Curator  /
Artistic Director
Over the past two decades, I’ve curated and directed film programmes and festivals that champion bold, underrepresented voices and explore cinema’s power as a cultural and political force.
Early Work
From 2000 to 2005, I curated Screen Station, a film club dedicated to music documentaries, later hosted at the Ritzy Cinema. I also collaborated with Africa at the Pictures (2002–2003) and the Tokyo African Film Festival (1998–2003), fostering early cross-cultural excha
nge between filmmakers and audiences.
Ciné Lumière & the French Institute (2004–2008)
As Artistic Director of Mosaiques Festival of World Culture at Ciné Lumière, I expanded the event from one venue to six and deepened its international reach. Working closely with Unifrance, I also programmed the annual Renault French Film Festival and co-curated Women’s Cinema from Tangiers to Tehran, highlighting female filmmakers across North Africa and the Middle East. Other notable seasons included Reel to Real and Africa Film Focus.
Festival Leadership (2012–2013)
In 2012, I curated the Film Strand for the Marrakech Biennale, followed by serving as Artistic Director of Film Africa (Royal African Society) in 2013 — the UK’s largest African film festival, showcasing work by directors such as Alain Gomis and Mati Diop.
Barbican Centre (2015–2023)
As Course Leader for the Young Film Programmers initiative, I established a training and mentorship programme that has shaped a new generation of curators across London. Alumni now work at venues including the ICA, the Garden Cinema, and the BFI, and have founded collectives such as Tape Collective and Brixton Community Cinema , each committed to platforming vital, overlooked cinema.
Recent and Forthcoming Work
Mason & Fifth (2025)
In June 2025, I was invited to curate a Bespoke Library of DVDs and year-long film series at Mason & Fifth, Westbourne Grove. The project invited 52 guest curators to select their seven favourite films — a living archive of contemporary taste and personal storytelling.
Event highlight: Liliana Cavani’s “La Pelle / The Skin” (1981), introduced by Suzy Gillett and described by Elliott Jack as “a tapestry of resilience and rupture”.
Visit Mason & Fifth →
EVENT DESCRIPTION: 7 September 2025
Join Suzy Gillett as she introduces Liliana Cavani's 'La Pelle/ The Skin' (1981).
“This week at M&F Cinema, we journey through the lens of Suzy Gillett — filmmaker curator, and lifelong conspirator of cinematic resistance. From her years guiding bold voices through the London Film School to her own radical storytelling across continents,
Suzy curates not with caution but with conviction. Her selections defy the flat and the familiar. These are films that trouble the surface, rattle history, and speak in tongues both
personal and political. Suzy’s programme is a tapestry of resilience and rupture.” Elliott Jack.
In November 2025, I joined the Romanian Film Festival in London team.
I am currently developing Films for Peace — a festival-in-progress exploring cinematic representations of war, peace, and reconciliation, curating an evolving list of international titles that reflect the politics of empathy.
Artistic Director 
MOSAÏQUES FESTIVAL OF WORLD CULTURE
2004-2007
Mosaïques was the largest annual 10 day festival funded by the French Institute, I was given free reign to curate and to take risks in programming UK premieres of many first time directors, unknown at the time, but later to be celebrated worldwide.
Venues:
Ciné Lumière at the French Institute
(Institut Francais du Royaume Uni)
Ritzy Cinema
Peckhamplex
Picturehouse Greenwich
British Museum
V&A
List of Films/Seasons I curated
Mosaiques Festival 2004
Mosaiques 2005
Mosaiques Festival 2006
Reel to Real Documentary Season 2006
Mosaiques Festival 2007
Africa Film Focus 2007
INTERVIEW Link in French for France Culture:
Carnet Nomad - France Culture
curator
WOMEN’S CINEMA FROM TANGIERS TO TEHRAN
In 2008 I co-curated Women’s Cinema from Tangiers to Tehran with James Neil of Parallax Media.
A 10 day festival with over 40 films, events and music. We also held a Film Symposium in partnership with the Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab World (CASAW) at Edinburgh University.
Venues:
Ciné Lumière
ArtZone
Cambridge Arts Picturehouse
Leighton House Museum
London Film School
Rich Mix
Ritzy Cinema
Letterboxed full list of films in festival
Additional Funding came from Creative Europe’s Euromed fund - Medscreen
and Film London
In partnership with Arab Media Watch
Following the success of the festival ArteEast toured the whole festival across the United States at Universities.

