Leah Thorn

Female prisoners experience the liberating effect of creative writing with the help of inspirational poet Leah Thorn. Poet Leah Thorn is writer-in-residence at HMP Bronzefield, a high security women’s prison in Middlesex. Through her workshops we meet a variety of women striving to find a voice through creative writing. Personal histories, emotions and inner conflicts are revealed through their poems and interactions. The film explores the liberating and healing effect of creativity. The film has been shown at festivals, conferences and the House of Commons in June and July 2011 to increase awareness of women in prison. Leah has published 'Release', a book of poetry by female prisoners, illustrated with stills form the film which is being provided free of charge to women in prison: http://www.womenlobby.org/spip.php?article1583 An article about the making of this film: http://thedfg.org/news/details/1005/filming-in-prisons-making-beautiful-sentence Reviews http://londonfeministfilmfestival.com/2012/11/27/review-of-beautiful-sentence-by-spectra-director-suzanne-cohen-holds-no-punches/ http://fifi.voima.fi/artikkeli/2012/joulukuu/tilastoksi-muuttumisen-pelko Leah Thorn's TED talk: Incarcerated women and the transformational power of poetry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yySZ3p4XnDY

Poet Leah Thorn’s personal take on being white, Jewish, marinated in the racism of 1950s England, and committed to change. Combining spoken word poetry and autobiographical storytelling, animation and Super 8 footage, ‘Marinade’ delivers an honest and tender exploration of the intertwining of Second Generation identity, racism and antisemitism.

Set among the beehives and high heels, fur stoles and Ford Zephyrs of 60's and 70's London suburbia, My Amulet offers a personal take on Anglo-Jewish Ashkenazi identity. Combining kaleidoscopically-edited handheld Super 8 with current digital video footage and a commissioned soundscape by Moshik Kop & Yaniv Fridel, the film delivers poet Leah Thorn's spin on assimilation, acculturation and ‘other such aggravation’. A creative collaboration between Leah, Ben Hole and Ruth Novaczek

Based on a poem of provocation and witness, a diverse group of women and young women powerfully join together to name and to challenge issues of everyday sexism. A creative collaboration between Leah and filmmaker Clare Unsworth. ------------------------------------------------------- Music by Josh Woodward - 'Dizzy Spells'

A deeply personal poetry film about being the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, ‘…and she does’ tenderly evokes loss, vulnerability, memorialisation and survival. A creative collaboration between spoken word poet Leah Thorn and filmmaker Clare Unsworth. --------------------------------------------------------------- with music by Smalltide - 'Carnival' and improvised vocals by Maiuko Fi recorded by Andy Thomas-Emans --------------------------------------------------------------- In memory of Laura Thorn [Hannelore Leyens] z”l

Poetry-emblazoned retro clothes; nineteen older models strutting a subversive catwalk; a wild Zumba Gold flashmob. Clare Unsworth’s documentary captures Leah's unique and ground-breaking project of older women’s liberation.

'a:dress' explores the environmental abuses of fast fashion through a powerful subversive catwalk of edgy, informative and vibrant garments. Join us in naming our sisters on the front line of climate violence and protest. A creative collaboration between Leah and filmmaker Clare Unsworth.