Glasgow Film Announces Key New Appointments

New trustees Yahya Barry, David Logue and David McDonald join Michelle Conlin, Vicky Cowan, layla-roxanne hill, Judith Stevenson, Carmen Thompson, Teresa Turner and Sarah Wishart on Glasgow Film’s Board of Trustees.

Yahya Barry has been appointed the new Chair of the Board and Judith Stevenson appointed as Vice Chair.

Yahya and Judith succeed Paul Zealey (outgoing Chair) and Rishaad Ait El Moudden (outgoing Vice Chair) who are both stepping down after six years of service. Also stepping down are Richard Cairns, Bruce Malcolm, Myriam Mouflih and Abigail Kinsella. Glasgow Film’s Executive Team has extended their heartfelt thanks for the support and contributions made in helping steer the organisation during a very challenging time.

Allison Gardner, Glasgow Film Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted to welcome our new Chair, Vice-Chair and Trustees to Glasgow Film. Although there are difficult and challenging times ahead, we continue to excel and welcome audiences to enjoy the best of world cinema.
“Glasgow Film’s commitment to our communities, inclusion and access remains resolute, and the expertise and dedication that our new Trustees bring in this area of our work are testament to our Cinema For All vision.”

Yahya Barry has been at the forefront of transformative initiatives, community engagement, and creative strategy across Scotland and beyond in the cultural, heritage, creative and screen industries. His positions have included Community Development Regional Lead for the Film and TV Charity, Community-Led Collections Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland, and Senior Visiting Researcher at the University of Copenhagen. In 2021, Yahya was appointed by Scottish Government Ministers to serve on the Board of Creative Scotland on a four-year term to support the public body's work on recovery and renewal of the sector post-Covid. Yahya is passionate about engaging with diverse communities to create transformational strategies for social and cultural change. Yahya was born in the Gambia and educated in the UK, Saudi Arabia, Denmark and Sweden.

Yahya Barry said: “I am thrilled by my appointment as the new Chair of Glasgow Film; an institution that holds a special place in the hearts of film lovers and creators in Scotland, the UK and around the world. Together with the dedicated team at GFT, I look forward to showing the whole world what can happen when diverse communities come together united by a cause to imagine and shine the light of a bright, equitable and sustainable future. I take the opportunity to invite the whole of Glasgow, the whole of Scotland, and the whole world to join us and be a part of our journey.”

Judith Stevenson is a qualified solicitor currently working at Castlemilk Law Centre. She is also a Chairing member of the Children’s Panel and serves as a mentor to new Panel recruits. For the last four years she has also been an MCR Pathways mentor and until recently volunteered with the Macmillan @ Glasgow Life service. Judith has been attending GFT since she was a school pupil and normally sees two or three films a week. Her favourite film of all time is The Bad and the Beautiful and she was thrilled that it screened during Glasgow Film Festival 2023. Judith joined the Glasgow Film Board in 2021.

Judith Stevenson said: “I have loved the GFT since I first visited on a school trip over 40 years ago so I am honoured and delighted to have been chosen for the role of Vice Chair. Our great staff, Executive and Board have already achieved so much that we can be proud of and I am sure that even greater things are to come."