Our Mission

What We Do

Women Of The Lens is a film festival dedicated to Black women in the film industries.

We deliver annual, in-person, November events, where we screen films of any genre, which are directed, or contain mainly Black women/of colour in front of and/or behind the camera. The production may not have any black women as actors and/or extras, but we’d want to see that they’re well represented behind the lens. Indeed, we’ve programmed many productions like this.

We understand that black women are still woefully underrepresented in the film industries and we want to make a contribution to improving the career chances of women. Our events nurtures burgeoning and established talent as well as engaging eager audiences wanting to watch films they’d not ordinarily see, something away from the usual blockbuster fare. Our events are places to make tangible, reciprocal connections – both personally and professionally.

Whilst we prioritise black women productions, we welcome productions from anyone that seeks to join us in improving prospects for black women/of colour, which we believe improves the industry as a whole. We pride ourselves as being “…Black women with stories for all…” 

Why We’re Here

The Festival was created because the underrepresentation of Black women in the creative industries, particularly the British industries, remains low. 

Jennifer G. Robinson created Women Of The Lens as her contribution to improving the career chances of underrepresented women in the film industries. 

Since its debut in November 2017, we’ve demonstrated that wider audiences are more than ready to engage with complex stories, which move beyond the common tropes reserved for Black women.

For us, it’s not just about the roles we can see on camera, we’re also about championing Black women in decision-making roles in the industry. We ask productions about the Black women they have as say…producers, writers, line managers, casting or advertising marketing and PR. Then we inquire about those practial roles, i.e. grips, sound engineers, costuming hair, make-up people in your productions and to what extent have you considered Black women?

When selecting films for our programme we ask about women’s role in the narrative; does she drive the narrative? What relationships does she have outside of her relationships to male characters, familial chores or ‘community’? Does she speak about topics that don’t relate to stereotypical tropes with other women? Does she have autonomy about the outcomes of her actions and how does she take responsibility for changing those outcomes? Does her ‘strength’ lie in stereotypical masculine ideals? And so on.

Since inception, the Festival has screened narratives from around the world. It has provided opportunities for filmmakers to network and gain experience in selling their productions. Each year the Festival delivers industry panels where knowledge is exchanged.  And as we move into a new era of festival production due to global changes in society, Women Of The Lens will continue to adapt to meet changing needs.

Whilst our platform focuses on Black women, we welcome partnerships from people and organisations that seek to challenge the status quo. We welcome partnerships with organisations that align with our values and take constructive steps to improve our industry.

At the core of Women Of The Lens Film Festival is the showcasing of films that portray Black women in boundary-pushing narratives, both in front of and behind the camera.

For us, it’s not just about the roles we can see on camera, we’re also championing women in decision-making roles in the industry. We ask productions about the Black women they have as say… producers, writers, line managers, casting or advertising marketing and PR. Then in those practial areas…grips, sound engineers, costuming hair, make-up…in your productions, to what extent have you considered underrepresented women as part of your production?

Our Festival strives to share and exchange skills, knowledge and expertise between industry professionals. Our aim is to contribute to a change in the industry, which promotes the recruitment of underrepresented women both in front of and behind the camera.

Whilst we show off British productions, this platform is equally keen to showcase women’s stories globally. We want to know how women across the world are navigating everyday life. So even if your production is created outside of the UK, we’d like to hear from you. Be sure to read ‘about us’ prior to your submission.

Ethos Aims and Objectives

1. To create industry partnerships that nurture talent and build careers.
2. To develop audience engagement.
3. Highlight, celebrate and share achievement.
4. Engage wider and local community.
5. Contribute to the wider discourse around representation with a vision to form productive, reciprocal representations.