Last week’s Women In Film event had the whole room buzzing with excitement. The event, created by Sticker Studios co-founder Harleymoon Kemp, is a hit and was packed from front to back. Harleymoon started at the age of 17 in the lighting department and never felt fully at home in a set full of men, by the time she started Sticker she was fueled with passion to build crews that champion women in the heads of departments.
At their 9th Women in Film event, in collaboration with creative studio Coffee & TV, the room was filled from front to back showcasing incredible women and their craft. The night feels almost like a podcast session, you hear the moments that made the talent make or break, its uplifting, honest, inspiring and comedic. It’s more than a screening, it's a heart to heart about how the talent got to be where they are and has the whole room cheering for them.
Sticker Studios prides itself on nurturing and working with female talent from across the country, with half of its roster made up of stellar female filmmakers. It’s this ethos of championing female artists that helped shape the Women In Film event. They are also partnered with Drive Forward,a charity that mentors young people and gives them paid runner experience on set, pushing diversity at the heart of everything they do.
Here’s what Harleymoon had to say - “My own journey in the industry started out in the lighting department, I was the only girl, to fit in I felt like I had to keep my head down and was unable to exert my ideas or able to express myself properly. That's just my own story, there are millions more just like this and unfortunately the industry still has a long way to go in terms of female representation. So, the Women In Film event was set up to provide women a platform to share their own trials and tribulations, while also showing the world that there's plenty of incredible female artists creating provoking and entertaining work. I hope it spreads the word that women should put themselves out there, despite the inequality as the heads of departments. "
Coffee & TV MD, Leonie Moreton says; “We are so happy to be able to support Sticker's Women in Film event and to have our very own Head of Colour, Simona stand up and share her story. Supporting and nurturing female and gender diverse talent is incredibly important to us as a Bcorp company as well as on a personal level. Events like this are essential.”
The event kicked off with Harleymoon introducing three speakers to the stage, with DOP Ailsa Aikoa, colourist extraordinaire Simona Cristea and the devilishly brilliant Danish creative duo Sofie and Simone. Each speaker brought their own unique voice to the table sharing their journey with the audience, while also displaying an electric variety of work that varied in genre and aesthetics.
Simona Cristea was the first speaker to share her story, an award-winning colourist and also the Head of Colour at Coffee & TV. She helps craft and shape visually pleasing worlds that will be seen by millions. Simona’s journey began as a painter at the National University of Arts, Bucharest, after her graduation she would go on to have her work exhibited in Paris and Milan, before getting recruited into the world of colour correction.
The multitalented Ailsa Aikoa was the next speaker, recently dazzling the industry with their distinctive and unique cinematography. A body of work spans across commercials, short films and music videos, each project capturing a snapshot into the complex nature of human behavior. An artist who doesn’t shy away from tackling “taboo subjects” and is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives and unconventional narratives.
Ailsa’s ‘Tits: A Voyage into Objectification’ explores the male gaze and how porn, the mainstream press, and social media can warp public opinion and how the female body is often objectified. The films main focus is the sexualisation of women’s breasts, a hotline was set up in which male members of the public called in to discuss breasts and as you can imagine the results were varied from the strange, amusing to the damn right disturbing.
Lastly Sofie and Simone graced the crowd with their charming and absurd brand of comedy storytelling. The Danish Duo’s creative imaginations caught the attention of the likes of Mother London, Anomaly London and most recently Wonderhood Studios.
The pair created The Lift for BIANCO in which we witness the struggles of two very much into each other introverts who slowly fall in love while taking the lift. Unable to express their feelings with words they simply torture themselves, as the audience can see their inner-monologues try to find courage to let it all out. The film would pick up a one Silver and two Bronze at Cannes 2019.
Sofie and Simone had this to say about the Women in Film event - “We really wanted to share our journey with all its ups and downs and give a few pieces of advice. Women in Film is such a unique event that champions women and gives us a space to tell our stories and for everyone to get inspiration, connect and learn from each other. The atmosphere is so contagious and motivating, we felt very lucky to be a part of it. Overall it was just incredible to feel all the love in the room and hear the stories from Simona and Ailsa, as well as everyone we spoke to after the event. Really wish events like this were about when we started our careers, we all know there's still a massive lack of representation in the industry and it's tough when you don't see it in school or when you start your first job.”
If you’d like to be added to the mailing list for the next Women in Film please email viviana@stickerstudios.co