100 Women and Non-Binary Directors We Loved In 2021
At the start of 2021 we decided to compile a list of film directors that we loved from the festival circuit in 2020. After watching so many brilliant films last year at festivals again we’re thrilled to present 100 filmmakers this time around to spotlight their amazing work. This list contains mainly independent UK based film directors whose short film work was featured at a film festival in 2021.
Why do we do this list? Well, not only do we enjoy celebrating the hard work and accomplishments of these filmmakers, it’s also to show to the film industry that when it comes to inclusion and diversity the talent is indeed out there and these filmmakers and many others have exciting careers ahead of them given the right opportunities and support.
We certainly struggled this year narrowing the list down to 100, but we’ll be highlighting many more filmmakers throughout the year as we always do here at Rianne Pictures, so scroll through this talented list of names and be inspired by how many fantastic shorts by non-binary and women filmmakers found a home at festivals last year.
Achiro P. Olwoch
The Mineral Basket screened at Sheffield Short Film Festival
Alex Anna
Scars screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Alia Ghafar
Scuzz screened at Glasgow Short Film Festival
Alice Trueman
The Cost of Living screened at BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival
Alison Piper
Both Authentic Footage and Still, Passing Between Worlds screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Amber Akaunu
Afro Hair Rituals screened at Women X Film Festival
Annie Harmeston
Quick Fix screened at Women X Film Festival, Aesthetica Short Film Festival and London Short Film Festival
Caitlin Black
12th Man screened at Glasgow Short Film Festival
Calif Chong
Underneath screened at Women X Film Festival, winning Best Student Film and Best International Film.
Cara Holmes
Welcome to a Bright White Limbo screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Charlotte Daniel
Eyes Down screened at Women X Film Festival
Cherish Oteka
The Black Cop screened at both Leeds International Film Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival and has been nominated for a BAFTA award
Chloe May Law
Heartthrob screened at both Women X Film Festival and BFI Future Film Festival
Cilla Lafayette
ORDO I:X screened at Women X Film Festival winning Best Experimental
Cloudy Rhodes
Deluge screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
COURTNEY HOPE THÉROND
My Own screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Daisy Ifama
RIP SENI screened at Sheffield DocFest, London Short Film Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Dubheasa Lanipekun
Blue Corridor 15 screened at Women X Film Festival, Fringe of Colour Films and Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Ebele Tate
Kiss Chase screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival and British Urban Film Festival
Elisha Smith-Leverock
Rejoice Resist screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Ella Jones
Both Petra and Miss Fortunate screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Ellie Heydon
Returning to the list again this year, Pelicans screened at Women X Film Festival and our team caught a preview of her new short Pragma.
Emmalie El fadli
From A to Q screened at BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival and Women X Film Festival
Emmanuelle Soffé
Neo Gender: A Structural Renaissance screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Florence Winter Hill
Both The Gospel According to Gail and Whore #4 screened at Women X Film Festival, Whore #4 winning Best Comedy. The Gospel According to Gail also screened at London Short Film Festival and Flatpack Festival
Gagandeep Kalirai
Cha screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Guy Hassell
Let’s Talk About Joe screened at Women X Film Festival winning Best Documentary (co directed with Dorothy Krakowska)
Hannah Currie
That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Honor Evans
I Am Not The Other screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Hussina Raja
Look At Us screened at UK Asian Film Festival, and both Roots and Look At Us screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Janet Marrett
Returning to the list from last year, Asunder screened at Women X Film Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Jennifer Martin
Teeth screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival and Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival
Jessica Dowse
My Condolences To Your Future Lovers screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Jo Prichard
The Palace screened at London Short Film Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival and has been nominated for a BAFTA award
Joëlle Bentolila
STARBOY screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor
For Love screened at BFI London Film Festival
Juliana Kasumu
Babybangz screened at both Aesthetica Short Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival
Kate Graham
Having been featured in last year’s list Kate returns as Scrum screened at Women X Film Festival and Little Grasses Crack Through Stone screened at Leeds International Film Festival
Kathryn MacCorgarry Gray
Deep Meaningful Conversation screened at Women X Film Festival
Kim Angelica Head
Precious Bundle screened at Flatpack Festival and won Best Student Award at Encounters Film Festival
Kiran Kaur Brar
Boots on Ground screened at Open City Documentary Festival and London Short Film Festival
Kirsty McClean
TOM CAT screened at Leeds International Film Festival and won Best Scottish Short at Edinburgh Short Film Festival
Lainey Richardson
Abi: Being Black & 6teen screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Laura Marcus
