3rd – 10th April
As part of our International Women’s Day celebrations, The Africa Channel has teamed up with Bird’s Eye View Film Festival to promote this year’s focus on Arab Women filmmakers – giving audiences a unique opportunity to experience the rich, diverse and powerful voices of the Arab world’s most inspiring women.
Sur La Planche (On The Edge), Morocco (2011) dir. Leila Kilani
Bird’s Eye View (BEV) was founded in 2002 as a positive response to the shocking statistic that women make up less than 10% of film directors and 15% of writers in the film industry. As a driving force to celebrate, support and empower women filmmakers, the festival and surrounding events have had a significant impact in the UK and beyond. Committed to representing diversity in geography as well as gender, BEV has a long history of showcasing the work of African women filmmakers, including Kenyan Hawa Essuman, Wanuri Kahiu and Nigerian Peace Anyiam-Fiberesim.
Bev 2013 focus on Arab Women filmmakers includes several features from North Africa. From powerful screen features to eye-opening documentaries, films from Egypt, Morocco and Algeria are well represented in the Bird’s Eye View programme. What’s more, the festival offers a chance to see some specially commissioned performances, like the live score by London-based musician/songwriter Amira Kheir, of Sudanese-Italian origin, for a 5-piece band fusing contemporary jazz with East African influences and instrumentation, accompanying landmark feature ‘One Arabian Night’.
The majority of films are presented by the filmmakers themselves, and the post-screening discussions give a unique opportunity for audiences to hear directly from the filmmakers about the craft and the stories told in their films.
Coming Forth by Day, Egypt (2012) dir. Hala Lotfy
For screening times, tickets and the full festival programme, click here.
