Frank & Lively has formally announced its intention to produce a minimum of four short films that celebrate unique female stories and are produced by a predominantly female crew.
Our first film, EVIE, is directed by Miranda Howard-Williams. EVIE uses a near-future scenario as a lens to engage with issues of female objectification and the future of masculinity and sexuality, but without containing any sexual content. The film explores the blurring fantasy with reality and how this impacts society.
Our second film, UNDER THE MOON زیرمهتاب is a powerful Persian short film written by Pegah Gashtasbi. This is a moving story depicting the nature of a family relationship gives us a glimpse into the night that will change Mahtab’s life forever. Pegah has always felt that her experiences as an Iranian-British young woman have been incredibly underrepresented within film. To redress this, her writing focuses on social issues and the inequality that can be experienced in Middle-Eastern households.
Our third film, SHAWAFA, is directed by Ashtar Al Khirsan. It is about a woman who visits a Shawafa, a Moroccan witch, seeking a remedy for her dangerous lust. In film, women over 40 are rarely given roles and stories where they are the centre of the narrative, where their experience and point of view is reflected on screen. This film changes this. We also celebrate characters who are first- and second-generation immigrants.
Our fourth film is not yet confirmed. Watch this space.
The contradiction of the film industry remains a complex one when it comes to the representation of gender. There is much discussion about how this gender imbalance needs to change, and yet female writers and directors continue to be overlooked. Our new slate aims to address this.