BFI NETWORK South West in collaboration with partners Blak Wave Productions, Little By Little Films and Bristol AF Productions, are delighted to announce the cohort for New Voices 2025. These eight writer-directors will be developing their five-minute short film scripts with script editors, receive mentoring from our production company partners and will take part in a workshop with Bristol School of Acting.
Meet The Participants
Tay Aziz Malik (she/they)
Tay is a filmmaker and community organiser who tells stories that envision and imagine regenerative, just futures, with a focus on voices often left at the margins. Her practice is shaped by a commitment to climate and social justice, drawing inspiration from everyday acts of care and resistance.’
Justyna Green (she/her)
Justyna Green is a British-Polish animator, and animation director, specialising in stories that addresses women’s health and wellbeing. Her work explores complex topics through a combination of humour and sensitivity, offering accessible narratives on difficult subjects.
Micha Colombo (she/her)
Micha is a Devon-based writer-performer. She has made 2 films on commission from Exeter Phoenix: I Want This and Abigail’s an Activist Now. A slam-winning and published poet, recent writing also includes prize-winning audio drama Shreds (Theatre West) and children’s book, The Mossy Story (ART & ENERGY). Her work often explores climate, embodiment & hope.
Roshan Balu (he/him)
Roshan Balu is a writer-director whose work explores the British Asian experience. A graduate from the University of Gloucestershire, his short film Coconut was the recipient of national student awards & his latest short, Ascend has screened at multiple festivals, including Flatpack Festival and Bristol’s Forbidden Worlds. He is currently in pre-production of his latest short, After the Rain.
Rachel Raftery (she/her)
Rachel is a writer-director from Manchester, based in Bristol. She has a background in film and High-End TV as a Director’s Assistant, working on award-winning dramas for companies such as Apple TV and Netflix. She’s drawn to character-driven narratives inspired by true stories and the quiet poetry of real life.
Asmaa Jama
Asmaa Jama is a Somali-Danish poet, filmmaker, and multidisciplinary artist based in Bristol. Asmaa’s film work combines visual storytelling with themes of archival memory, myth, and diasporic narratives. Their projects include Before We Disappear (2021), an interactive piece commissioned by BBC Arts, and Except this time nothing returns from the ashes (2022/23), co-directed with Gouled Ahmed. Their works have been showcased at several BAFTA-qualifying film festivals, including Aesthetica Short Film Festival. As well as winning, the Berwick Film Festival’s New Cinema Award.
Max Bevan (he/him)
Max Bevan is a Bristol-based writer, director and actor. After several years building a portfolio as an online creator and creative enabler, Max is currently developing a multi-skilled creative CV, starting with his recent signing to Rising Arts CIC. Max is passionate about telling authentic stories from unheard voices and shining a light on his working-class south west routes.
Elinor Lower (they/them)
Elinor Lower is a queer writer-director with a background in theatre. Their work explores the blurriness of / intersections between form, control, queer and transness, environment, humour and tenderness. Their micro-short DEAD WIFE HUG won Best 48-Hour Film at Two Short Nights Film Festival and they are currently in post-production on their short dawnbreaker, commissioned by Exeter Phoenix.
