Shorts Success
Chair: Tracy Spottiswoode
Date: Wed 15 Oct, 11am @Stadium Plaza
Katie Bignell (She/Her)
Film Festival Strategist & Founder – Festival Formula
Katie, a Bournemouth Media School and Royal Court Writer Groups graduate, founded Festival Formula in 2014 to support filmmakers with festival strategy and submissions. With over 20 years’ experience, the company provides guidance to filmmakers worldwide. Katie is a respected spokesperson on festival issues, featuring in The Hollywood Reporter and Screen Daily, and appearing at Sundance, SXSW, and HollyShorts. She has served on juries for festivals including Raindance and Palm Springs Shortsfest.
Daisy Leigh-Phippard (She/Her)
Writer / Director and Training & Education Officer at BAFTA albert
Daisy is the Training & Education Officer at BAFTA albert, supporting foundational and advanced sustainability training to screen industry professionals at every stage of their career. She manages the delivery of workshops and courses for albert Academy, and Project Lead for the BAFTA albert Education Partnership. Daisy is also a Royal Television Society award-winning short filmmaker, and has recently completed her latest film Shrike, starring Ami Okumura Jones. Daisy has acted as a juror for the British Short Film Awards and Iris Prize Festival.
Dima Hamdan (She/Her)
Writer / Director
Dima Hamdan is an award-winning Palestinian filmmaker and journalist based in Berlin. As a self-taught filmmaker, she has directed several short films in the UK, Jordan, Germany and Palestine. Her short film, The Bomb, won the Best Female Director award at the Ayodhya Film Festival in India. Dima’s latest short, Blood Like Water, premiered at the Galway Film Festival and went on to win the 2024 Iris Prize award – the largest short film prize in the world. Dima is currently working on her feature film debut.
Alice Cabañas (She/Her)
Head of BFI NETWORK
Alice Cabañas is the Head of BFI NETWORK, the UK-wide talent development programme supporting new and emerging filmmakers. Through partnerships with film organisations and leading cultural venues, BFI NETWORK provides short film and early feature development funding, as well as industry-backed professional development and networking opportunities for producers, writers, and directors. Alice previously served as Talent Executive for Film Hub South West and as Film Programme Manager for the British Council.
