"UnderWire will provide a much needed impetus to take a look at what new female voices in film can do.  I'm really looking forward to watching the talent emerge."  Rebecca O'Brien

About Us

UnderWire aims to recognise and promote the raw talent of women working across the key creative areas of filmmaking with an annual festival .

UnderWire founders Gabriella Apicella, and Gemma Mitchell are proud to be working with support from the country's leading female-led organisations including Women in Film and Television, Birds' Eye View and Object, as they put together a programme of events that will provide a showcase for women beginning their careers in the film industry.

Press

Directors' Notes reviewed all of the UnderWire categories as they were screened, and conducted and interview with the Co-Founders, which can be downloaded as a podcast:
Directing
Producing
Screenwriting
Cinematography
Editing
Representation
Interview with Gemma Mitchell and Gabriella Apicella

Harry's Place - November 2010

Virtual Factory - November 2010

Fat Quarter - September 2010

Patrons

Kat Banyard - Director of UK Feminista, an organisation supporting women and men to take action for gender equality (www.ukfeminista.org.uk).  She is also author of The Equality Illusion: The Truth About Women and Men Today, published by Faber and Faber.  In 2010, Kat was named in The Guardian as "the UK's most influential young feminist".  She is the founder of FEM Conferences - a series of national feminist conferences, and was previously Campaigns Officer at the Fawcett Society and Women's Development Worker at the Northern Refugee Centre.

Rebecca O'Brien - an independent film producer with over 20 years of experience.  O'Brien has produced twelve feature films directed by Ken Loach including Sweet Sixteen, My Name is Joe, Land and Freedom and The Wind That Shakes the Barley, winner of the 2006 Palme d'Or at Cannes, and last year's Looking for Eric.  This autumn she will be launching their new film Route Irish written by their regular collaborator Paul Laverty.  She and Ken Loach run the production company Sixteen Films; O'Brien is also a board member of the UK Film Council, South West Screen and The Film Industry Training Board. 

Nira Park - founded Big Talk Productions in 1995 through which she produced both series of Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes' award-winning comedy series Spaced, directed by Edgar Wright, all three series of double BAFTA award-winning sitcom Black Books, and the Rose D'Or nominated comedy/drama series Free Agents, all for Channel 4.  Following the success of Spaced, Nira went on to develop and produce the hit movie Shaun of the Dead, for which she received a Carl Foreman Award nomination at the 2005 BAFTA Awards.  Nira was also selected as one of Variety Magazine's Top Ten Producers to Watch.  In 2006 she produced Ringann Ledwidge's debut feature Gone for Working Title/Universal and she collaborated again with Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright on their follow-up movie, Hot Fuzz.  In 2007, Nira expanded Big Talk Productions and created Big Talk Pictures and is now CEO of both companies.  Most recently Nira has produced Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, starring Michael Cera, which was released internationally in August of this year to outstanding critical  acclaim.  She also Executive Produced BBC Three's hit sitcom Him & Her.  Nira is currently in post-production on Paul, penned by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and directed by Greg Mottola for Working Title/Universal, and Attack the Block, Joe Cornish's debut feature for Optimum/Studio Canal, Film4 and UKFC.  Both are due to be released in Spring 2011.  She is also Executive Producer on Robert Popper's C4 sitcom, Friday Night Dinner.  Nira continues to produce and develop across a diverse range of Film and TV projects for Big Talk Productions and Pictures.

Maxine Peake - One of the UK's most respected and versatile actresses, Maxine first came to prominence in Victoria Wood's sitcom Dinnerladies. Becoming something of a national treasure due to her role as Veronica in the first four series of Shameless, Maxine has gone on to deliver blistering performances playing Myra Hindley in See No Evil, and most recently the 19th Century lesbian diarist Anne Lister in The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister.  Maxine has never shied away from provocative and controversial roles to which she has consistently brought humanity and realism.

Rachael Prior - Head of Development for Big Talk Productions, Rachael is currently working across a slate of projects including Joe Cornish's Attack the Block and the recently announced Ascension Eagles (Daisy Donovan).  Rachael joined Big Talk in October 2009 having worked at Working Title Films for 12 years - most recently as Development Executive on Greg Mottola's upcoming Paul, and as WT2's Head of Development on a long list of films including Wild Child, My Little Eye, Mickybo and Me, Gone and Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Awards

Gemma Mitchell - a film producer, script reader, festival producer and all round story devotee.  Her passion lies in the development of moving image culture, and she is dedicated to the production and exhibition of film in the UK and internationally.  Combining the left and right side of her brain, Gemma is dedicated to a world which allows her to explore creative storytelling whilst feeding her addiction to stationery.  Her films have screened at various international festivals including PalmSprings ShortsFest, Edinburgh International Film Festival, and Raindance.