The Massive F*cking Bender screened at BFI Future Film Festival
Laura N-Tamara
True Sound Facade screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Laura Wadha
Isle of Us screened at Glasgow Short Film Festival
Lexy Anderson
Three Triple A's screened at Women X Film Festival
Lilly Zhuang
As Far as Our Eyes Can See screened at BFI Future Film Festival
Lissi Simpson
Mėxed screened at Women X Film Festival and Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Lois Stevenson
What About Me? screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival and London Short Film Festival
Lotte Cassidy
Fancy a Cuppa? screened at Glasgow Short Film Festival
Louisa Rose Mackleston
Ruth & Safiya screened at Leeds International Film Festival and won Best Short Film at Cardiff International Film Festival
Lucy Chappell
Yellowbird screened at Women X Film Festival winning four awards including Best Director
Lucy Graham
Smile for the Camera screened at Women X Film Festival
Lydia Garnett
Lonely Cowgirl screened at Leeds International Film Festival and Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest
Marco Alessi
Saintmaking screened at Raindance Film Festival and London Short Film Festival
Mattie Kennedy and Vitoria Bastos
Enid & Valerie: The Dream screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Michaela Storm Moir
Downtime screened at Women X Film Festival
Michelle Coomber
Nsenene screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival and BFI London Film Festival
Michelle Williams Gamaker
The Bang Straws screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and London Short Film Festival
Missy Malek
We're Too Good For This screened at BFI London Film Festival
Mwixx Mutinda
Abled Differently screened at Sheffield Short Film Festival
Nadia Latif
They Heard Him Shout Allahu Akbar screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Natalia Andreadis
How Can I Forget screened at Women X Film Festival
NATALYA MYKHAYLYUK
SOUR screened at Women X Film Festival
Neeraja Raj
Meow or Never screened at BFI Future Film Festival
Nia Childs
The Other End screened at BFI London Film Festival and London Short Film Festival
Niki Kohandel
Just Another Year screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival and The Sparrow is Free screened at London Short Film Festival
Olive Nwosu
Another return from last year’s list, Egúngún (Masquerade) screened at BFI London Film Festival
Onyinye Egenti
Oh, Geno! screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Philippa Ndisi-Herrmann
Seeds screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2021
Rachana Shete
A Note to Myself screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival (co directed with Aashka Shah)
Reman Sadani
Mouthwash screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
René Lorraine
One Piece of the Puzzle screened at Women X Film Festival
Rosanagh Griffiths
Cindy won Best Queer Film at Sheffield Shorts Film Festival
Rosie Westhoff
Our Sister screened at London Short Film Festival
Roxy Rezvany
Wifi Rider and Little Pyongyang screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Ruth Fadairo
We Are screened at Women X Film Festival
Sally Cancello
Fargate screened at Sheffield Short Film Festival
Salma Ashraf
Chalta Hi Gaya screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Sarah Clift
The Birth Of Valerie Venus screened at London Short Film Festival
Sarah Grant and Katrina Allen
Sarah returns to this list from last year with her directing partner Katrina, Coming of Age screened at Women X Film Festival
Sarah Khan
Inside Out screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Sari Katharyn
Luna screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Sema Basharan
The Branches are Hope; The Roots are Memory won the Yorkshire Short Film Competition at Leeds International Film Festival and screened at Sheffield DocFest and Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Shayna Connelly
Bananas Girl screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Shiyi Li
Stationary Peaceful Protest screened at Leeds International Film Festival and Flatpack Festival
Shruti Veeramachineni
The Ghastly Fowl screened at Sunderland Shorts Film Festival
Si Chen
BUBBLE U screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Silé Sibanda
My Melanin screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Simisolaoluwa Akande
Dudu (Black) and Ojumo Ti Mo screened at BFI Future Film Festival and London Short Film Festival
sis gürdal
Postcards From The Orient screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Sophie Littman
Know The Grass screened at BFI London Film Festival, Leeds International Film Festival and London Short Film Festival. It also made the BIFA longlist for Best British Short
Susan Emina/Ruby Suze
Strong Black Woman?! screened at Women X Film Festival
Tobi Adebajo
Transitions II: Movement in Isolation screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival and Fringe of Colour Films
Varsha Panikar
Bodies of Desire screened at BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival
Veronika Ficek
Beyond a Body screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Warda Mohamed
Sorry, My Somali is Not Very Good screened at Aesthetica Short Film Festival
Zohar Dvir
Mercury's Retrograde screened at Flatpack Film Festival
Katayoun Jalilipour
#Familiar #Touch #Lost #Figures screened at London Short Film Festival
We’re looking forward to seeing what films await us this year in the festival circuit from non-binary and women directors and, of course, building our own programme at Women X Film Festival in the Autumn. If there’s a filmmaker not mentioned here that you think we should know about, just get in touch and we’ll add them to our watchlist and they could appear in next year’s list!
