🎬Lady Macbeth Was Never a Girl

(Lady Macbeth Was Never a Girl)Set in the 1990s at a British high school, this intimate 8-minute short film centers on 15-year-old student Jessica (Francesca McBride). During an English class discussion on Shakespeare's Macbeth, the students debate societal gender expectations alongside Lady Macbeth’s famous plea to throw off her gender roles ("unsex me here").

The classroom dialogue stirs a deep sense of alienation in Jessica regarding enforced gender norms and school conventions (exemplified by the requirement to wear skorts for PE class). When Jessica quietly claims a discarded pair of boys' sweatpants from the sports field, this seemingly small gesture becomes her quiet, meaningful act of rebellion and a first step toward discovering her true identity.

💡 Did you know?
A Personal Vision: Francesca McBride (a graduate of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School) not only directed and wrote the script, but also stars as the lead character, Jessica.

Subverting 90s Nostalgia: The short consciously avoids superficial 90s pop-culture nostalgia, choosing instead to critique how schools and institutions historically enforced rigid binary roles with little room for nuance.

Poetic Subtlety: Lauded by festival critics for its quiet restraint, sensitive visual language, and delicate exploration of adolescent gender identity.