An Interview with Zoe Alker

Zoe Alker is a writer and director who is currently based in Bristol. In 2019, Zoe released her Cornish-language film, Yn Mor (At Sea), which was highly commended and awarded with titles such as ‘Best Regional Short’ at the Cornish Film Festival. Since the successes of Yn Mor, Zoe has continued to prove her filmmaking skills and talent by working with Miles Sloman as part of the BBC New Creatives Scheme on the short film Anoraks, as well as working with musician Orla Gartland on her music video projects Did It To Myself and Figure It Out. Due to these achievements, Zoe has been a part of this year's BFI Weekender - an event which aims to showcase the talents of filmmakers from working-class backgrounds. In this interview, she talks to us about creative schemes, the filmmakers who inspire her and tells us about her visions for the next steps in her career.

Congratulations on being a part of BFI Weekender this year! What does it mean to you to be part of this event? 

Thanks! It was so fun to be a part of the event. I really admire all the work the BFI does to include those of us that haven’t had a leg up or a door opened for us - being involved in anything they put on is always really fun. It was so well curated and we were so well considered too. It’s so nice to feel like your presence and the space you take up matters to institutions like that - that means a lot to me.  Everyone else was really bright and smart so it’s exciting to be a part of that cohort...I was very inspired! 

Following on from the BFI Weekender’s aim to showcase working-class creatives like yourself, did you encounter any challenges when entering into the film industry as a working-class individual? 

I think the most difficult thing about trying to start out in the industry was mainly that everything seemed so secretive and elusive. It seemed to be so much about knowing where to find things and knowing who the right people to speak to were. I think the access issue for me was less about being working class and more about just not being familiar with the industry. I think anyone could have, and still can, face that issue. That said, I obviously had to work in other jobs whilst trying to juggle getting work in the industry. This allowed me less freedom and probably slowed down the rate at which my career accelerated. I would say though that once I’d plucked up the courage and decided to stick my own foot in the door I was met with plenty of generous people who were willing to talk and to listen and include me where they could which I’ll always be grateful for. 

Still from Cornish-language short film Yn Mor. Credit to Zoe Alker.

You’re also a part of the BBC New Creatives scheme. Do you think initiatives like these are helping to open some doors for working-class creatives, especially young people who are just starting out in the industry?  

I think schemes are a great way to access parts of the industry that seem elusive or difficult to introduce yourself to. I’d love it if there were more, to be honest. I think it’s really important as well that these schemes are aimed at certain groups and demographics that the industry is missing out on, of course. That being said, they aren’t the only way and if you’re struggling to get onto schemes it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong. I think that’s something I struggled with for a long time. Getting a lot of rejections from institutions you respect can be demoralising, but I think looking at schemes as a bonus and not a necessary part of your career really helps. 

However, do you think that there’s still a long way to go in terms of making the industry more inclusive?

Of course, there is a long way to go. I can only speak from my own experience, which is that what I’ve got out of the industry thus far is relatively equal to the amount of effort I’ve put in. Obviously, I’m not held back by a lot of the things that other people are and I think there is lots to be done to make sure that that rule applies to everyone.  I think, on an individual level, it’s important that every time we feel we have succeeded, we look back and see how we can help someone else succeed as well. I think the competitive culture of the industry is one that is really difficult especially amongst young and emerging creatives,  but I like to think that there are plenty of people trying to make things happen for others on a personal level while the industry catches up. 

Still from Did It To Myself, a music video from Orla Gartland. Credit to Zoe Alker and Orla Gartland. 

Your film, Yn Mor (At Sea), was made in the Cornish language. Is incorporating regional language and culture an important part of your creative process and goals? 

I really loved making that film, and working with a language that I don’t speak was an incredible challenge for me. One of the reasons I wanted to make that film is because finding new ways to make that language live in the 21st century is something I feel really passionate about. I think the preservation and presentation of smaller cultures is something that I really value in my own work and in others. It feels really important to me that those portrayals are genuine and have the true nature of culture at their heart. I’ve written a couple of things since then which are set in Cornwall and I think it’s become something that I feel comfortable stating my claim to be able to talk about. I don’t think I’ll always make work set in Cornwall or about Cornwall but I do recognise that so much of my formative experience happened in that space and so I think those sensibilities will always seep into my work even if only tangentially.

Still from the short film Anoraks. Credit to Zoe Alker.

On a more personal note, is there anyone who you particularly admire in the film industry at the moment? 

It’s such a nice feeling to see some of my friends getting on really well in the industry at the moment, so actually, those I admire the most right now are friends of mine who have worked really hard and  I’m really excited and proud to see how well they’re doing. Kate Herron has just directed Loki for Marvel. Kate is someone I’ve known for years and have seen hustle her way all the way there, so I definitely admire her and her career.  And then there is the fantastic Runyararo Mapfumo who I’ve known and admired for a long time too. She’s a very smart filmmaker and has made some incredible shorts and just jumped straight in to work on Sex Education Series 3 which I think is really exciting. They’re very lucky to have her! I’ve also been lucky in lockdown to start working with Hen and Jess Ashworth who are two very talented screenwriters I admire a lot. They’ve been amazing at giving me advice, being patient and explaining things to me, and also just are very inspiring to be around so I’ve been enjoying working too. I think anyone that uses their position to bring other people up with them, I admire them!

Also, is there anything you’ve watched recently that you’ve loved? 

I’ve seen a few films I’ve really loved lately. I thought Nomadland was fantastic. I really am inspired by Chloe Zhao’s practice and the way she incorporates real life with fiction. I also loved Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow which I saw very recently. I think you can see her worldview all over everything she does and I am always inspired by what she chooses to make and how bold it is. TV-wise, I’ve been loving Call My Agent lately, I got into that quite late but I think the writing is really great, I’m nervous for the British remake of that! And Succession! I only watched that in lockdown and it quickly shot up my list of favourite TV shows.

Are there any other new upcoming projects that you have that you’d like to tell us about? 

I’ve just finished a Masters in Drama Writing at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and for that, I’ve written a full-length play which I am really proud of. I’d love to get that on. I’m working on a feature now which I hope will be my first as a writer/director and I have something else in development too. I’d also really like to make another short, but nothing’s in the pipeline right now. I’m also really excited to get back into working on a bigger production as a writer/directors assistant and to get back on set for the first time in a little while.

You can find more about Zoe here: www.zoealker.com/

Interview by Susanna Demelas