jo barker

Jo has known she would be a filmmaker since directing her first short film aged 17, going on to study a BA in Film and Media in Bristol. Then followed years of honing and shaping her lens as a film editor through subsequent years in the Natural History Unit of the BBC and various indies across the South West.

Jo deeply values the work she does at Black Bark Films, unravelling the complexity of human interaction and exploring it through her passion for editing. Black Bark’s work allows her a sense of purpose with the allyship and solidarity that is inherent to all their films, through elevating the voices of communities and individuals that often go unheard. Jo uses she/her pronouns.

HOLLY BLACK

Holly is a moving image artist and documentary filmmaker. Holly studied Human Rights (MA), Cultural Studies (BA Hons), Art (Foundation Diploma) for which she won ‘Best Experimental Film’ in the BBC Student Film Festival for  ‘Journey 2’ (2004). Holly understands and respects the power of storytelling through a visual medium and considers documentary as one of the most powerful tools we possess in the current sociological climate - not just as a tool to transmit information but as something that can help unlock parts of ourselves in both the comfort of familiarity and the edges of possibility not yet considered. Holly uses she/they pronouns.

SCREENINGS/ AWARDS

Homegrown Shorts at Curzon Cinema, Clevedon | Sile na gig (2023) | Screening for local short films in March 2024.

Belfast Film Festival 2023 | A Spectacle of Herself (2021) | Screened at a night of short circus films.

Devon Transformed festival 2023 | In Our Hands (2017) | Screening at Devon Transformed Festival 2023.

BlueScreen at the Cube Microplex Bristol | Sile na gig (2023) | Screening for local short films in November 2023.

BlueScreen at the Cube Microplex Bristol | The Accidental Choirmistress (2021) | Screening for local short films in July 2023.

CineSisters SouthWest Film Festival 2023 | Period Drama (2021) | Screened as part of Cinesisters SW programme at Plymouth Art Cinema in May 2023.

Food On Film | In Our Hands (2017) | Exeter Phoenix with Exeter Food: A University Research Network and the MA Food Studies screening and panel discussion with local farmers in April 2023.

The Circus International Film Festival 2022 | Period Drama (2021) | Official selection for the Circus International Film Festival 2022.

The Circus International Film Festival 2022 | A Spectacle of Herself (2021)| Official selection for the Circus International Film Festival 2022.

CineSisters SouthWest | The Accidental Choirmistress (2021) | Screened as part of Cinesisters SW programme at Plymouth Art Cinema in March 2022.

MA Artistic Research at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague | A Spectacle of Herself (2021) | Screening as part of Common(ing) Thread project.

Stroud Film Festival 2022 | A Spectacle of Herself (2021) | Officially selected for the ‘That’s what she said’ programme featuring female filmmakers in the SouthWest.

Women’s International Film Festival Nigeria (WIFFEN) |The Accidental Choirmistress (2021) |The Accidental Choirmistress was officially selected and finalist for best documentary short award.

Two Short Nights Film Festival (2022) | One Acre & The Accidental Choirmistress | Both films selected for the Two Short Nights Film Festival at Exeter Phoenix, Exeter, 2022.

Cornish Slates (2021) | The Accidental Choirmistress | Screened as part of Cornish Slates, a screening of locally produced films, Truro, Cornwall.

The Palace International Film Festival (2021) | Freedom 25 (2020) | Screening and Q&A with Off the Record Bristol for LGBTQI+ festival The Palace International Film Festival at Brick, Bristol.

Bristol Women’s Voice Through Her Eyes (2021) | Various | A selection of our films shown as part of Through Her Eyes - An International Women’s Day Short Film Stream, followed by a Q&A with other female filmmakers.

The Red Dress (2020) | Exhibition Edit | Bleddfa Centre, Wales | Screened as part of the month long ‘Stories of Yarn’ exhibition, throughout December.

One Acre (2020) | SouthWest Filmathon | Selected as part of SW Filmathon Thing: week #3 films Documentary.

The Red Dress (2020) | International Women’s Day at Bristol City Hall | Bristol International Women’s day event with Bristol Women’s Voice  at Bristol City Hall.

Freedom 25 (2020) | Bristol M-Shed | Introduction presentation at screening of Freedom 25 for LGBTQI+ history month at Bristol M-Shed with Off the Record Bristol.

In Our Hands (2017) | Awarded the Agro Film Jury  Award, Slovakia | Official selection Festival de films Alimenterre, Montréal, Canada | Festival Alimenterre, Brussels, Belgium | Agrofilm, Nitra, Slovakia, Hunger.Macht.Profite.9 | Austria, British Documentary Film Festival, London, UK | New Earth International Film Festival, Krakow, Poland | Courage Film Festival, Berlin, Germany .

100 Miles and 2 Mouths (2016) | Official selection Greenmotions Film festival, Freiburg, Germany | Annual Copenhagen Film Festival, Denmark | Hebrides International Film Festival, Scotland | Harvest Film Festival, Dorset, UK.

