Portsmouth film in line for award
A film made in Portsmouth to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls has been nominated for an award.
“The Unseen Women” was commissioned by Portsmouth City of Sanctuary, a grassroots humanitarian organisation that supports asylum seekers and refugees in the city and beyond. It tells the story of Kat, a vulnerable woman who faces sexual violence, and it is set on the streets of Portsmouth.
The film has now been nominated as a finalist in the 2025 Big Syn International Film Festival, the world’s largest sustainability film festival.
It was directed by Chichester-based creative Katie Bennett, filmed by Portsmouth freelance photographer Peter Langdown, and the part of Kat was played by Pascalina Ofori.
The short film is based on a true story and highlights the plight of ‘unseen women’ who may be fleeing gender-based violence in another country – only to find themselves subject to the same issues in the UK.
The Big Syn Film Festival takes place from October 17-26, and is organised by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs – ‘Big Syn’ stands for Big Synergy and aims to help educate people about the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals. The winning entries will be screened in November at a cinema in London.
Director Katie Bennett said: “I am very proud to be highlighting a serious issue and an amazing charity who do such important work – especially due to the current climate we live in, to be helping to give a voice to those who are unseen feels very powerful.”
Videographer Peter Langdown said: “It was a privilege to be involved in filming for this project, and raising this issue on behalf of some of the most marginalised people in our society. It’s important to make people aware that this is happening on the streets of Portsmouth, often right under our noses.”
To watch the short film, see: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g3HR9FgwfYI&pp=0gcJCQMKAYcqIYzv
To find out more about Portsmouth City of Sanctuary, see: www.portsmouth.cityofsanctuary.org
To find out more about the Big Syn Film Festival, see: www.bigsyn.org