Celebrate International Women's Day with this brilliant line up of short films from Feminista Film Festival curated by Rebecca Ballard, freelance film programmer and Queer Vision Festival Producer.

The selection responds to the theme of belonging, looking in particular at women's connection to nature and wildness, something that has seemed increasingly important during the pandemic. It also puts the spotlight on women in traditionally male and white-dominated places such as politics, adventure and extreme sports.

The line-up includes ten Festival favourites - films from Yorkshire to Afghanistan, featuring swimmers and singers, anglers and activists, and more.

This shorts programme features:

Befriend to Defend*

Dir: Esmé Hicks, 3 mins 48secs

Rich feminist poetry and snappy, colourful visuals combine in this spoken word short. Based on lived experience and featuring over 20 women, the film tackles the notion of the “correct” way to respond to threats and assault.

Kim I Am

Director: Ben Proudfoot, 13 mins 46secs

Kim Hill was a rising singer. She met a young rapper named will.i.am. The rest is history — or is it?

OK, Chloe*

Dir: Charlotte Evans, 8 min 46secs

Millennial MP Chlöe Swarbrick challenges the establishment during the most important year of her political career.

Right to Play (Subtitled)*

Dir: Nina Holmgren, 1 min 52secs

Khalida and her mother stood together in the wake of the Taliban regime, where women were not allowed to play sports. They went on to establish the first Afghan womens national football team.

Par for the Course

Dir: Kody Kohlman, 3 mins 40secs

The Mirnavator is back! Mirna Valerio takes on her first ever sky race at the 4th annual Broken Arrow Sky Race.

Project 282

Dir: Paddy Bartram, 10 mins 20secs

Emily Scott sets off to climb all of Scotland’s Munros (mountains over 3,000 feet), attempting to make a continuous, self-propelled and self-supported round.

Where I Belong

Dir: Chris Cresci, 9 mins 40secs

Chris Hill, an environmental lobbyist and angler, never saw people like herself on the river until recently. Through social media platforms like Instagram, traditionally underrepresented voices are creating communities to encourage one another and amplify their message - we belong here too.

Finding Joy*

Dir: Jo Moseley, 2 mins 10secs

This film is a poem written and read by Jo Moseley, 54, about the joy of tiny, midlife adventures in the sea and hills of Yorkshire.

Chasing the Sublime*

Dir: Amanda Bluglass, 6 mins 30secs

A mesmeric look at why adventurers adventure, and swimmers swim. Shot in Loch Hourn, Scotland, in 2018, the film documents the swimming adventures of Kate Rew and Kari Furre of the Outdoor Swimming Society.

Why Not Now*

Dir: Riley Hooper, 2 mins 51secs

At the age of 49, blind and afraid of water, Vivian Stancil dove in to save her life.

*These films are F Rated

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