The annual short film festival and competition 16 DAYS 16 FILMS today announces the 16 finalist films and jury members for the 2023 edition. With the support of UN Women, UK Says No More, Voice of Change, the Geena Davis Institute, and the BFI Inclusion, 16 Days 16 Films will be showcasing 16 incredible short films from female-identifying filmmakers that explore, emote, or educate on a form of violence against women.
The festival will run online from 25 November to 10 December 2023, between the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women and International Human Rights Day. For every one of the 16 Days of the campaign (25 November – 10 December), one finalist film will be screened on the online platform: 16 Days, 16 Films. These films will remain available to view until mid-December.
The 16 Days 16 Films initiative is presented by Founding Directors Johanna von Fischer and Ginta Gelvan:
“We are excited to present this year’s finalists of 16 Days 16 Films and feel honoured to welcome an extraordinary list of new partners this year including UN Women and the Geena Davis Institute. There is still much to do in the space of gender-based violence and representation on screen. We hope by giving these amazing female filmmakers and their stories a platform we can contribute a little to the much-needed cultural shift.”
With hundreds of submissions from all over the world, the 16 finalist films come from the UK, USA, Mexico and Australia. All the films are directed by a female-identifying filmmaker, are 25 minutes or under, and speak powerfully to the many forms which gender-based violence and inequality and discrimination can take.
An independent jury will be responsible for choosing the winning filmmaker and two runners up. In addition, anyone visiting the 16 Days 16 Films platform to view each of the films is invited to vote in the Audience Award for their favourite. All winners will be announced on 14th December. This year’s independent jury includes an array of individuals from various creative and socio-political backgrounds, including: Kalliope Mingeirou, the Chief of the Ending Violence against Women Section at UN-Women in New York; Madeline Di Nonno – CEO Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media; Daniel Guiness, Managing Director at Beyond Equality; Golda Rosheuvel, Actor (Bridgerton); Saffron Burrows, Actor (Enigma, Circle of Friends); Prano Bailey-Bond, Director (Censor); Emily Atef, Director (More Than Ever, 3 Days in Quiberon); Isabella Odoffin, Casting Director (How To Have Sex); Sarah McCaffrey, Founder Solas Mind; Patsy Stevenson, women’s rights campaigner, writer and public speaker.
“It’s an honour to be part of this powerful festival which aims to address through film many issues surrounding gender based violence. It’s vital to create a platform where these films have the opportunity to be seen. By championing these female filmmakers and their stories, I hope the project inspires viewers themselves to act and engage in the UN’s campaign to end violence against women.” Actor, Saffron Burrows
