Events
Upcoming
Gossip -Screening at Bell House, Dulwich with Q & A from the director, Hannah Renton.
BUY TICKETS
A short film exploring the intertwined stories of care, persecution and resistance, among midwives and women accused of witchcraft is now part of the Birth Rites Collection.Directed and co-written by Hannah Renton, Gossip unearths the untold histories of women persecuted as witches in the 16th century. Shot along the Essex coast and launched on International Women’s Day 2025, the film revisits the region’s history of witch trials and the struggles faced by women of the time. Through an evocative lens, it bridges the past and present, illuminating how women’s bodies and voices have long been sites of both knowledge and control.
“With Gossip, I wanted to tell a story of solidarity and draw a line between the witch trials and the ongoing struggle for reproductive justice and control over our bodies. Naming the film Gossip, a word that changed from meaning friendship to one of denigration and ridicule, highlights the psychological attack as well as the direct violence. The gossip we formed, of both professional actors and midwives, became not only the heart of the film you see but the entire filmmaking process.”
Hannah Renton is a writer and director from East London whose work explores tenderness, intimacy, and resilience. A graduate of the National Film and Television School, her films have screened and won awards at festivals internationally, including BFI Flare, London Short & Kiev MolodistInternational Film Festivals, as well as being shown in museums, archives, community and art spaces. Her film, Gossip, was shortlisted for a BAFTA Yugo Student Award for Best Live Action (2023) and have toured across the UK to sold-out screenings.
When: 11th December 2026
Time : Doors open at 7.30pm
Where: Bell House, 27 College Road, Dulwich, London SE21 7BG
