TWU20: Meet the Development Forum

(From Top Left Clockwise: Aaron Guthrie, Camilla Baier, Tara Brown, Lizzie Banks, Vicki Brown, Sarah-Jane Meredith, Manon Euler, Jack James Bell, Reba Martin)

As the cinema exhibition sector faces another round of temporary closures, the first digital edition of This Way Up becomes more important than ever as a space for colleagues to share, reflect and support each other. 

Our Development Forum, made up of 9 individuals from across the exhibition sector, is working closely with us to develop the full programme of speakers, sessions, workshops and networking opportunities, which will run online from 1 - 3 December. Get to know the team and hear what they hope to see from this year's conference below. 

Still need to register for this year's conference? It's free, and you can sign up here

Aaron Guthrie is focused on young audiences. He worked at Queen’s Film Theatre as Young Audiences Coordinator. He is a Young Consultant for BFI FAN. He’s currently building a new consultancy to connect cultural cinemas with younger audiences. He’s Irish, loves running and is addicted to buying books.

Twitter: @aaronguthrie

“This Way Up comes roaring back this year in fit form to hold space to think about and crucially, plan our uneasy future. Though not to ignore our past and present where for one, egregious behaviour has festered. I hope we can all deal with these difficult conversations openly in this year’s conference. It’s time for a reckoning."

Aaron Guthrie

Camilla Baier is the co-founder of Invisible Women, a film collective highlighting the work of female filmmakers in the archive, through screenings, exhibitions and editorial. Originally from Berlin she moved to Scotland for studies in 2012. Following a postgrad in Film Exhibition and Curation she worked in the art sector, including two years managing a contemporary art gallery in Mexico City and Mérida. She has most recently joined the INDY Cinema team as Film Programming Coordinator. 

Twitter: @camillabaier

Tara Brown (they/she) is a Queer Black Fat Femme film curator who uses their critical eye to showcase and analyse work that engages with bodies and communities so often excluded from the dominant cultural canon. Tara has been involved in community film work for six years now, including being Co-Director of Wotever DIY Film Festival, Fringe! Queer film & arts festival programmer and most recently Film Programmer for Bernie Grant Art Centre.

Jack Bell has worked at Park Circus for 9 years overseeing the company’s theatrical sales operation. Working with over 100 countries worldwide, Park Circus ensures theatrical distribution for many of the greatest films ever made, representing all the major Hollywood studios. Every day Jack works with programmers of festivals and cinemas around the world who share his passion for seeing films back on the big screen.

Twitter: @BellJackJames

“Looking forward to open discussions about how we create a more dynamic and collaborative environment across the cinema ecosystem (including rights holders, exhibitors, and audiences) to allow for more diversity, variety, and accessibility in cinema programming.”

Jack Bell

Reba Martin is based between Bristol and Edinburgh. Since graduating she has taken up a traineeship as Assistant-turn-Associate Cinema Programming trainee with Journeys Festival International, co-curating screenings and discussions on migration, feminism, food, and asylum. Reba also interned at ¡Viva! Spanish and Latin American film festival at HOME, and has been a Youth Juror for Sheffield Doc/Fest. With a particular interest in archives and ethics, Reba is keen to make UK cinemas better places.

Twitter: @discorebekah

Lizzie Banks is the Producer of Oska Bright Film Festival. The festival is the biggest film festival in the world showcasing films made by, or featuring people with a learning disability, autism or Aspergers. The festival is supported by the BFI, Arts Council England and Adult Swim and is also now BAFTA accredited. Oska Bright Film Festival tours the UK and abroad in non-festival years sharing award winning shorts and features, running workshops and hosting seminars.

Twitter: @oskabright

“We know the sector is in a difficult position, but we're really aware of the barriers that learning disabled and vulnerable audiences face in coming back to the cinema. We want to have this conversation at This Way Up, and support venues to welcome these audiences back into their spaces.”

Lizzie Banks

Manon Euler is the Marketplace and Talent Programme Producer at Sheffield Doc/Fest, designing and organising the festival’s different marketplace initiatives. A graduate from Paris Sorbonne and the University of Copenhagen, Manon also coordinated the 2019 Assembly Development Lab at Open City Documentary Festival. Prior to that, she worked as an assistant for Nordisk Panorama and for the Danish Film Institute. Manon was also a film previewer for Glasgow Short Film Festival 2020 online edition.

“These are turbulent times, with their share of unprecedented challenges for the film exhibition sector. Collaboration and innovation will be paramount in ensuring our sector remains relevant, and in creating exciting and inclusive spaces for our audiences, be it digitally or physically.

 This Way Up will also be an amazing opportunity to critically look inward: it's high time we talk about accountability and working practices in our sector, and ensure we do not merely pay lip service to diversity, inclusivity and workers' rights and well-being, but make it a reality across the whole industry.”

Manon Euler

Sarah-Jane Meredith is Manager UK Wide Audiences, Audience Team at the BFI, working across the Audience Fund and the BFI Film Audience Network. The Audience Fund supports a range of activities with the aim of growing audiences for British independent and international film. Prior to working at the BFI, she worked for Creative England, South West Screen and the South West Media Development Agency, developing exhibition initiatives and supporting talent development. Before that she worked for Arts Council England in London.

Vicki Brown is the Director of International Sales at Altitude Film Sales, the sales arm of Altitude Film Entertainment. Vicki came to Altitude in 2012, directly from Focus Features International. In addition to her role as a sales agent, Vicki is also a film programmer and seeks to showcase East Asian filmmakers. She is also the co-host and co-producer of the podcast Roll Credits.

Twitter: @VickiLiuBrown

“2020 has seen a great upheaval and has shone a light on long-standing issues that have failed to be addressed adequately. Those in society that are most at risk from the pandemic are often the same audiences that are under-served by the film industry. It is imperative that we empower those from under-represented communities to ensure their voices are heard and also provide a safe environment for them to return to cinemas.”

Vicki Brown