Birds Eye View Women’s Film Festival 2008

BIRDS EYE VIEW ANNOUNCE THEIR LONDON FESTIVAL,
MARCH 6TH – 14TH 2008, AT THE ICA AND BFI SOUTHBANK,
PLUS AN EXCITING MIX OF EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY DURING 2008
www.birds-eye-view.co.uk

What, Where and When?

From March 6th-14th 2008, Birds Eye View will be showcasing a programme of innovative and inspirational shorts, features and documentaries from women all over the world, screening at leading London film venues (mainly the Institute of Contemporary Arts and the BFI Southbank). Special features of the 2008 festival programme include:

Clowning Glories: Women in Film Comedy before 1930, BFI Southbank
Keen to address the question of the under-representation of women in comedy, and the implications this has for the entertainment world, Birds Eye View will programme a retrospective celebrating early women pioneers in silent comedy: the directors, the writers and the performers who – much more so than today - brought personality and creative direction to the films. Filmmakers and stars in the programme so far include; Dorothy Arzner, Clara Bow, Mary Pickford, Marion Davies, Agnes Christine Johnston and Ossi Oswalda. There will be discussion and debate on these issues, and some of the UK’s leading contemporary female comics will introduce screenings, including Jo Brand. Female musicians will play live soundtracks to the films – including Mercury nominated Zoe Rahman (and female vocal group Juice), Nikki Yeoh, Alcyona, Jean Hasse, Jane Gardner and ‘twice Grammy nominated’ Imogen Heap. In partnership with the BFI the festival has confirmed In Conversation with Victoria Wood, an evening event taking place on March 11th.

Screwball Women: The golden age of Hollywood comediennes, BFI Southbank
To tie in with Birds Eye View festival, the BFI Southbank will run a programme of brilliant classic comedies throughout the month of March. Films include; She Done Him Wrong (Mae West), It Happened One Night, My Man Godfrey, Stage Door (Katherine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers), Bringing up baby (Katherine Hepburn), The Women (Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell), His Girl Friday (Rosalind Russell), The Philadelphia Story (Katherine Hepburn), The Lady Eve, Love Crazy, To Be Or Not To Be, Born Yesterday (Judy Holliday), and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Marilyn Monroe).

Innovation
This part of the Festival will focus on new and innovative uses of moving image, from interactive mobile phone art to video games, music videos and VJing. These include:
- Women in Video Games: a panel discussion with leading women from the very male dominated games industry (Emma Westecott, Organiser - Women in Games 2007 conference, Katie Ellwood - games designer and filmmaker, Gabrielle Kent, Games Designer, Animex Festival Game Director), a masterclass on screenwriting for games by Katie Ellwood and a showcase of the work of women video games designers on consoles in the ICA bar.
- Women in Music Videos (showcasing the latest works by Alma Ha’rel, Kinga Burza, Kim Gehrig, Sophie Muller, Shelly Lore, Kim Albright and many more)