Lois Norman is a British/Australian award winning independent film maker and writer, whose work focuses on the bravery and diversity of the human condition.
With a career in theatre and the word and a love of Art and the visual, she is currently very excited to be enjoying filmic and writing collaborations with a diverse range of Artists from all disciplines.
Primarily, using the ‘Female’ word and image as a lens, Lois explores and questions the truth of who we are and the strength it takes to be all of who we can dare to be.
Her short documentary: Drawing on Speech which was created in collaboration with Tate Curator and Artist Michele Fuirer, was screened at both at Tate Britain and Tate Modern 2014/2015.
Her Award Winning Documentary ‘She Is Juiced’, a first feature for Lois, which she filmed entirely solo, celebrates the work and lives of Four LGBTQIA+ Female Identifying Artists, had its World Premiere when Lois was invited to screen ‘She Is Juiced’ at Tate Britain in 2017, both as part of Tate’s ground Breaking Exhibition, Queer Britain and to launch London Pride 2017.
The film has also won Best Art Film at NRFF Amsterdam 2018, Best Documentary at Brighton Rocks 2018, was a BAFTA Cymru Finalist at Carmarthen Bay Film Festival 2018 and Lois has won ‘Most Innovative Film Maker’ at Wales International Film Festival 2018.
Lois’ two poetry films, The Light, starring dancer Bettina Carpi and The Shell featuring Lois herself, have also achieved screenings and awards around the world: The Shell winning Best Poetry Film at BAFTA Cymru qualifying Carmarthen Bay film Festival in 2019.
Swivel, Lois’ Gender fluid Dance film starring the trailblazing Iron&Sparks was made in 2019 and is currently screening/has been screened in many world film festivals, including the prestigious BAFTA accredited Aesthetica & BAFTA Cymru accredited Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in the UK. Swivel has won 20 awards so far including Best Experimental, Best LGBTQ, Best Score, Best International Short, Best Art House Short and Most Pioneering Work!
@loisnormanwordimage
Iron&Sparks
…are Henri T and Rachel Sparks. They explore sexuality and play with the outdated traditions of Ballroom dancing by always swapping the lead and follower roles in all their performances. They display equality in their dancing as a political statement. By performing they aim to open the eyes of the audience to think differently about partner dancing and what it reflects in society in terms of gender constructs, relationship dynamics and individual potential. Their aesthetic vision reflects their inner connection… no movement is without meaning and intention or for the sake of beauty itself. Combining their backgrounds in visual arts, contemporary dance and embodiment practice with their Latin and Ballroom training, Iron&Sparks produce work to make an impact, tell a story and touch into the very thing that makes us human.
Director Statement
Having worked in Theatre for many years, I have quite recently moved to film to explore both a different way of looking and a new way to tell our stories.
I want to hold open a filmic and sonic space that allows us to experience and share something new, without alienating the old or the known.
We all stand, both on the shoulders of those who go before us and what we already know and have learnt, so I aim to invite and not tell, to question and to allow us, to both see and respect difference, whilst also seeing and respecting what we share as the same.
Ultimately, it is the truth and vulnerability, the bravery and resilience of the body, heart and mind that is the human condition that we all share.
We all strive to know, be, and celebrate, all of who we are in the world and I find that very exciting!
LGBTQ+ Toronto Film Festival 