2004
Mosaïques
Highlights
Blissfully Yours - Apichapong Weerasethakul
Milles Mois - Faouzi Bensaïdi
Since Otar Left - Julie Bertucelli
I Will Sing For You - Jacques Sarrasin
The Agronomist - Jonathan Demme
Untouched by the West - Raymond Depardon
At Five in the Afternoon - Samir Makhmalbaf
	Mosaïques
Highlights
Blissfully Yours - Apichapong Weerasethakul
Milles Mois - Faouzi Bensaïdi
Since Otar Left - Julie Bertucelli
I Will Sing For You - Jacques Sarrasin
The Agronomist - Jonathan Demme
Untouched by the West - Raymond Depardon
At Five in the Afternoon - Samir Makhmalbaf
	
		
		
	
	
		
			
				
					2005
Mosaïques
Highlights
I Even Met Some Happy Gypsies - Aleksander Petrovic
Exiles & Les Princes - Tony Gatlif
Viva Laldjerie - Nadir Mockneche
Schizo
- Guka Omarova
Les Statues meurent aussi & Sans soleil - Chris Marker
Le Grand Voyage - Ismaël Ferroukhi
	Highlights
I Even Met Some Happy Gypsies - Aleksander Petrovic
Exiles & Les Princes - Tony Gatlif
Viva Laldjerie - Nadir Mockneche
Schizo
- Guka Omarova
Les Statues meurent aussi & Sans soleil - Chris Marker
Le Grand Voyage - Ismaël Ferroukhi
2006
Mosaïques
Highlights
Une Matin bonne heure - Gahité Fofana
Quand Les Hommes Pleurent & THe Sleeping Child - Yassmine Kassari
Nuit Noire, 17 octobre 1961 - Alain Tasma
La Trahison
Philippe Faucon
Saratan - Ernest Abdyshaparov
A Perfect Day
Khalil & Joana Hadjithomas
Be With Me - Eric Khoo
	Highlights
Une Matin bonne heure - Gahité Fofana
Quand Les Hommes Pleurent & THe Sleeping Child - Yassmine Kassari
Nuit Noire, 17 octobre 1961 - Alain Tasma
La Trahison
Philippe Faucon
Saratan - Ernest Abdyshaparov
A Perfect Day
Khalil & Joana Hadjithomas
Be With Me - Eric Khoo
2007
Mosaïques
Highlights
Glue - Alex dos Santos
Alan & Samir
Yann Demange
Bye Bye Africa & Darratt - Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Transilvania - Tony Gatlif
Rome Rather Than You - Tariq Teguia
Wesh Wesh, What’s Up & Bled Number 1 - Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche
Highway - Sergei Dvortsevoy
Battle of Algiers - Gillo Pontecorvo
	Mosaïques
Highlights
Glue - Alex dos Santos
Alan & Samir
Yann Demange
Bye Bye Africa & Darratt - Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Transilvania - Tony Gatlif
Rome Rather Than You - Tariq Teguia
Wesh Wesh, What’s Up & Bled Number 1 - Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche
Highway - Sergei Dvortsevoy
Battle of Algiers - Gillo Pontecorvo
2008
Women’s Cinema from
Tangiers to Tehran 
Highlights 
Caramel - Nadine Labaki
The House is Black - Forough Farrokhzad
The Silence of the Palace - Moufida Tlatli
Leila and The Wolves - Heiny Srour
Like Twenty Impossibles - Annemarie Jacir
Bitter Water - Maysoon Pachachi
Inch’allah Dimanche - Yamina Benguigui
Caramel - Nadine Labaki
The House is Black - Forough Farrokhzad
The Silence of the Palace - Moufida Tlatli
Leila and The Wolves - Heiny Srour
Like Twenty Impossibles - Annemarie Jacir
Bitter Water - Maysoon Pachachi
Inch’allah Dimanche - Yamina Benguigui
 
curator
Marrakech Biennale 2012 
I curated the Film section of the 2012 Marrakech Biennale
Highlight
Masterclass with Hicham Lasri and Mohamed Bakrim following screening of The End
Venues across Marrakech
 Mohammed Bakrim, Hicham Lasri, Suzy Gillett @ ESAVMarrakech
Mohammed Bakrim, Hicham Lasri, Suzy Gillett @ ESAVMarrakech ***
Artistic Director
Film Africa 2013
An annual 10 day festival I was hired to curate Film Africa 2013, the UK’s largest African Film Festival.
Highlight
Working with Ashley Clark who went on to become Senior programmer at BAM in NY.
Venues:
BFI Southbank
Ciné Lumière at the French Institute
(Institut Francais du Royaume Uni)
Ritzy Cinema
Rich Mix
South London Gallery
Hackney Picturehouse
University of Westminster
Full List of Films

Interview on Bird’s Eye View
https://www.birds-eye-view.co.uk/industry-insights-film-africa-curator-suzy-gillett/
Film Africa 2013
Highlights:
Sodiq - Adeyemi Michael
Black Girl - Sembene Ousmane
L’Afrance & Andalucia &
Tey - Alain Gomis
Babylon - Aladeddine Slim
Touki Bouki - Djibril Diop Mambety
Milles Soleils - Mati Diop
A Screaming Man - Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
The Virgin the Copts and Me - Namir Abdel Messeeh
The Battle of Tabatô - Joao Viana
Demain C Loin - Pierre-Emmanuel Urcun