Jo is a film and cultural relations specialist, based between London and Marseille.
Spanning creative production, film programming and new talent development, Jo has a wealth of experience developing innovative, international film and arts programmes. She cares deeply about connecting audiences to original storytelling through intrinsically global projects, and building thriving communities around creative culture. Through her work at British Council, she has developed a unique sensitivity to developing cultural programmes that connect artists and communities across many global contexts.
Jo has presented programmes across numerous world-renowned festivals, and hosted talks and Q&As at events including Cannes Film Festival, London Film Festival and IFFR. Her current clients include British Council, BAFTA, the National Film & Television School, CASA Festival of Latin American Arts and Eurimages - the cultural support fund of the Council of Europe. At British Council, Jo is the senior consultant responsible for the Film Department’s New Talent programmes. She is also a senior consultant for the International Collaboration Programme, working with artists across multiple disciplines around the world to facilitate community and connections.
Jo is a film festival expert and offers regular consultancies to short and early-career filmmakers, both privately, and through tutoring at film schools like the National Film & Television School.
She has previously worked as a film programmer for the Independent Cinema Office in the UK, and was programme director at London Short Film Festival. She was the creative producer and programmer at Birds Eye View Films, where she helped to develop and launch their highly successful Reclaim the Frame programme alongside Mia Bays.
Jo has also worked as an impact release strategist for documentaries, including the BAFTA nominated A Syrian Love Story.
In 2014, Jo became a founding director of The Quarter Club, a curated series of Salons featuring thematic talks from creative women working across a diverse range of industries.
Jo has exec-produced new short film commissions by filmmakers including Peter Strickland and Jessica Sarah Rinland.
Jo sits on the jury for the Straight8 super8 film competition, and votes for the British Independent Film Awards every year.
In 2024, Jo will be a mentor for We Are Parable’s Momentum programme, in partnership with Film 4 and Sony Pictures. Momentum is a 6-month professional development programme for Black filmmakers and content creators.
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Jo studied English Literature & Theatre Studies at Warwick University, and has a first class Masters degree from Birkbeck, University of London, in Contemporary Performance Culture. She is a Global Cultural Relations Programme peer, 2022. She is currently based in Marseille but travels back to the UK regularly.
Services Include:
Film programming
Q&As & hosting
Presenting & delivery of researched talks
Creative production
New talent development
Resource development
Curation
Programme direction
Impact release strategy
Community Management
Current and Previous Clients Include
British Council Film
British Council Arts
BAFTA
BFI [British Film Institute]
CASA Film Festival
Birds Eye View Film
Independent Cinema Office
London Short Film Festival
Hakawati Films
East End Film Festival
National Film & Television School, London