Upon launching Femspectives in 2018, we developed a mission statement outlining our core principles and beliefs. You can find this graphic at the bottom of this page.
In 2020, we decided it was time to reflect on this mission statement. The updated version is below.
We’re foregrounding transparency in this process in order to make it possible for people to hold us accountable, including funders and partners, advisors and collaborators, and members of the public. We intend this mission statement to be a living document that can be amended and altered through feedback, experiences and conversations.
Femspectives is a platform for feminist storytelling and champions the creators of this work. We believe film is not only an expressive art form but also a medium that brings people together.
Our key objectives are:
- To showcase and celebrate feminist film and cinematic storytelling.
- To create a space for conversations and community.
- To support local talent and share resources.
These objectives serve as a framework for our decision-making process, for example when it comes to choosing a venue, event partners, films, speakers or guests.

We are committed to (in no particular order):
- Programming a wide range of films in terms of lengths (short, mid, feature), genre (fiction, documentary, experimental), country of origin and subject matters. When selecting films, we aim to choose work by directors whose lived experiences reflect the subject matters their films are about.
- Providing context to film screenings through extended introductions, facilitated audience discussions, panel discussions, or Q&As with filmmakers.
- Inviting guests and speakers whose lived experiences and professional expertise reflect the subject matters dealt with in the films we programme.
- Collaborating with community organisations and local exhibitors in order to share knowledge and resources, and to foster relationships and community building. This includes collaborating on programmes and partnership screenings.
- Paying staff members and contributors. This includes the core team of festival producers and additional staff (such as Access & Engagement Coordinator, Press Coordinator, Tech Support etc), speakers and guests who do introductions and facilitate discussions at events, BSL interpreters and translators, and people who contribute programme notes. However, we rely on volunteers during the festival (assisting with events and box office, handing out feedback, welcoming audiences etc). We offer to cover travel expenses, snacks during shifts, event tickets and references (upon request) for all volunteers. We have in the past worked with the University of Glasgow to offer an unpaid student placement as part of the Film Curation MA programme.
- Striving to create paid part-time and short term roles as part of the Femspectives team in order to welcome more contributors and guest programmers from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences.
- Paying artists and filmmakers. This includes license fees for feature and short films and the creation of subtitles and captions by the artist or a specialist practitioner.
- Having accessibility at the forefront of planning events. We strive to raise sufficient funds to continuously expand the accessibility of our events. Currently, we use a sliding scale ticket pricing system, offer a travel and translation fund during our annual festival, arrange BSL interpretation for some of our events, use fully-accessible venues for the festival, aim to screen all films with English subtitles or captions, among others. We hope to increase the accessibility of our events in the future. You can find out more about this on our Accessibility page.
- Developing a culture of care and empowerment. This reflects in our work with community groups, our relationships with partners and filmmakers, the environment we create at our venues and the way we deal with concerns and complaints. This also impacts the way we hold post-screening discussions and Open Forum events by arranging chairs in circles and facilitating non-hierarchical conversations. A further step we are going to take includes reflecting on and updating our Safe Space Policy and our Equalities and Diversity Policy.
- Developing a transparent grievance process by which staff, collaborators, guests and members of the public can express concerns or complaints to the Femspectives team. Individuals getting in touch will be able to do so anonymously through an online form and will only be contacted by the team if they request it.
- Sharing resources and skills through workshops, networks, partnerships and collaboration. This includes supporting and encouraging local talent and expanding the platform we offer to local filmmakers.
- Having open conversations about our organisational privilege, addressing this internally and externally, and engaging funders, partners and other exhibitors in these conversations.
Through these commitments we are striving for diverse and equal representation with regards to our programme, our partners and collaborators, our team and the communities we engage.
Who is Femspectives?
Femspectives is run by two festival producers, Lauren Clarke and Kathi Kamleitner throughout the year with additional support during the festival period.
Femspectives also has an Advisory Board for support. You can find out more on our About page.
Our 2018 Mission Statement:

Femspectives…
…is a platform for feminist storytelling.
…enables discussion in different formats.
… is conversation.
…is a safe place for discussion.
…brings people together across cultures.
…acknowledges privilege and barriers.
…wants to be accessible.
…emphasises marginalised voices.
…makes democratic decisions.
…is individual and collective.
…prioritises content over aesthetics.
…listens.