WORKSHOPS

Film in a Day | one day workshop with the Watershed and students from Bristol Brunel Academy resulting in two excellent films: Waste Not, Want Not and The Figure.

Cinesisters SouthWest Film Festival 2023 | Workshop facilitation | From Imposter Syndrome to empowerment + Want to work for yourself? How to set up your own DIY film company in May 2023.

Virtual 1-2-1 Industry Sessions (2021) | Cinesisters SouthWest | As part of the Cinesisters SouthWest takeover of Exeter Phoenix we offered 1-2-1 sessions with aspiring filmmakers in May 2021.

EDUCATION/ MENTORING

Mentors (2024) | Mentoring 3rd year BA (hons) Creative Filmmaking Screenology students in Documentary filmmaking.

BFI Film Academy Bristol (2021 - present) | Course facilitators and Lead Mentors | Delivering a 12 Week NCFE accreditation with the Watershed, Bristol for a cohort of 16-19 year olds.

Visiting Tutors (2023 - present) | Bristol School of Acting | Writing and delivering a Self Scripting in documentary module for second year BA Acting for Screen students.

Associate Tutor (2023) | University of the West of England | Tutoring first and second year BA Filmmaking students for their professional practice short form / modern short form modules.

PRESS / OTHER

RTS Student Awards 2024 | Judging Drama and Animation shorts, for the Royal Television Society Students Awards.

A Spectacle of Herself (theatre performance 2023) | Audio Visual materials for a live performance) | Developed from previous work with Laura Murphy for ‘ A Spectacle of Herself’.

WaterBear Network 2022 | In Our Hands (2017) | In Our Hands released on WaterBear Network www.waterbear.com

Common(ing) Thread | A Spectacle of Herself (2021) | Pairing with a Netherlands based artist Julia Heijligers to screen and discuss themes with first cut x the new flesh. Artist’s Conversation on Vulnerable Grandueur can be read here.

Radio Interview (2020) | BCFM ‘Real Women’ programme | Jo and Kirstie Macleod discuss the Red Dress Film.

Radio Interview (2020) | Ujima ‘Women’s Outlook’ programme | Discussing Black Bark Films with Yaz Brien.

One Acre (2020) | Devon and Cornwall Film | Interview about film with Devon and Cornwall Film.

One Acre (2020) | BBC Spotlight | As part of ‘Down on the Farm’ programme 2 minutes of One Acre was shown on BBC Spotlight, the BBC's regional TV news programme for the South West.

Radio Interview (2019) | Ujima ‘Women’s Outlook’ programme | Discussing Black Bark Films with Yaz Brien

Talk (2019) | St Werburghs Farm Summer Fair | Talk and Q&A on documentary film making, putting and what it means to us to be a female led company.

Interview (2019) | Shambala Festival blog | Interview on Shambala’s blog around International Women’s Day 2019.

FILMS

Post Traumatic Growth (WT) (2024) | Development and early production for a short documentary following a near death experience and the surprising positive impact.

Now I Am A Boat (2024) | Short film commissioned by IC Visual Lab made in collaboration with artist Rachael Clerke and year 6 students at Shirehampton primary school.

Bristol Photo Festival 2024 | Legacy film for IC Visual Lab’s first Bristol Photo Festival 2024 to capture some of the artists and venues involved in the event.

Knowing by Heart (2024) | Short film commissioned by I C Visual Lab made in collaboration with artist Kit Hall and women from Avonmouth Community Centre.

Many Minds Hybrids Live (2024) | Short film commissioned by Many Minds to capture a performance inspired by the These Mad Hybrids exhibition at the RWA, alongside artists Buoys Buoys Buoys and exhibition curator Olivia Bax.

Many Minds Welcome to Bedminster (2024) | Short film capturing Many Minds and Breathing Fire’s evening of performance created and performed by Bedminster residents.

Arcadia (WT) (2024) | Development and production of a long form observational doc following the creative Arcadia Spectacular team.

Moses McKenzie, Bristol | Promo for Headline Publishing and Bristol Author Moses McKenzie, May 2024.

Dancing Otherwise, Bath Spa | Trailer for a research project around exploring the pluriverse, April 2024.

A Spectacle Of Herself Creative Captioning R&D (2022) | R&D film | Selected for Circus International Film Festival 2024.

The Landworkers’ Alliance Winter Gathering | Promo for the annual gathering for the Landworkers’ Alliance, January 2024

A Spectacle Of Herself Creative Captioning R&D (2022) | R&D film | Documenting performance artist Dr Laura Murphy and Contra Productions during a residency at The National Centre for Circus Arts.

Sims Hill Crowdfunder (2023) | Crowdfunding film | Low budget crowdfunder for Bristol’s local farmers.

Agroecology as a Movement (2023) | Commission by the Landworkers Alliance | A series of five films looking at the political and social justice aspect of Agroecology with the Landworkers' Alliance for their educational arm.

It Takes a Farm Community to be Net Zero (2023) | Commissioned by Farm Net Zero | Five films looking at community within farming for Farm Net Zero launched at Oxford Real Farming Conference 2024.

