Upcoming Workshops

In celebration of IFTUK's St Brigid's Festival 2025, for the January 2025 Masters At Work in partnership with the Century Club, we will be meeting three prolific female filmmakers; Maeve Murphy, Julie Baines & Farah Abushwesha.  IFTUK's Nicola Waddell will be hosting the evening and chatting to three incredible women who are at the coalface of independent Film & TV Production who will be sharing their stories of how they put together their productions in a competitive and challenging market.

In 2020, Belfast born Maeve Murphy’s feature film, "SILENT GRACE", was placed at no 38 in the Irish Times list of the "50 Greatest Irish Films Ever Made”. She is the writer director of three acclaimed feature films, all of which have been awarded at several international film festivals, including Cannes, where “SILENT GRACE" won the Soka Art Award. Her short film "SUSHI" won The Sub-ti and Venice Days International short film award at the Venice Film Festival. She was the recipient of Best Film at the London Independent Film Festival for “BEYOND THE FIRE” as well as the Independent Spirit Award in Monaco for “TAKING STOCK” and the President’s Award at the Sochi Film Festival for SIOBHAN. Her first novella, serialised in The Irish Times is currently in development with Screen Ireland, as the feature film “ST PANCRAS SUNRISE”, with Jim Sheridan acting at the executive producer. In 2024 the short film ST PANCRAS SUNRISE won Best International Short at the Silicon Beach Festival as well as Best Short at the City of Angels Film Festival in L.A., as well as an Honourable Mention at the London Breeze Film Festival.

Julie Baines has been producing independent film & TV for 30 years and is highly regarded for her many international co-productions. Her projects span all genres and budget levels, from period biopic THE CAT’S MEOW directed by Peter Bogdanavich, to London set horror film CREEP. She produced the debut feature of Director Michael Winterbottom, Writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce, and Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, BUTTERFLY KISS, and the final film by the late Nicolas Roeg, PUFFBALL, adapted from the novel by Fay Weldon. She produced FOUR KIDS AND IT, inspired by Jacqueline Wilson’s ‘Four Children and It’, for a family audience which was the biggest Sky Original family movie of 2020, the thriller SOMETHING IN THE WATER with Studio Canal, and has just delivered the Irish television series VIDEO NASTY which airs on the BBC and Virgin Media Ireland in January. She regularly mentors new Producers, Directors and Writers and guest lectures on various courses, in particular at the National Film and Television School (NFTS). She is Co-Chair of the PACT Film Producers Group and a member of PACT Council.

BAFTA Nominated Producer and Amazon Best Selling Author of two books, Farah Abushwesha’s feature film credits include WOKEN by Alan Friel with Maxine Peake; Documentary TESTIMONY, Netflix Original IRREPLACEABLE YOU with Christopher Walken, Steve Coogan and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, THE LAST PHOTOGRAPH with Danny Huston and Sarita Choudhury the Paramount TV Series STAGS by Daniel Cullen, ITV's NO RETURN by Danny Brooklehurst starring Sheridan Smith, THE SINGAPORE GRIP by Christopher Hampton with Colm Meaney, Charles Dance and Jane Horrocks, as well as the BBC Amazon series THE ABC MURDERS starring John Malkovich and Rupert Grint . She is the recipient of BFI Vision Award 2020 and an American Academy Gold Fellowship Finalist. Farah founded the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Showcase and Competition and has a vibrant slate of films and TV Series in development, and runs the BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Competition in partnership with BAFTA.

ONLINE MASTERCLASS IN CELEBRATION OF ST BRIGID'S DAY

As part of IFTUK St Brigid's Festival and in partnership with Wise Women, we are delighted to invite everyone to join our free online masterclass with two of Ireland's most prolific and successful women in Ireland's Film industry; Producer and Casting Director, Edwina Forkin & Maureen Hughes . The Event will be held via our Partner Wise Women's Online Platform and is open to all genders.

For almost thirty years, award winning Producer Edwina has been constantly producing through her company Zanzibar Films. She has produced literally dozens of feature films, TV movies and feature documentaries. Her recent feature film credits include THE CRY OF GRANUIALE (2022) MY SAILOR MY LOVE (2022) ALS BRAND (2022) & WHO WE LOVE (2022). She regularly produces TV movies for Marvista, Fox, Degato & Hallmark in Ireland, including THE CHRISTMAS BREAK, NOTTING HILL CHRISTMAS & MURDER IN G MAJOR. Amongst her feature doc credits is O’TOOLE: ALONG THE SKY ROAD TO AQABA (2023), directed by Jim Sheridan. Her TV credits include the JACK TAYLOR SERIES, PRIEST (2012), THE SORROWS (2012) & SHOT DOWN (2013).

Irish Casting Director Maureen has a long and distinguished career and currently works with the Everyman Theatre, Cork & Gaiety Productions, Dublin, having begun her career in theatre with Druid & The Abbey Theatre. Her film credits include working with such legends as Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan, Paolo Sorrentino & John Carney (THE BUTCHER BOY, THE BOXER, THIS MUST BE THE PLACE and ONCE. Recent films include THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN and SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE starring Cillian Murphy. She also casts for Hallmark. Her TV credits include LOVE HATE, REBELLION, RAW, TAKEN DOWN & HIDDEN ASSETS. Maureen holds Audition Workshops in Galway, Dublin, Schull, Vilnius and Prague.

To book your free place for 28th January 2025 at 6.30 pm GMT email emma@wisewn.com