As part of the column ‘Women by Women: A Shared Vision,’ created to expand and develop the theme chosen for our Global open call, we had a conversation with Girls in Film, a platform creating opportunities for women, trans and non-binary creatives. It also functions as a online platform showcasing the work of female filmmakers from all over the world. Girls in Film operates globally: they are present in Greece, New York, Aotearoa, UK, South Africa, Prague, organising events and creating opportunities for the local community. We talked about the fundamental role of intersectionality, the financial challenges artists can face and the value of collaboration.
How did your project come to life? What inspired its inception?
Girls in Film founder Nikola Vasakova, a filmmaker and producer, started Girls in Film in 2016 as a way to create a space for the new wave of women, trans and non-binary creatives to connect in an industry that can sometimes be intimidating. What began as a simple idea is now an international network with IRL branches in London, New York City, Prague, South Africa, Athens and Aeoterea.
“I set up Girls in Film because I suddenly saw more people coming into the industry – not just in traditional roles,” Vasakova explains. “I saw more people in branded content, music videos and the horror genre, which has brought some amazing stories to the mainstream. Our goal is to create opportunities for career development and facilitate finding collaborators for creatives at all levels”.
What does it mean to you to create space for women, non-binary, and trans people within the creative industry?
Girls in Film is a hub for connection, collaboration, learning and watching films together. To be able to provide and cultivate this space together with our community is an honour. Since we have no financial objectives or obligations, we have total freedom to put on any events and screen any films we like, with the help of our industry partners and filmmaking community.
Recently, we’ve also expanded outside the film industry with our events, collaborating with UK arts institutions, local supper clubs and other art forms and communities. Not only does it elevate the medium of film in the arts culture space, but also allows GiF to engage in contemporary culture and show authentic and diverse stories to a range of people and demographics.
We received amazing feedback from one of our attendees at a recent workshop, who told us the group was life-changing for her!
What do you see as the biggest challenges women artists face today?
Continuing forward and outwards movement in an industry that feels like it’s shrinking economically, and a world that feels like it’s shrinking ideologically.
eWhat conversations do you feel we need to have more often when it comes to women in the creative field?
It’s always important to keep intersectionality at the forefront of our minds when pushing for representation in one aspect or another. Not everyone’s experiences are the same and not everyone’s struggles are equal. Listen to your fellow filmmakers and make space for everyone to speak.
We need to continue to platform global majority artists, and put pressure on institutions to do the same. We need to continue to find ways for working class artists to access an industry that is very heavily weighted towards those from more privileged backgrounds. We need to find ways for parents to continue their roles in an industry that is very much built around the traditional male existence.
Your work highlights underrepresented voices, both in front of and behind the camera. Since the beginning of your project, what challenges have persisted—and what positive changes have you seen emerge?
In the years following GiF’s inception, opportunities for female, trans and non-binary talent grew significantly. There was a real focus on equal opportunities conversations about representation were loud. In recent years, with budgets shrinking across the board - both commercially and institutionally, due to factors like Brexit in the UK and the rise of TikTok and lower end social content (no shade on TikTok though), we’ve felt a shift back to old thinking when it comes to awarding jobs to directors representation on commercial rosters. Change isn’t a fad and needs to be upheld by the industry, even when the industry itself feels under threat, because embracing change is the only way the industry will survive.
Have there been any unexpected or surprising outcomes from your work that continue to resonate with you?
We definitely didn’t expect to have international branches in NYC, Aotearoa, Prague, South Africa and Greece! Our international branches operate as a franchise with no oversight from the UK branch. This means that different regions can respond exactly as they feel is right to the needs issues affecting their local industry.
If you’d like to start a GiF in your city - get in touch.
You’ve organised events in various cities. Can you share a bit about an upcoming project you’re currently working on?
Our 10-year anniversary is coming up and we’ve got something big to share, keeping it under wraps for now, but watch this space!
Since everything we do at PhotoVogue is rooted in empowerment and collaboration with entities that share our values, is there a women-focused organization you’d like to spotlight or give a shout-out to?
Not a woman-focused organisation but Trans+ On Screen, spearheaded by Helios Blanc is doing amazing work in the UK film industry, working with trans+ and non-binary talent to get their work made. We can’t wait to see some of the films they’re currently developing and producing.
