Join us for our 2026 Closing Ceremony in the historic Old Divinity School at St. John’s College, Cambridge. Explore the creative process behind Julia Jackman’s 100 Hundred Nights of Hero (which recently closed the BFI London Film Festival) in a panel conversation with graphic novelist Isabel Greenberg, director Julia Jackman, and producers Helen Simmons and Stephanie Aspin. We will place particular emphasis on the art of adaptation, from page to screen. The afternoon will conclude with a refined coffee reception in the Old Divinity School Hub space.
Featuring an all-star cast, including Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Amir El-Masry, Richard E Grant and Charli xcx, 100 Nights of Hero sees Jackman build on the success of her feature debut Bonus Track, and cement her standing as one of UK cinema’s most unique and exciting talents. 100 Nights of Hero is a hilarious send-up of classic folk tales, a strident call to arms and a reminder of the power of rebellion in storytelling.
- Grace Barber-Plentie, BFI.
Julia Jackman is a writer/director. In 2018, she was one of five directors selected for the Canadian Film Centre Directors' Lab. Her debut feature, BONUS TRACK, was produced by Erebus Pictures for Sky Cinema. The film was selected as part of the Great8 showcase at Cannes and premiered at the London Film Festival in 2023. Her latest film, 100 NIGHTS OF HERO (starring Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Charli XCX, Amir El Masry, Felicity Jones, and Richard E Grant) closed Venice Critics Week, and was the closing night gala at the BFI London Film Festival.
Isabel Greenberg is a London-based illustrator and writer. She is the author of four graphic novels: The Encyclopedia of Early Earth (Jonathan Cape, 2013) and The One Hundred Nights of Hero (Jonathan Cape, 2016), both of which have been published to critical acclaim and translated into several languages. Glass Town: A graphic not-quite-biography of the Brontë siblings and their juvenilia. And young Hag, a YA adult crossover fantasy adventure retelling of Arthurian Legends. Both are published by Jonathan Cape in the UK and Abrams Books in the US.
Helen Simmons’ debut feature was the BIFA-nominated Chubby Funny, followed by Say Your Prayers. In 2018, she co-founded Erebus Pictures with Stephanie, under which she has produced multiple high-profile features, including the BAFTA-nominated Hoard. As a writer, Helen began her career with the award-winning short F*CK, starring Brett Goldstein and Esther Smith, before taking part in schemes with Netflix, BBC Writers, and 4Screenwriting. She co-wrote Sasha Nathwani's Last Swim, which won a Crystal Bear at the Berlinale in 2024 and holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Helen has also written for two series of the BAFTA-nominated Sky Kids show Ready Eddie Go, and in 2025 won the Film London Lodestar Award for Best Writer. She is currently developing a show for Netflix. In 2023, she co-directed the Méliès Award-winning short Measure, starring Callie Cooke.
Stephanie Aspin began her career at Warner Bros., working as assistant to director David Yates on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Tarzan, seeing both projects through from development to premiere. In 2018, she co-founded Erebus Pictures and has since produced a range of acclaimed short films and features for the company, with premieres at major international festivals including Venice, the BFI London Film Festival, and Tallinn. As a writer, Stephanie has been commissioned by leading broadcasters in both the UK and the US, including Disney, Hulu, Starz, Sky, MGM and the BBC. She has collaborated with high-profile talent and directors such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Edward Berger, Ben Taylor, Karen Maine, and Judith Light, and adapted notable books by authors including Kate Atkinson. Her latest project was the subject of a five-way bidding war in both the US and UK.
Can’t make it in person? Sign up to our Online Festival now to watch our 28 nominated films and our events programme for free from anywhere. https://watersprite.org.uk/online-pass
Can’t make it in person? Sign up to our Online Festival now to watch our 28 nominated films and our events programme for free from anywhere. https://watersprite.org.uk/online-pass