Pipers Farm - Why Short supply chains are important for a sustainable future (2023) | Short film | Made with the Landworkers Alliance.

This is Ponda (2023) | Branding film | Ponda is a biomaterials company creating truly regenerative textiles form natural fibres.

Tate Turner Prize exhibition, Towner Eastbourne 2023 | Rory Pilgrim - Activism can come from a space of Joy (2023) | Directed by Holly Black for Tate, until April 2024.

Various Shorts (2021 - 2022) | Future Farming Resilience Fund | A series of short documentary style films commissioned by the Landworkers’ Alliance, Organic Research Centre and Pasture for Life.

The Woody Branch (2021) | short doc | An introductory short to the Woody Branch commissioned by the Landworkers’ Alliance.

The Red Dress (2021) | Exhibition Film | This film is an accompaniment to the Red Dress as it travels across the world to exhibitions, to be screened alongside the Red Dress itself.

Period Drama (2021) | 14 min experimental short | A film by Olga Kaleta and Black Bark Films based on a performance piece by the same name. A deep dive into chronic anxiety through a personal feminist lens, via slasher flicks, bloody knickers & suicidal insects.

Cornwall Film Festival (2021) | The Accidental Choirmistress (2021) | A commission by the Hypatia Trust as part of the Women of Cornish Music: Past & Present project, and a quarter finalist in the Southwest Regional shorts at the Cornwall Film Festival 2021.

A Spectacle of Herself (2021) | 20 minute visual performance film | Interrogating themes around virtuosity, autobiography, identity, and the spectacularized body, Laura Murphy makes A Spectacle of Herself. Commissioned by CircusDanceFestival and The Lowry, Salford | Supported by Arts Council England. Exclusive screenings: May 2021, CircusDanceFestival 2021 Female circus, June 2021, the Lowry online, October as part of Bristol Circus City 2021.

The Pen Slippers (2020) and The Search for Johnny Onions (2020) | Two shorts produced and edited for artist Jess Balla, as part of the online exhibition Lost and Found at Sea.

Climate Change Mitigation and Public Engagement (2020) | Doc shorts | Two info shorts commissioned by the Landworkers’ Alliance for the Defra funded horticulture ELMS Test & Trial 'Growing the Goods’.

About us (2020) | Archive based short | Commissioned by the Landworkers’ Alliance.

Women in Cornish Music (2020) | Doc short | Commissioned by the Hypatia Trust to make a short film about an inspiring accidental choir mistress in Cornwall. For completion by June 2021.

Brithdir Mawr (2020) | Crowdfunder film for a community share offer for intentional, off grid community Brithdir Mawr, Pembrokeshire.

The Red Dress (2020) | Feature doc | In post production. Crowdfunder campaign and film plus international shoot in Mexico.

One Acre (2019) | Doc Short | Commission by North Devon Moving Image film commission ‘Down on the Farm’ | Permanent exhibition at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon | Funders included Devon County Council and the National Trust.

Freedom 25 (2019) | Commission by Freedom Youth at Off The Record Bristol | Exhibited at Bristol M-Shed Museum.

The Red Sea Travel Agency (2019) | Short teaser | Promo film for non gendered menstruation venue, run in collaboration with No More Taboo at Shambala Music festival.

LIFEbeat (2019) | Series of shorts | Commission to create series of short films about Lifebeat’s Youth Leadership Summer Camp and participatory films where young people scripted, storyboarded and created a shot list in response to three issues personally affecting them; Identity, Youth Violence and Mental Health. Lifebeat is funded by Somerset County Council and the West Somerset Opportunities Fund.

Freedom Youth (2019) | Series of shorts | Commissioned by Freedom Youth, Off The Record’s gender and sexuality social action project, to create a series of films to celebrate 25 years of the group, which provides a social, informative and safe space for LGBTQ+ 14-25 year olds. Screened at Bristol M-Shed Museum in April 2020. Off the Record is funded by various public bodies including the Department for Education and Bristol City Council.

Dry Season (2019) | Arts Council funded R&D spoken word theatre project exploring menopause and identity. We worked with performance artist Kat Lyons to develop a research & development short and a promotional trailer.

Hamilton House: Owning our future (2019) | Campaign short commissioned by the Save Hamilton House campaign.

Fitty Gomash (2019) | Music video.

Sims Hill Shared Harvest (2019) | Stop motion animation.

The Community Kitchen (2019) | Crowdfunder film.

Hyper Fem (2018) | With Arts Council R&D funding we collaborated with performance artist Viki Browne to create a series of shorts for performance and as a teaser for the show, which explores what it means to perform femininity whilst feeling safe, in a multidisciplinary performance.

Cafe Direct (2018) | Commissioned by Greenhouse PR | Promo.

Algobabez (2018) | Doc short.

Bristol Food Producers (2017) | Series of shorts.

In Our Hands (2017) | Award winning documentary feature made in association with the Landworkers' Alliance

100 Miles and 2 Mouths (2016) | short documentary following Jo and Holly as they only eat within 100 miles of Bristol.