Created by the team at London’s award-winning independent Genesis Cinema, FRAGMENTS FESTIVAL is a celebration of inclusivity through film. Bringing together incredible cinema from around the world, and shining a light on underrepresented stories and filmmakers, Fragments turns Genesis Cinema into a hub of international film, discussions, live music and special events between 7 – 15 June. In this first edition of Fragments, almost 80% of filmmakers identify as women, people of colour, disabled and/or LGBTQ+
JURY AWARDS
Festival films will screen in competition, with awards for Best Feature and Best Short. Additional award categories Young Filmmaker Award and Best Film Shot On A Phone help encourage inclusivity amongst the next generation of filmmakers.
Awards will be judged by a jury comprising Oscar-winning and twice BAFTA nominated film producer, and Birds Eye View Director-at-Large Mia Bays, screenwriter and producer Geoff Deane, whose credits include It’s A Boy Girl Thing and Kinky Boots, actor Clint Dyer who has starred in films including SUS and Mine, and actress and director Dominique Tipper, known for her lead role in sci-fi series The Expanse. Award winners will be announced on closing night.
FESTIVAL GUESTS
Fragments Festival will welcome an eclectic and relevant array of guests. Writer, Instagrammer, sex worker, and now the subject of a documentary, Eva Collé with attend the London Premiere ofSEARCHING EVA (June 11). Shining a light on the important conversations around sex work, the accompanying event LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX WORK (June 13) is co-curated with sex worker activist Joana Nastari (creator of one-woman stage show F**k You, Pay Me), and comprises a panel discussion plus art and film screenings.
Following the screening of NORMAL IS OVER 1.1 (June 10), award-winning director Renée Scheltema will be joined by representatives from Extinction Rebellion for a panel discussion tackling the subject of climate change and species extinction.
The festival is also pleased to announce that the following directors will attend Fragments and take part in post-screening Q&As to explore other important and topical issues: Yonni Usiskin, TIME TO DIE (June 9), Lisa Zi Xiang, A DOG BARKING AT THE MOON (June 13), Adele Tulli, NORMAL(June 14), Justin Edgar of the 104 films collective, THE SOCIAL MODEL (June 15). More tbc.
DISCOURSE & LIVE ACTS
The UK’s biggest Riot Grrrl night, #Genesisters returns as part of Fragments for GENESISTERS UNOFFICIAL BIKINI KILL PRE-PARTY (June 8). Featuring female-led live music, art and film to celebrate Bikini Kill’s return to the UK, the headliners are gay female rock band Suggested Friends, along with Captain Handsome (Lily Rae of Fightmilk), Lilith Ai and more, plus a late-night screening of Kathleen Hanna’s doc THE PUNK SINGER – all alongside the special Fragments preview of gut-punching Romanian feature ALICE T.
A combination of Q&A and live performances, HOMEGROWN (June 9) is a travel series following music producers from Treehouse 707 creating unique music based on the location they are in. After a day to draw inspiration around the location, Barney Dwyer, AJMW and fanshore are given just one hour to create their track – with the results judged by underground legends Lord Apex and Louis Culture from creative collective Elevation Meditation.
A programme of free screenings, workshops and Q&A’s for emerging filmmakers aged 16-30,FRAGMENTS CONNECT (June 15) is led by film industry professionals including Lashana Lynch, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor and Gini Goodwin, and incorporates a screening of Oscar-nominated short film BLACK SHEEP.
Let’s Talk About Sex Work, Homegrown and Fragments Connect are co-produced by Harts Theatre Company.
Genesis Cinema’s Bar Paragon will be a hub of socialising and networking throughout Fragments Festival, with DAILY LIVE ACTS including DJs, comedy, live music and discussion. Acts include Welsh folk punker Efa Supertramp, London country musician Rhiannon The Nightmare and East London goth pop band Candy Cane.