Candid Broads production portfolio: female leadership, influence, representation Movies Counter

Naomi Harris says Swimming cestasa short documentary directed by actress and author Katherine Joy White that is designed to be “a poetic and visually rich love letter to water, sisterhood, and the resilience of Black women across generations.” Hannah Congdon short document Game “Far Far”. It tells the story of a refugee Afghan footballer who finds a home and community in Yorkshire, England. And the short comedy film by Julie Magnodet Contraception exhibitionChampionship Alex Ryderronke education, Derry girlsCathy Keira Clarke The childAmber Grappy, follows a young woman who wants to stop taking birth control pills, only to find herself at the “Ladies’ Contraception Fair”, a fictional setting where female contraceptives vie for her attention and pressure her to make a decision.

Three films by three female directors, backed by a female-led production company that focuses on character-driven narratives that surprise and has one badass name: Candid Broads Productions.

The company was founded in 2020 in London by French-British actress and producer Orienne Beck, who serves as CEO and founder, and the company’s team also includes producer Anaïs Ferrato. The goal, Candid Broads says on its website, is to “bring unspoken truths from underrepresented communities to the forefront of the entertainment industry” and “ensure diverse female representation in front of and behind the camera.”

It does this by combining “warmth, energy and cinematic flair” with the support of emerging filmmakers.

With a slate of short films generating buzz, the production company has begun shifting into feature filmmaking and is looking to move into series, while continuing to produce short films.

Talk to Beck and Ferrato THR On Candid Broadcast’s vision, their move into new areas, and why they’re not afraid to highlight the importance and value of diversity and inclusion at a time when there’s been a political backlash against them, especially in the US.

How did the company name come about? “We wanted to make sure to highlight that the company was really women-centric, and we didn’t want to be called ‘chick,’” Beck recalls. “But we thought ‘brood’ sounded cool. The word “frank” came about because we are French, so we are very frank sometimes, and perhaps too much sometimes. But we like to be honest, and we thought having the word “honest” in there would really work. So we’re basically honest girls. “

The Candid Broads brand is also intended to be a signal for creators and creative partners. “There are a lot of people who don’t tell things like they are, or hide a little bit from what the truth is,” Beck says. THR. “But we say to every writer and director who works with us. It’s a very tough industry. We need to have a really thick skin. We’ll get a lot of no’s, but then we’ll get the yes’s, and the yes’s that we’ll get will only make up for all the no’s. So, one of the reasons we’ve been so keen on this name for the company is that we never give up. We’re always very honest about what we do, how we do it, and we take people on the journey with us on that. Great journey.”

Focusing on females doesn’t mean Candid Broads won’t write stories about men. “We like to cast a little wider net,” Ferrato says. THR. “We focus on women, but we also shot a short film called Not Long Ago Punching bag Which follows a male protagonist. It’s all about finding distinct voices and exploiting emerging writers and directors, or sometimes duos if they’re not the same person.

Candid Broads is about new motives or different approaches. “It’s all about perspective for us,” Ferrato explains. “When we read a script, (we want to think), ‘Oh, we’ve never seen that before. Maybe it’s something that’s been explored, but the voice of that director or writer brings something different.’

After all, making an impact and taking audiences outside of their comfort zones is central to Candid Broads’ mission. “It’s about stories that make you feel uncomfortable or difficult,” Ferrato adds with a laugh. “We like to make things difficult for ourselves.” After all, “it’s about impact. That’s something we’re really interested in. Whether that’s opening a conversation, breaking down stigmas, or ultimately contributing to some kind of change. Of course, the impact will change depending on the film. But it has to be organic. We can’t invent it. Nine times out of 10, the story feels either urgent or too personal for the creators. That’s what we’re drawn to.”

