What is CINESISTERS?

CINESISTERS is a collective of female-identifying directors working across Film, TV and Commercials. It was set up by two female directors in 2017, who met at Edinburgh International Film Fest. The meetings for CINESISTERS began in each other's homes, but they were so well attended we needed a larger space. A Core Team of CINESISTERS was formally set up to reach out to office spaces and organisations to house these meetings. A website was also set up so that all members could have a public profile, in a bid to help us all find directing work.

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In these early years, we teamed up with Directors UK to encourage funders and broadcasters to enforce parity with male and female directors. The statistics were diabolical at the time and have since improved. Most of the directors at these early meetings were only able to make short films and many have now made feature films and or worked on high-end drama series as the lead director. CINESISTERS has helped shift the industry towards parity. We haven't got there yet, but it's better than it was.

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What are CINESISTERS key objectives?

1. Providing a community for female-identifying screen directors through access and events.

2. Offering solidarity for female-identifying screen directors.

3. Driving activism within the industry around issues and challenges that female-identifying directors face.

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Who are the Core Team?

The Core Team are un-paid volunteers, mostly freelancers, who fit CINESISTERS around their careers and families. As freelancers our availability changes, with regard to our work with CINESISTERS.

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​​Core Team: Aleksandra Czenczek, Amal Al-Agroobi, Annabel Vine, Deva Palmier, Faye Jackson, Hannah Berry George, Jo Lewis, Laurel Parker, Louise C. Galizia, Naomi Wright and Sophie Austin.

Comedysisters: Hannah Berry George

Docusisters: Sophie Austin

In-Person Events: Amal Al-Agroobi

Meetings: Naomi Wright, Annabel Vine

New Membership: Faye Jackson

Newsletter: Louise C. Galizia, Jo Lewis

Social Media: Louise C. Galizia, Jo Lewis

Website: Deva Palmier

Writers Group: Aleksandra Czenczek

Screenings & Festivals: Laurel Parker

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What do I need to do to become a member? 

To join CINESISTERS you need to be a female identifying director who has either - 1. Made a feature film. 2. Has a broadcast TV credit or 3. Made at least 3 short films.

You also must be attached to direct TV or have a feature film that is either in funded development, or a completed first draft. 

If you qualify, please email us on wearecinesisters@gmail.com

CINESISTERS is run by volunteers. Please bear with us if we're slow to respond, we could be on set :)

 

What do I do to join? 

Send evidence of the above to wearecinesisters@gmail.com. There is an annual membership fee of £15 to cover running costs, like website hosting, zoom membership and editing of the CINESISTERS showreel. This fee will be reviewed annually. 

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What is the difference between being a member and being on the Core Team? 

Members have their profile on the website and access to all CINESISTERS events and sessions. The Core Team are all members, who volunteer in the running of events, strategy, activism, PR, newsletter writing,  social media, screenings, writer and creator groups. Any member can join the Core Team. We welcome more Core Team members since with CINESISTERS, you get out what you put in.  

 

Is Cinesisters a charity?

Cinesisters is not a charity. We are a collective, who are not for profit. None of the Core Team are paid, but we will occasionally pay someone to support us, like an editor to cut the CINESISTERS showreel.

 

What events do you run? 

We aim to run 6-12 panel events a year on zoom on specific industry based subjects that are useful for all directors. We are hoping to run 1-2 in person events a year, one being a fixed annual event.

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