Girl Power, a powerful short film produced by New Focus our young people’s collective will be screened at the Fabriano Film Festival in Italy from 1 to 4 December 2022 as as part of a UNESCO collaboration.

The film shares the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of three teenage girls from Bradford. In the film New Focus member Kanwal takes us on a journey around Bradford to meet Alice, Amaira and Kiara as they stand proud in front of the camera. The film fills us with hope, as each girl shows strength, kindness and compassion as they share their determination to fight for equality, stop racism, support disabled people, and save the planet.

Shot in winter 2020 under strict UK Covid restrictions, New Focus overcame adversity to produce this impassioned film that gives  Alice, Amaira and Kiara a voice. New Focus members had never made a film before, presenting for the first time Kanwal worked with Daniella, and Sarah to direct and edit this inspirational film that encourages other young people to stand up with power and have a voice.

Fabriano is a UNESCO City of crafts and folk art and has long standing connections with Bradford as a UNESCO City of Film. David Wilson, Director of Bradford UNESCO City of Film said;

“I was fortunate to visit Fabriano in 2019 as part of the annual meeting of UNESCO Creative Cities, it is a beautiful city and full of creative energy and creative people. I met the organisers of the Fabriano Film Festival who we had previously only ever met online and we have been in touch ever since. They showed me some of the amazing spaces in the city where they screen films and I agreed that we would send more content from Bradford in future years. The Covid 19 pandemic moved the festival online for the last edition so I am delighted that the festival is back and that this film in particular will be screened under a special section for UNESCO creative cities. ‘Girl Power’ is an excellent example of young talent from Bradford and is such a great opportunity to share these stories on an international platform.”

Girl Power is produced by Jennifer Sobol and Anne McNeill and funded by Bradford Council, Bradford UNESCO City of Film and Bradford 2025 as part of their Make Film programme, and supported by Arts Council England.

Image above, from the left: Amaira, aged 12, Kiara, aged 10, Alice, aged 11 from the series Being Inbetween © Carolyn Mendelsohn