MELANIE IREDALE
Director, Birds Eye View
Key Expertise: Covid 19, Audience Development, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Programming, Working with Staff & Volunteers
Melanie Iredale (she/her) has been programming and building audiences for international cinema across the North of England since 2005, most recently in her role as Deputy Director of Sheffield DocFest since 2014. As Interim Director of DocFest’s 2019 edition, Melanie oversaw an increase of 50%+ womxn-directed films in the programme, 57% in competition, its most diverse and international programme up to that point, and spearheaded the organisation achieving charitable status. More recently, Melanie co-curated DocFest’s Rhyme & Rhythm strand and UK Competition. Prior to DocFest, Melanie served as Director and Curator of Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival from 2009, before that working for cinemas and festivals in Newcastle and Liverpool. Melanie is regularly invited to speak on issues relating to diversity and ethics in programming, on creating safe spaces in the industry, and on curating LGBTQI+ cinema, with talks and panels including Berlinale’s European Film Market, the Independent Cinema Office, and various festivals. She has served on a number of juries including Nordisk Panorama and ZagrebDox, and is a BIFA voter. As an active mentor to filmmakers and film exhibitors, Melanie has been part of BFI’s Film Audience Network (FAN)’s Advice & Experience scheme since 2017, was a member of the advisory panel for BFI FAN’s This Way Up conference in 2019, and came on board in 2020 as an Exec Producer for Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams’ film Rebel Dykes.
Melanie Iredale (she/her) has been programming and building audiences for international cinema across the North of England since 2005, most recently in her role as Deputy Director of Sheffield DocFest since 2014. As Interim Director of DocFest’s 2019 edition, Melanie oversaw an increase of 50%+ womxn-directed films in the programme, 57% in competition, its most diverse and international programme up to that point, and spearheaded the organisation achieving charitable status. More recently, Melanie co-curated DocFest’s Rhyme & Rhythm strand and UK Competition. Prior to DocFest, Melanie served as Director and Curator of Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival from 2009, before that working for cinemas and festivals in Newcastle and Liverpool. Melanie is regularly invited to speak on issues relating to diversity and ethics in programming, on creating safe spaces in the industry, and on curating LGBTQI+ cinema, with talks and panels including Berlinale’s European Film Market, the Independent Cinema Office, and various festivals. She has served on a number of juries including Nordisk Panorama and ZagrebDox, and is a BIFA voter. As an active mentor to filmmakers and film exhibitors, Melanie has been part of BFI’s Film Audience Network (FAN)’s Advice & Experience scheme since 2017, was a member of the advisory panel for BFI FAN’s This Way Up conference in 2019, and came on board in 2020 as an Exec Producer for Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams’ film Rebel Dykes.