The fifth Underwire Festival, which showcases shorts made by female filmmakers, will run Nov 11-15 at The Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick, London.

The festival presents 10 programmes of shorts by women and 10 awards. Screen Interantional is proud to sponsor the XX Award for best female protagonist.

The nominees for that prize are:

The Wolf, the Ship and the Little Green Bag – Kathryn MacCorgarry Gray
A Moment to Move – Georgia Parris
Lay Me Down – Lucy Tcherniak [pictured]
Anita – Geoff Bellhouse
The Line – Faye Gilbert

In addition to screenings, the festival hosts development and networking events, live music, comedy and parties. Events include a day devoted to women comedy writers, screenwriting advice, an animators discussion, and panels on lesbian representation, the Bechdel Test, and female superheroes.

There will also be a new screenwriting competition launched with The Tommy Vine Fund.

The awards are:
XX Award: Best Female Protagonist, sponsored by Screen International
Sonic Sirens: Best Sound Designer, sponsored by Sound Disposition
She Scores: Best Composer, sponsored by Imagem
Ring Masters: Best Producer, sponsored by Women in Film and TV
Leading Ladies: Best Actor, sponsored by Daniella Cesarei Photography
Dream Drafters: Best Writer, sponsored by Euroscript
In The Cut: Best Editor, sponsored by VET
Looking Glass: Best Cinematographer, sponsored by Greenkit
Quarterbacks: Best Under-25, sponsored by BFI Future Film
Celluloid Sculptors: Best Director, sponsored by Directors UK

The full programme can be found at underwirefestival.com/festival