Shrike

Steph, a skilled artist, is the only female applicant for a prestigious sculpting apprenticeship. But, when her chance is jeopardised by a misunderstanding, she must convince the gatekeepers that her craft has earned its place, and her along with it.

Shrike draws inspiration from the Greek myth of Medusa, who has long been a symbol of misunderstood and demonised feminine power. This myth served as a rich foundation to explore themes of the female gaze and the unique challenges faced by women who love other women in a space historically dominated by men. The film aims to highlight the perseverance required to make a mark in the world and the struggle to continue honing a craft in the face of adversity.

Through magical realism, Shrike offers an optimistic resolution where rewriting familiar experiences becomes possible. This story resonates deeply with anyone who has fought for their place to practice their art amidst challenges and gatekeepers. Shrike emphasises the luxury of having space to practice and the importance of persevering despite obstacles.

The film industry is making strides towards inclusivity, but there is still a significant gap in representation, especially for queer women of colour. Shrike addresses this by centring a Southeast Asian queer woman in a narrative about ambition, artistry, and overcoming systemic barriers. The film sheds light on the gender divide in the art world and the broader implications of elitism and prejudice in creative fields.

Our team of diverse creatives brings a wealth of industry knowledge and personal experiences to authentically and powerfully tell this story. We are committed to creating a film that is not only relevant but also impactful, using our collective talents to ensure Shrike resonates with a wide audience.

Steph, an ambitious clay sculptor, lives with her blind partner Andy in a cramped apartment filled with her creations. When Steph reveals her apprehension about attending an audition for a prestigious sculpting apprenticeship, Andy reassures her. However, the invitation misspells her name as Stephan, foreshadowing the challenges ahead.

At the audition, Steph is the only female applicant among a group of male competitors. Despite crafting a lifelike clay bust, she faces skepticism and dismissal from her peers and assessors. During a break, a misunderstanding leads to her disqualification, further compounded by a misinterpreted interaction with a male competitor.

Disheartened, Steph returns home to a supportive Andy, who encourages her to persevere. Realising she has let external judgments dictate her worth, Steph returns to the workshop. Confronted by the female sculptor who disqualified her, she is given a second chance to prove her skill and determination.

Shrike, inspired by Medusa’s myth, delves into themes of gender disparity in the art world. It portrays Steph's journey to assert her place in a male-dominated field, exploring the impact of elitism and the perseverance needed to succeed.

(left to right: Daisy, Nina & Lewis)

DAISY LEIGH-PHIPPARD (Director): Daisy Leigh-Phippard is a British screenwriter and director influenced by fairy tales and magical realism. Her graduation film, ‘Sealskin’, won a Royal Television Society Award and her work has been featured by BFI Future Film, Primetime, and The Light Leaks. She works for BAFTA albert, advocating for sustainable filmmaking and inclusivity in the screen industries globally.

A.K. “Nina” MCCALLUM  (Producer): Anna Karenina is an award-winning Anglo-Brazilian producer with films screened at prestigious festivals worldwide. Her projects include ‘Nurse’, ‘We Met Before’ and ‘Red Soil’. She has worked on major productions such as The Marvels and Apple TV’s Ted Lasso. Anna’s diverse experience in the film industry makes her a valuable asset to the Shrike team.

LEWIS BAYLEY (Co-Producer): Lewis Bayley is a British writer and producer focused on queer stories. Lewis produced ‘Missed Conceptions’, which went on to screen internationally, including at the BAFTA-qualifying BFI Flare Film Festival. Lewis has co-developed the film for series with a notable production company, and worked on a major Disney franchise. He currently serves as Creative Industry Relationship Manager at Rose Bruford College.

(left to right: Julia, Kacper & Kate)

JULIA KACALAK (Director of Photography): Julia is a Polish born creative with a love for crafting stories into visuals. A graduate of Bournemouth Film School, she has worked within the camera department across the UK, Poland and Romania. She first collaborated with Daisy on Sealskin, which earned her Best Cinematography nomination at Women X Film Festival. Her following short Letter of Forgiveness was part official selection for the BAFTA & BIFA qualifying Norwich Film Festival. She currently dabbles in post production but her heart remains behind the camera, looking through the viewfinder.

KACPER JASZCZ (Gaffer): Kacper first collaborated with Julia and Daisy on the creation of Sealskin. Since graduating from BFS, he's continued his professional development in the field of lighting, gaining experience as a Lighting Technician on productions such as Pistol (2022), Disclaimer (2024) and Sonic 3 (2024). Alongside working on larger projects, he enjoys creative work as a Gaffer, on projects such as Dungarees (Nominee to Best International Short Film, Golden Chair Award 2020), The Smell of Cut Grass (2022) and Pipe Dream (2024).

KATE RACHO (VFX Supervisor): Kate is a Filipino filmmaker based in London with over 4 years of experience working on Emmy, VES and Oscar nominated live action VFX and Feature Animation projects. With a varied skill set, she has been part of well known productions working with big VFX and Animation household names that include ILM, Framestore and Jellyfish Pictures. She enjoys collaborating with fellow creatives to bring stories to life, and is involved in a variety of short film projects alongside her main role in industry as a specialised 3D artist.

(left to right: Becky, Spencer & Victoria)

BECKY ALVARO (Sound Designer):  Becky, a graduate of Bournemouth Film School and recipient of the Rycote Sound Award in 2018, achieved her first craft nomination for Sound Design at the Underwire Film Festival in 2019 for her graduation film, Blanket. A skilled sound recordist and designer, Becky has contributed her talents to Syren Studios since 2022. Her most recent project Voices of AlUla, a documentary highlighting the cultural sounds and heritage of AlUla, was recently awarded Best Documentary about a Saudi City at the Saudi Film Festival.

SPENCER GRANT (Editor): Spencer is a video editor from California, who got his start at BFS working as Assistant Editor on Daisy’s previous film Sealskin. He has since worked in commercial and digital media for projects such as Telltale Games’ The Expanse and Splash Damage’s Transformers: Reactivate. In his spare time, he likes playing violin, making 3D art, and hanging out with his cat Jolene.

VICTORIA WIJERATNE (Composer): Victoria is a self-taught composer for Film & TV. She specialises in high-end film productions, combining her own unique experimental style with contemporary classical elements of film music scoring.  

In 2011, she won Best Composer at Underwire Film Festival  for the film First Bite. This led her to scoring her first feature film The Liability, directed by Craig Viveiros and starring Tim Roth, Peter Mullan, Jack O’Connell and Talulah Riley. She has since scored projects such as Siren (with the Bergersen String Quartet), documentaries such as Hong Kong Roof Top Rebels for Al Jazeera Media Network, short film Missed Conceptions, which was screened at BFI Flare 2018 (the biggest LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Europe), and 69, a feature documentary directed by Rob Eagle, about the oldest gay leather club in Europe, which premiered as part of Pride in London at Tate Britain in July 2018 and I Choose, a fiction drama directed by Tina Pasotra, which was recently nominated for best short film at BAFTA Cymru awards in 2021. Victoria has been awarded a Master of Science with Merit for Edinburgh's MSc in Composition for Screen, and is a member of BAFTA Connect.

The CrowdFunder funds will cover a wide range of expenses, ensuring a professional production. Key costs include our brilliant cast, locations, production design, camera equipment, insurance, travel, and catering. Our primary focus is to ensure the production value truly compliments the story, whilst creating a positive production experience that enables our crew to creatively flourish. We have already begun calling in favours to reduce costs, but your contributions are crucial to bringing Shrike to life.