The annual Women Of The Lens Film Festival returns with an exciting programme of events created specifically to showcase the creativity of Black women filmmakers.
Women Of The Lens Film Festival 2022 takes place between Saturday 23 and Saturday 30 April 2022 at Rich Mix arts centre in the heart of east London.
Melan Magazine is proud to be a media partner with this year’s Festival programme, which once again will feature a specially curated programme of live film screenings.
This year, there will be 17 films, each organised into seven themes; Sankofa Women, Roll Call, The Future’s Here, Love Incommunicado, The Strength Of Acceptance, Documenting Justice and Advertising Race.
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The Sankofa Women theme will expand into an industry-led panel discussion exploring films featuring stories about migration, heritage, oral history and intergenerational legacy. The theme will focus on experiences outside of the Capital. It will focus on Welsh stories and experiences beyond what we’ve expected to be the common experience, which is often London-centric.
In addition to the screenings, attendees can also take part in professional networking opportunities, particularly vital as it goes to the heart of why Women Of The Lens was created in the first place, to celebrate and support Black British women in the UK creative film industries.
Founded by Jenifer G. Robinson, Women Of The Lens aims to help counteract the small numbers of Black women in the UK film industry as representation remains stubbornly low within the conventional media-sphere.
Inspiring the next generation of British filmmakers
Commenting on the importance of the festival in the dialogue of telling stories by and for Black women, Jennifer G. Robinson said:
“The imagery of Black UK women is paradoxically potent. It’s a paradox, because even though there isn’t the breadth of imagery in media, Black women are conspicuous by their absence, they are still potent. When Black women do appear in film and often other media, they are rarely fleshed out to demonstrate their variety. Now, it’s often the same for others, but for Black women, that variety, that opportunity to reveal one’s self is doubly limited.”
“In April’s event, we’re especially focussing on voices outside of our capital city, where often experiences about British Black women come out of a London-centric perspective. I want our opening event, Sankofa Women to showcase those voices in a way that leads to extended discussions about migration and legacy.”
The festival organisers invite everyone who is interested in supporting the ethos and spirit of Black women’s stories, as told by them. Come one, come all.
Women Of The Lens Festival 2022 details:
View the full 2022 Programme:
Venue: Rich Mix, 35-37 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA
Dates: Saturday 23 and Saturday 30 April 2022
Follow: @WomenOfTheLens
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