Kanchi Wichmann (born 1974) is a British filmmaker, best known for the lesbian feature Break My Fall (2011) which was listed as one of ten great lesbian films to watch by the British Film Institute.[1][2][3]

Kanchi Wichmann in 2016

Life and career edit

Wichmann was born in North Devon, to an English (Yorkshire) mother and a German father. She moved around in her childhood, settling in London at the age of 17. Her training including an HND in film and video at Surrey Institute of Art and Design and TV & Video production, City & Guilds at College of North East London, Tottenham.[4]

At 18, Wichmann began making films using video and Super 8. She made her first 16mm narrative short film at the age of twenty one (Travelling Light).[5] Her first feature film Break My Fall was set in Hackney and released by Peccadillo Pictures in 2011.[6][7][8] The film was distributed in over twenty territories worldwide via Paris-based sales agent Reel Suspects.[9] As well as writing and directing her own films, she has worked in many film-related jobs including film festivals, cinemas and for other directors most notably in the production office of the German director Ulrike Ottinger for her film Chamisso's Shadow (2015).

In 2016 Wichmann wrote an article which was published in the London-based feminist film journal Another Gaze, called Lesbian Films Don't Make Money.[10] The article detailed Wichmann's struggle to raise finance on her second feature, which also featured a lesbian protagonist.

In 2017 Wichmann wrote and directed a ten-episode web series set in the Berlin queer scene called Mixed Messages, which was edited by LA-based filmmaker Cary Cronenwett and was released by Peccadillo Pictures.[11][12]

As of 2014, Wichmann resides in Berlin, Germany.[13]

Filmography edit

  • On Standby (2020)
  • Vanilla (Das Musical) (2019)
  • Mixed Messages (2017)
  • Break My Fall (2011)
  • I Don't Exist (2004)
  • Travelling Light (1999)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Robertson, Selina (17 July 2014). "10 great lesbian films". British Film Institute. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  2. ^ "Kanchi Wichmann". London Film School. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  3. ^ "Kanchi Wichmann: Biography". BABYLON Europe 2012. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  4. ^ "Kanchi Wichmann - Shooting People". Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  5. ^ "British Council Film: Travelling Light". film-directory.britishcouncil.org. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  6. ^ Wright, Melissa (24 June 2011). "Interview: Kanchi Wichmann, director of Break My Fall". Hackney Citizen. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  7. ^ Walters, Ben (2011-07-19). "Break My Fall". Time Out London. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  8. ^ Wicker, Tom (24 June 2011). "Interview: director Kanchi Wichmann". So So Gay magazine. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-05.
  9. ^ Macnab, Geoffrey (2011-05-13). "Reel Suspects gets Happy". Screen. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  10. ^ "Lesbian Films Don't Make Money". Another Gaze: A Feminist Film Journal. 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  11. ^ "Mixed Messages". Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  12. ^ "Editor". carycronenwett. Retrieved 2022-05-28.
  13. ^ "Kanchi Wichmann - Autorin, Regisseurin". Filmnetzwerk Berlin. Retrieved 2022-05-28.

External links edit