Production Title: A Sunday In The Vale Of Tears
Maxine is a writer/director with Southern African roots. She currently works as Assistant Script Editor at New Pictures, where she is involved in developing high-end scripted television for broadcasters like the BBC, Amazon, ITV, Netflix, Sky and HBO. She is currently in production on COBRA 3, New Pictures’ political thriller for Sky One starring Robert Carlyle. In 2020, Maxine was commissioned to write and direct a short film, by New Creatives North. The New Creatives programme is funded by the Arts Council and BBC Arts, and it provides a platform for emerging filmmakers across the UK. The film she made, Sapphire of the Valley, premiered on BBC4 in the Spring of 2022 as part of the Female Filmmakers Too TV Special.
Maxine has a variety of Industry experience, including working in Development at Unstoppable Film and TV, and shadowing acclaimed director Kieron Hawkes (Fortitude, Power, Ripper Street), during his year leading Sky’s Intergalactic. As a writer/director, Maxine draws inspiration from her experiences growing up in a township in Bulawayo, and her extensive knowledge of cinema, particularly Czech cinema and Italian horror cinema of the 70s. Her work so far has elaborated on themes of identity and social issues using the experimental and horror genres. She loves the work of legendary filmmakers like Sergei Parajonov, Vera Chytilova and David Cronenberg, and films that are daring and tonally distinctive, made by filmmakers who have innovated and elevated the art of cinema.