X-Pollinator has now concluded its eight-week online development programme, ELEVATOR that supported twenty emerging and diverse female and non-binary writers and directors to meet the screen industry, build a network, develop their projects and become the inclusive leaders of the future.

Funded by Screen Skills Ireland, Screen Ireland and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), ELEVATOR supported a deeper range of under-represented and emerging voices who represent the brilliant and wide ranging multiplicities of Irish culture; and supported them in developing their networks and projects, and provided an access point to over thirty speakers from the screen industry.

After a competitive pitching session, the winning pitch was awarded to Esosa Ighodaro with her project Just Enough Chilli, with honourable mentions going to Caitlin Magnall-Kearns for her project Chris & Lou and Al Bellamy for their project Sculpt. Just Enough Chilli tells the story of Adesuwa, who is determined to launch a fine dining Nigerian restaurant in Dublin. The retirement plans of her mother as well as the security of her pregnant daughter’s future rely on the success of this risky venture. Esosa Ighodaro will now be awarded development funding to write a treatment and have the support of a script editor, and a designer to create a pitch book for her project, while all other ELEVATOR participants will be provided with one script editor meeting to further shape the development of their projects.

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