Sheffield Film Cooperative

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The Sheffield Film Cooperative (also known as the Sheffield Women's Film Co-op) were a media co-operative based in Sheffield, England. The group emerged in the early 1970s with a view to highlight particular issues being faced by women at the time but officially formed as the Sheffield Film Co-op (SFC) in 1975. The founding members were Jenny Woodley, Christine Bellamy, Gill Booth and Barbara Fowkes.[1]

Beginnings[edit]

Prior to the formation of SFC, Woodley, Bellamy, Booth and Fowkes had worked on several media outputs of a similar subject matter. In 1971 with support from producer and playwright Dave Sheasby, they produce a six-part series of radio shows called Not a Pretty Face, based the demands of the feminist movement including equal pay, education and job opportunities, free contraception, abortion rights and care for the under 5's.[2][3]

With the birth of Sheffield Cablevision Woodley, Bellamy, Booth and Fowkes decided they had found a platform for their message and produce two programs: the difficulties of moving around the city with a child in a pushchair and the need for childminders to be registered.

Formation of Sheffield Film Co-op[edit]

It was due to the nature of their next project that the collective of women decided to officially organise themselves as the Sheffield Film Co-op. The group wanted to make a program in defence of abortion at a time where rights we're under threat before parliament.[4] A Woman Like You, docu-drama came out in 1976 [5] and marked the official beginnings of the Sheffield Film Co-op.

Filmography[edit]

  • 1991 - Personal Best / Talking Hairs / Running Gay
  • 1990 - Women Can Make It Work
  • 1990 - Thankyou That's all I Knew
  • 1989 - Diamonds in Brown Paper
  • 1987 - Bringing It all Back Home
  • 1986 - Let Our Children Grow Tall!
  • 1986 - For a Living Wage
  • 1984 - Women of Steel
  • 1984 - Changing Our Lives - 5 Arches Community Centrey
  • 1984 - Red Skirts on Clydeside
  • 1982 - A Question of Choice
  • 1978 - Jobs for the Girls
  • 1977 - That's No Lady
  • 1975 - A Woman Like You

References[edit]

  1. ^ Aitken, Ian (18 October 2013). Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film 3-Volume Set. Routledge. ISBN 9781135206208.
  2. ^ Aitken, Ian (18 October 2013). Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film 3-Volume Set. Routledge. ISBN 9781135206208.
  3. ^ Womensfilmandtelevisionhistory (4 April 2014). "Becoming Sheffield Film Co-op". Women's Film and Television History Network-UK/Ireland. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  4. ^ Aitken, Ian (18 October 2013). Encyclopedia of the Documentary Film 3-Volume Set. Routledge. ISBN 9781135206208.
  5. ^ Womensfilmandtelevisionhistory (11 April 2014). "Sheffield Film Co-op: Beginning, Being and Ending". Women's Film and Television History Network-UK/Ireland. Retrieved 2 July 2016.