When asked about the recent political backlash in the United States against ideas like representation and inclusion, the Candid Broadcast team seemed unfazed. “For us, it’s really important that everyone does their bit for this movie, and that we all make sure it’s a part of every movie,” Peck says. THR. “Whether it’s behind the camera or in front of it, or the type of story we’re telling, it all has to be cohesive. Obviously, we’re Caucasian women, but we were telling a lot of stories through the eyes of a black filmmaker about a black character. Any kind of representation is really, really vital.”

Bottom line: “It’s about finding that gem and getting the stories out there so we can really make sure representation isn’t just a word.” “It’s something much bigger.”

“There’s a rhetoric against that right now, but for us, it’s always been a very simple thing,” Ferrato adds. “When you look at people who have traditionally had the opportunity to tell stories and who we’ve traditionally seen on screen most of the time, they’ve been the same people or the same kind of heroes. But how much talent and how many stories do we miss when the opportunity isn’t there? So for us, the idea is to provide that opportunity.”

Candid Broads actually requires at least gender parity in its collections, but most of the time, about 60 percent of the women end up without even being forced to, the duo shares.

So, what does Candid Broads have on its menu?

The company recently wrapped production on its first feature film, which is also Kieran Bourne’s first feature film, the romantic drama. arthur and clara, Starring CJ Beckford and Mirren Mack. The film’s synopsis reads: “When a director and an actress unwittingly escape to the same country farm in hopes of finding themselves, they discover they only need one person to truly see them.”

Speaking of first features, the company has picked up the upcoming comedy The underdogs From writer and director Fabia Martin (pastor, Six for gold). Alisha Weir (Abigail, Matilda the Musical) will star in the story, told through the eyes of frustrated but determined teens. The underdogs The film follows two teenage girls in foster care who find themselves on the run in a stolen ambulance in search of family and freedom – only to end up competing illegally in Crufts, the world’s largest annual dog show, which takes place in Birmingham, England. Grappy plays an uptight social worker tasked with bringing the girls home.

Also on the list of Candid Broads is Amy Hodge’s first full-length film titled Am I nervous?which is a quoted feature of it and the short company the date, Which earned writer Bethan Marlowe a nomination for the BAFTA Cymru Breakthrough Award 2024. The short film, which stars Millie Case, Sinead Matthews and Precious Scott, tells the story of Sasha, “a loud-mouthed 13-year-old who goes on her first date but when she is turned on and takes charge of her sexuality, it exposes the confusing nature of what girls are allowed to want.” The film, co-written by the writer and director, is in early development with Ffilm Cymru and “follows a teenager and his grandmother as they embark on their own journey to reclaim their sexuality,” Ferrato says.

Also in the works is Loud and clearthe next film written by Kieran Bourne, which Picks is producing with Alexa Waugh (Cielo).

More shorts are also in the pipeline. Among them is black comedy Vagwhich will also be executive produced by Slick Films. “It’s a film about vaginismus and the politics of female pleasure and dating, and it’s written and directed by Lily Britton,” Ferrato says. “Vaginismus is a condition that we don’t really hear about. It’s still quite taboo, and we wanted to provide much-needed representation when it comes to this film.”

The short film’s synopsis reads: “Marianne is 27 years old. She’s successful, vibrant, and – thanks to vaginismus – incapable of penetrative sex. When a promising romance turns sour, she’s forced to explore her own pleasure – something she’s never dared to do before.”

Candid Broads is also developing its first TV series, written by Ali Hughes (Dreaming while black), but the team is not ready to reveal its title or plot details yet. Mischief International is co-producing it with its founder Maria Isaacs as executive producer.

One thing is certain. The Candid Broads team is not sitting on its laurels. “We’re moving to features, bridging the gap between what we know or what we think the audience wants, but also what the industry thinks they want and the safer options,” highlights Ferrato. “So, now it’s about trying to figure out how we can push this further. Because we have a lot of projects, we want to make sure we have enough capacity and not spread ourselves too thin.”

Beck concludes: “There are a lot of different things on our slate now, which is very exciting. We like to work on very different stories at different stages, so we can keep busy and keep learning and keep challenging ourselves. The main thing for us is to never get bored.”