Ellen Kuras’ Kate Winslet-starrer “Lee” is set to open the inaugural Women and World International Film Festival in London, with the Oscar winner’s portrayal of war photographer Lee Miller anchoring the Nov. 21 premiere.
The screening, which comes on the heels of the film’s Nov. 1 Sky Cinema release, will be followed by a Q&A featuring Miller’s son Antony Penrose, producer Kate Solomon and screenwriter Marion Hume. Actor Victoria Emslie, founder of Primetime, will moderate.
Running Nov. 21-23, the fest spotlights women’s roles in global conflict zones, with Ukrainian producer-director Ksenia Bugrimova as co-founder and executive and creative director, and Mariia Vynogradova, co-founder, festival’s operational director, and director of partnerships and sponsorship, at the helm.
The opening night lineup also includes panel discussions with Brian Cox, Nicole Ansari Cox, Oscar-nominated director Waad al-Kaateb and Oscar-winning filmmaker Elena Andreicheva, Shabnam Nasimi, and Ukraine’s Ambassador to the U.K., former Commander-in-Chief General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, who will talk about important themes related to armed conflicts and the role of women in world history.
Sundance 2024 winner “Porcelain War” leads the competitive program’s U.K. premieres. The event, backed by the Ukrainian and Czech embassies in London, will showcase documentaries and features highlighting women’s experiences in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan and other conflict regions.
Bugrimova said: “As a Ukrainian filmmaker shooting films in my war-torn country, I want to amplify the voices of women in film and media, especially during such challenging times when so many nations are fighting for justice. Women play many roles – from volunteers to actresses portraying victims of violence in captivity – and I want to ensure those voices are heard.”
Vynogradova added: “I believe that this topic is essential right now. The arrow that a woman holds in her teeth symbolizes her extraordinary powers and strength, while the tears reflect the softness of her heart.”
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- Source of information and images “variety ““
