Too Much: Melodrama on Film
Delivered in partnership with the BFI, FAN is proud to unveil the new UK-wide season – Too Much: Melodrama on Film – where audiences are invited to follow their emotions and get swept away by the big screen experience.
Too Much celebrates the visual excess and dramatic potency of a form of cinema which champions emotional intensity over propriety and ‘good taste’. With roots in the exaggerated performance and expressive staging of the silent era, the melodramatic mode evolved to incorporate a wealth of genres and stories. United by their emotion driven plots, vivid visual language and self-conscious audience manipulation, these films are designed to make you break down in tears, cause a scene, fall in love, feel something.
Defining melodrama is notoriously difficult – its trademarks (emotive music, dramatic plots and expressive performance) are the bread and butter of cinema. To be included in the season, films must meet the following criteria:
- Heightened emotions and pathos: on screen, and/or deliberately induced in the audience.
- Some combination of amplified performance, visuals, score and plot used to achieve this.
- Personal relationships at the heart of the emotional conflict portrayed.
Melodrama in film has long been associated with women – the rare storytelling mode concerned with their inner lives and everyday struggles. ‘Women’s pictures’ employed melodrama to express longing, rage and desire in characters facing motherhood, infidelity, sexual abuse and scandal. Too Much will celebrate the female stars of melodrama who have drawn audiences to the cinema in their millions, and films exploring women’s experiences are encouraged.
Backed by a UK-wide Press and marketing campaign and a central listing platform, the season will have a broad audience appeal.
You must be a member of Film Hub South West as part of BFI Film Audience Network to access support from this programme.
How do I become a Film Hub Member?
To be eligible for support, organisations must be registered members of Film Hub South West and be legally constituted with a nominated UK Bank Account. Proposals from individuals or non-members will not be considered.
Where do I start?
Look at the Creative Brief below for more information about the programme scope and to get some inspiration.
Also get ideas from the list of contextual titles that are available to book.
What funding is available?
There are three ways you can engage with the programme and access support:
- 1) MENU: Pick from the menu of key titles available from assorted distributors in the UK and access support of up to £125 per film for enhancement wraparound activity and audience development; with a very straight- forward process to access the support.
- 2) BESPOKE: Up to £15,000 (average awards likely to be circa £5,000 based on previous activity) to develop bespoke projects to allow exhibitors to develop a more bespoke activity within the parameters of the Creative Brief.
- 3) CROSS-FAN: Up to £15,000 to develop programme and/or Marketing/Outreach Activity with the potential to scale or tour across the UK and/or projects involving multiple site-specific events across the UK. Read the Funding Guidelines for more information and guidance.
Period of activity:
The bulk of the season takes place this Autumn (Oct-Dec 2025) across the FAN membership.
(Note that for non-theatrical members, the menu will be available to book until the end of Jan 2026)
Accessibility:
If you require any access needs for completing the form, you may email us directly at filmhub@watershed.co.uk and we can advise how we can accommodate your needs to complete a proposal.
You can find further support for access here
What are the guidelines for this fund?
Please read carefully the Creative Brief and Funding Guidelines below.
Key dates:
- Final deadline for Bespoke and Cross FAN Proposals – 5pm Monday 14 July 2025
- Menu Expressions of Interest can be submitted until Mon 29 September 2025 (but note that for your activity to be included in initial listings announcement, you will need to submit your EOI and confirm your bookings by the end of July.)
- Period of Activity: Oct – Dec 2025 (Menu titles can be booked until January 2026 and some special regional preview event may be allowed to be before the start of October.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
More from Film Hub South West
Watershed is the Lead Film Hub Organisation for Film Hub South West, part of the BFI Film Audience Network.
Watershed is a Registered Charity No. 284188 and a Social Enterprise
Watershed, 1 Canons Road, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5TX
Film Hub South West &
BFI NETWORK South West
are part of the BFI Film Audience Network, supported by The National Lottery.
