Working towards a more inclusive and representative film exhibition sector, our rolling Beyond Boundaries programme has been helping individuals from across the South West to put on their own film events since 2018, with bespoke support including 1-to-1 mentoring and introductions to FAN member organisations.
In response to demand and with the support of BFI, awarding funds from The National Lottery, we launched Beyond Boundaries 360 in 2019, a more structured biennial development programme offering a small cohort of individuals with a focus on those that are currently under-represented in the creative sector a chance to access a series of in-depth training sessions and a peer group. Since then, Beyond Boundaries 360 has gone from strength to strength, supporting 37 creative practitioners many of which have gone on to put on film events here in the South West.
Recent highlights from Beyond Boundaries included:
After completing Beyond Boundaries, 2024 alumni Sal Creber went on to create Reel Life Monsters – celebrating and sharing horror films that contain LGBT+ subtext. For their first event at Komedia Bath, they presented a double bill of A Field in England (2013) and Ravenous (1999), with a talk on both features by Lucian Stephenson, and art by Monty and Danny Leigh.
Website: Reel Life Monsters
After completing Beyond Boundaries in 2024, Florence Grieve founded Sense & Accessibility with the aim to further the conversation around accessible and representative film exhibition for disabled audiences. The first event is in partnership with FilmBath at their 2024 festival. Taking place on 26 October, it will feature a screening of Close to You, with descriptive subtitles and audio description, followed by a panel discussion in collaboration with Queer Vision and Switch, with BSL interpretation and live subtitling from Stagetext. Sense & Accessibility is also partnering on an event for film exhibitors at the FilmBath Exhibitors Industry Day, examining the what, why’s and how’s of inclusive programming.
Hana was referred to us by programme alumnus Gary Thompson (Cables & Cameras.) she set up Bristol Kino Club, a film community to talk about arthouse and independent cinema. Hana put on her first sold out screening (The Watermelon Woman) at The Cube with mentoring from Cables & Cameras under the banner of Beyond Boundaries. Follow Bristol Kino Club on socials Facebook, Twitter & Instagram to find out about upcoming events. Read an interview with Hana in 365bristol.com
Emmeline Rodman created a new Sci-fi initiative Screens of Matter with a specific focus on neurodiverse audiences (i.e. those living with a range of conditions including Attention Deficit Disorders, Autism, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.) With a long-term ambition to create a dedicated science fiction cinema, Emmeline took a first step towards that vision by putting on a Judge Dredd/Dredd double-bill at the former Bristol IMAX cinema inside the Aquarium as featured in Bristol 24/7.
Building on her previous experience working for a film distribution company in Venezuela, freelance programmer Lorena Pino started her film exhibition journey in the UK volunteering for Bath Film Festival. In 2017, she started organising one off film events in her own community at Trowbridge Townhall in Wiltshire under the banner of Getting Together Through Film using cinema to build bridges between communities and explore topics like migration and identity.
In 2020, Lorena took part in Beyond Boundaries 360%, a BFI FAN supported skills development programme aimed at voices that are underrepresented in the sector.
In 2021, with a larger award from the BFI FAN Film Exhibition Fund, Lorena Pino’s collaboration with Trowbridge Townhall expanded from one off community events to a more regular film programme including new independent films and rep cinema.
With new investment from the government’s Future High Street Fund, Trowbridge’s historic Town Hall is planning to bring an even richer mixed arts programme of activities in the future to its community in collaboration with Lorena.
This was an eye-opening experience, an invaluable networking opportunity with both fellow participants and highly qualified specialists who delivered varied workshops; sharing their professional experiences in the complex distribution and exhibition sector. One of the best parts for me was organising our own film events.
African Voices Forum (AVF)’s Sauda Kyalambuka and everyone involved in recently putting on a packed screening of Queen of Katwe at the Malcolm X Community Centre, with partners Come the Revolution, Into Film, Bristol is the New Black and Watershed.
This was an uplifting get together to watch the beautifully shot, true story of a young Phiona’s struggle to escape the poverty of Kampala’s Katwe district using her talent for Chess. It’s a classic Disney film tinged with surprising realism, and with free popcorn and the opportunity to suggest ideas for future screenings and the potential for a new film club in St. Pauls, this was a great community event.
Here are just some of the comments from previous Beyond Boundaries 360 participants and also see three short case studies spotlighted below:
I’ve really enjoyed working with a community of like-minded practitioners.
Everything felt so tangible and doable, ALL sessions felt so useful, and action orientated. For me really did feel like it was cracking open things I wouldn’t have had any idea about.
Beyond Boundaries provided a place of reassurance, supporting my understanding that I was on the right path.
Not only they are giving me training, also support on different levels, networking opportunities and something unique, that is always finding a way I get paid for my work in a fair/professional way!
We need more representation like this!
Meeting other creative people and that the weekly sessions kept my project on track. The Hub team were very helpful, inspiring, encouraging, insightful and accessible.
If you’re feeling inspired by these stories, and have a new idea for an audience-facing cinema project, then follow the link to learn more about Beyond Boundaries.