running through the whole thing. We’re trying to not make filmmaking so scary. What’s the worst that can happen? You might fail, but you might create something amazing.
Sounds incredible. How can people get involved?
Diane: If anyone’s interested in becoming involved with the festival, volunteering, or just finding out more about the FFStival, do get in touch. There are details about what kind of film we’re looking for on the website. We’ve used the F-rating classification, which is becoming increasingly common. It rates to what extent films are promoting the work of women. To meet that rating, films must be written, directed or produced by women, and we’re using that as a benchmark, so that we’re then able to discuss the F-rating of any film that we’re considering.
Photo credit: Key Reflections
Sheffield has a long history with hosting great film events, and this feels like the perfect addition?
Mel: We feel Sheffield is an ideal place to do something like this. Through getting together with lots of interested and sympathetic people we find Sheffield has what we call a ‘creative realm’, where everybody’s up for helping out each other. There is a real feeling of everyone supporting each other, with none of the rivalry you seem to get in other northern towns and cities.
Diane: We really love the way DocFest and Sensoria have developed the networking side of filmmaking and it will be great if we can do that too, specifically for women. Hopefully people will find themselves in a room full of friendly, encouraging and supportive people who might possibly give them their next step on the road to filmmaking. Or maybe they’ll just have a lovely day. We want to enable women, especially young women, to try out something for the first time, as I know it can be very intimidating when everything is so dominated by men.
Mel: The opportunities really are there for everyone these days, thanks to new technology. It’s almost as if you can’t not make a film these days! But thank goodness for digital, though, or I never would have started making films. I once made a film with my iPhone, and it was one of the best things I’d ever done!
FFStival is due to run on 23rd November 2024. Submissions are open and volunteering opportunities available now.
WHAT IS THE F-RATING?
Find out here: f-rated.org/about/// @ffsshef
