Girls in Film on why visibility alone is not enough

Celebrating a decade of amplifying women, non-binary and trans creatives in the film industry, Girls in Film marks its 10th anniversary with the launch of a new fund supporting emerging filmmakers.

Founded in 2016 as a community platform, Girls in Film has spent the past ten years creating spaces for underrepresented voices to connect and collaborate in an industry that continues to struggle with meaningful structural change.

What began as a response to the growing accessibility of digital filmmaking has since evolved into an international network spanning multiple cities, producing events, workshops, screenings and original productions while fostering a sense of community both within and beyond the film world. But despite increased visibility for women, non-binary and trans creatives over the past decade, many of the same barriers remain firmly in place – from shrinking funding opportunities to the long-term sustainability of creative careers.

To mark the milestone, Girls in Film has launched a £25,000 short film fund aimed at supporting production-ready projects led by women, trans+ and non-binary filmmaking teams across the UK.

After they contributed to our recent list compiling the best film scores of the 21st century, Crack spoke to GIF team members Nikola Vasakova, Ying-Di Yin and Becs Rainey about the platform’s decade-long journey, the challenges facing emerging creatives today, and why launching the new fund felt more urgent than ever.

When Girls In Film started 10 years ago, what gap were you trying to fill?

Nikola Vasakova, Founder: GiF was created out of the necessity and desire to create a space for a new generation of filmmakers coming up in the era of digital video. With the affordability of digital cameras capable of shooting high definition video, it became more accessible for people from marginalised groups to enter the industry and tell their stories. It became a democratic space.

When I started GiF in 2016, so many women were doing interesting things – shooting music videos, documentaries or a combination of both, experimenting with the format as well as working in different positions in the industry. I wanted to create a space where we could all connect.

What has been the most pivotal moment for the platform so far?

NV: This could definitely be a different thing for all of us, and there are quite a few moments for me, personally. We were selected to host an event at SXSW 2019, did a workshop with the British Council in Mauritius and after year one, we opened our first international branch in Prague. Now we’re at eight IRL branches globally, from New York to Johannesburg, Athens and Dublin. Another big moment was expanding the Girls in Film mission by helping produce some amazing short films and music videos under our production company, which was set up in 2018 – GiF Production.

Ying-Di Yin, Special Projects and Programming: What’s so unique about Girls in Film is that it’s open to all. The organisation is made up of people who work in the industry, in some form or another, who are interested in bringing community together through film and highlighting interesting voices and stories that should be heard. It’s an ever-evolving door, and with that, we are constantly growing and changing. Working on cross-artform programming and bringing first-time attendees to our events has been such a joy, from collaborating with Tate Modern and Tate Britain, to supper clubs like Come Together and The Dinner Circle, to reading groups and [working with] publishers such as WORMS. We’ve also collaborated with other community groups, studios and organisations across the past decade, including Inclusivity Films, Grey Moth, Panavision, Baeasianz, and Trans On Screen.

Ten years on, what feels fundamentally different about the landscape for women, non-binary and trans creatives in film? And what’s frustratingly stayed the same?

YY: Visibility for women, non-binary and trans+ creatives has definitely grown, but unfortunately, not as quickly as it should. We are seeing more support and nuanced, diverse stories being told, but there’s still a way to go. Shockingly, the percentage of female directors decreased in 2025, so it’s a sign we still have more work to do. We need to continue to move forward and outward in an industry that feels like it’s shrinking economically, and a world that feels like it’s shrinking ideologically.

NV: We have seen a lot of amazing female filmmakers whose films we screened come up and establish their careers in the last ten years, many of whom have stayed close to the community and are giving back by sharing their experience and knowledge. The rest, I agree with Ying-Di!

Girls In Film has always been about community as much as it is about visibility. How has your understanding of what that community needs evolved over the past decade?

YY: We’ve seen a real desire for community – we all want connection. I also believe that community groups are powerful and can shape art and culture. Girls in Film offers a safe space to network, build connections, and make friends while watching films and supporting interesting stories and voices. We’ve received amazing feedback from our community – one attendee at a recent workshop told us that the group was life-changing for her. We’ve also had people get jobs from attending our events, through the organic and genuine nature of networking in this environment.

Recently, we’ve expanded outside the film industry with our events, collaborating with arts institutions, local supper clubs and other art forms and communities. Not only does it elevate the medium of film in the arts & culture space, but it also allows us to engage in contemporary culture and showcase authentic and diverse stories to new people. We’re all about inclusion. Boys are welcome too!

NV: I will add that it’s actually great to see men come to our events. I hope they can see the benefit of spaces like ours, and the benefit of taking part in the dialogue about equality, diversity and opportunities.

A lot of industry initiatives focus on opening doors, but less on what happens after. Where do you think support systems are still failing emerging filmmakers?

NV: It’s all about funding and money. Filmmaking and working in this industry require perseverance and are often not sustainable. Emerging filmmakers still have to have other jobs and ways of making a living in order to create on the side. This, of course, makes sense at the beginning of careers, but if we want filmmakers to have longevity, we need to think practically and in terms of resources. Allowing emerging filmmakers to work on their craft and providing opportunities that fund them and their endeavours continues to be important.

Can you tell us about the new short film fund? What kinds of stories, voices or approaches are you hoping it will prioritise?

Becs Rainey, Head of GiF UK: When considering how to celebrate Girls in Film’s 10th birthday, the most important thing was to give back to the community that has supported us for this long. We’ve been here for 10 years because of the wonderful people who come to our events and engage with us IRL and online. We had a little pot of money put aside from ticket sales and productions over the years, and wanted to put it towards something mega. We reached out to our friends, sponsors and organisations with the fund concept and garnered an incredible group of financial and in-kind supporters.

It has resulted in our £25,000 production fund to support an exciting filmmaking project. The fund is open to women, trans+ and non-binary filmmaking teams based in the UK. We’re looking for fiction-based projects across animation and live action formats, excluding music videos, and must be under 20 minutes in length.

We’re looking for bold and original, production-ready films that can be delivered by the end of this year. Shortlisted projects will be invited to pitch to a panel of Executive Producers. Runner-up projects will be given additional mentoring to push their projects forward.

What does meaningful support actually look like in 2026? Is it funding, mentorship, access, or something less tangible?

BR: Meaningful support is at the intersection of all of these channels you mentioned; each is as important as the other. The practical support is definitely crucial, which needs to be shared by many people – community organisations, governmental institutions and private bodies. The less tangible support is often dismissed by the latter. Institutions and private investors can’t always provide a sense of community and belonging, and the feeling that one is not alone in the pursuit of a creative career. Emphasis on this and well-being in the industry is important to sustain emerging and mid-level careers and the next generation.