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

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 

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

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

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

                                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

***

                           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