Dr Elena Gorfinkel, Reader in Film Studies, is the curator for the new BFI season Wanda and Beyond: The World of Barbara Loden, dedicated to the career of the American independent actor, writer and director.

Barbara Loden (1932-1980) is most renowned for her film Wanda, which she wrote, directed, and starred in. The film received the International Critics Award at the 1970 Venice Film Festival.

The season takes place in conjunction with the recent publication of Dr Elena Gorfinkel’s new book Wanda (BFI Film Classics, 2025) and develops from her research on Wanda and ongoing archival exploration of Loden’s wider career, which is developing into a research project entitled ‘Barbara Loden: Feminist Constellations’.