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INTERVIEW
Mother of all Wisdom IN THE FIRST OF A NEW SERIES, WE GO BEHIND THE CAMERA WITH CAMBRIDGE FILMMAKER BEA GODDARD
WORDS BY MIRIAM BALANESCU
graduating in 2020, she studied documentary film directing at Edinburgh University, where she completed her festival-picked project. M(OTHER)HOOD trails the gender transition of Jack, with a focus on their four children’s experiences of having a queer parent. “I don’t agree with the stereotype that documentary filmmaking has
n the opening seconds of M(OTHER)HOOD, Bea Goddard’s BFI Flare-selected film, four children peek into
view against a backdrop of bright, scrawled crayon drawings. The short is expertly shot, both coolly curated and bristling with intimacy. “I got a camera for Christmas when I was about eight,”
to be serious,” Bea says. Her previous work opened up the inner lives of Cambridge’s homeless community, and delved into
Bea recounts. “I remember being so fascinated by capturing everything on film.” By the time she arrived in Cambridge for university, she
I FELT SO MUCH WARMTH
environmentalism in the city. “I love making films that bring out joy and hope in situations society wouldn’t deem happy.” When Bea posted on Cambridge Filmmakers (CFA) Facebook group, seeking crew and contributors, it was the beginning of what would result in The Cambridge Climate , her first documentary. “I learnt on the job. It wasn’t the best film I’ve ever made, but I’m proud of it.” While involvement in CFA means putting in the work yourself, the society fosters fledgling creators, Bea included. The LGBTQIA+ mentorship from Watersprite takes queer filmmakers in particular under its wing. For Bea, BFI Flare – the largest LGBTQIA+ film festival in Europe – was the perfect space for her film’s premiere, especially after attending herself. “I felt so much warmth and happiness about these queer films.” Up next, Bea is tackling sexism in sport, particularly Cambridge and Oxford’s boxing clubs – stay tuned.
was certain documentary filmmaking was her calling. “The story you can tell in a non-fictionalised universe can be pushed so much further,” she explains. “I would use the example of Tickled , about an underground tickling ring. If you tried to tell that as fiction, everyone would say it was ridiculous and unrealistic.” After
HAPPY FAMILY M(OTHER)HOOD is Bea Goddard’s thesis film at Edinburgh University
20 APR I L 2022 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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