Gender and Diversity Celebrated Behind the Camera at Camerimage Film Festival

After the success of last year’s events at the Camerimage Film Festival, this year IMAGO, the European Federation of Cinematographers, and illuminatrix, a collective of female cinematographers based in the UK, are collaborating again with the festival to present a series of events entitled “Focus on Diversity.”

Aimed at highlighting the contributions of women and minorities at the festival, “Focus on Diversity” comprises three events that will all take place on Friday, November 17th at the Camerimage Film Festival in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Last year was the first inaugural year that illuminatix, IMAGO and Camerimage curated events with this specific goal, and the featured participants included Natasha Braier ADF, Bradford Young ASC, and Jannicke Mikklesen FNF, winner of this year’s IMAGO Award for Extraordinary Technical Achievement.

To kick things off this year, Rachel Morrison ASC will feature in conversation with two emerging female cinematographers with films in the festival: Maria Von Hausswolff (“Winter Brothers”- Cinematographer’s Debut) and Nina Badoux (“Radio Kobani”- Documentary Features). Charlotte Bruus Christensen’s new film “Molly’s Game” will screen, followed by a masterclass with the cinematographer herself. And finally, Elen Lotman ESC will lead a panel discussion on the importance of diversity in cinematography, focussing on what steps organizations and individuals can take to tackle underrepresentation behind the camera. The panel will feature a wide range of participants including Heather Stewart (BFI Creative Director), John Bailey ASC (President of AMPAS), and Warwick Thornton (DP/Director of “Sweet Country”, playing in the main competition at the festival), among others.

The “Focus on Diversity” events have received generous support from industry sponsors including MBS Pinewood, Panavision, Panalux, and Vantage.

The lack of diversity within the film industry continues to be a major talking point in 2017. According to the latest Filmography data set released by the British Film Institute, women are in the lowest percentage when it comes to the Director of Photography role, out of all other key department heads*. To help tackle this issue, illuminatrix and IMAGO are committed to raising the profile of the growing number of women cinematographers in the hope that this will encourage and inspire the next generation.

According to Catherine Goldschmidt, one of the volunteer organizers and a co-founding member of illuminatrix: “The Camerimage Film Festival has always been accessible and deeply supportive of student filmmakers. It is the perfect venue for seasoned veterans, students and all industry professionals in between to come together to inform, inspire and propel a new wave of diverse cinematographers and filmmakers.”

*Statistics sourced from “Filmography” compiled by the BFI: https://filmography.bfi.org.uk
More on illuminatrix, found on their website