Jackie Gillies
WriterAs a resident of Kiel, you should love the sea. That’s what is expected of you. But then, you’re also expected to find children cute, like coffee and hate tax returns. So maybe expectations are a bit boring, too. You wouldn’t expect a university lecturer to have rapped in a hip-hop band or to have been a bouncer at reggae parties. Or that there is still any person without tattoos today. Not even a little anchor.
Schleswig-Holstein is repeatedly voted the happiest federal state in Germany, and not without reason. Other potential places of residence must have a lot to offer to lure you away from here. Jackie made an exception for the Caribbean and spent a school year in Barbados (yes, it’s the island that proclaimed Rihanna a national heroine). School uniform during the day, partying at night and loads of colonial history in between. Jackie was particularly interested in this as the daughter of a South African mother who experienced apartheid as an underprivileged “colored person”.
Her stories deal with a variety of themes, including coming-of-age, musical content, historical events, socially critical issues – profound, touching, cheeky, humorous, and always marveling at the madness of the world. But also hopeful, because stories can change the way we see the world.
© Portrait: Cynthia Melcer
Filmographie
MELEK AND THE DEAD (AT)
Series | Dramedy | MadeFor Film
(co-writer, with Mareike Almedom and Bahar Bektas, in development)
LACK OF TIME (AT)
Short film | 20’
(Producer & director, in development, writer: Jens Bahr)
TURKISH CREAM PIE (AT)
Feature Film | Comedy | Network Movie
(co-writer, with Bahar Bektas, in development)
GOING WILD – DANCING WITH WOLVES (AT)
Feature Film | Dark coming-of-age comedy
(co-writer, with Peter Neuhofer, in development)
THE RAVENS OF EBERSCHWANG (AT)
Feature Film | Dark crime comedy
(co-writer, with Peter Neuhofer, in development)
UNIQUE (AT)
Feature Film | Comedy | Crazy Film
(co-writer, with Philipp Weinges and Günther Knarr, in development)
DORA DIAMANT – KAFKA’S LAST LOVE (AT)
Feature Film | Drama
(co-writer, with Pit Riethmüller and Bahar Bektas, in development)
RAPPER’S GERMANY (AT)
Documentary series | Mookwe
(co-writer, with Björn Beton, Christian Mertens and Oliver Krupp, in development)
PORN HEROES (AT)
Series | Dramedy | Coming-of-age | Crazy Film
(writer/creator, in development)
A CALL
Short film | Drama
(writer)
Implementation of film projects for clients at New Communication (advertising agency)
A STRANGE PLACE CALLED EARTH
Short film | 17’
(writer & director)
GIANTS OF KIEL
Documentary | 30‘
(Editor)
Other activities
Lecturer at Kiel University: Media Competence and Science Communication / supervision of student film projects at the Key Skills Centre: https://www.youtube.com/c/wearecau
Commissioned work for clients: Image films, recruiting films, campaign films, exhibition films, explanatory films
Screenplay lecturer at Filmarche e.V., Berlin
Jury activities at the short film competition “Mach mal Halblang”, European Film Festival Göttingen
Advertising and press copywriter and editorial manager in advertising agencies
Education
2017
Masterschool Drehbuch, Berlin | Training as a writer for film & TV
2006-2012
Uni Kiel | Master’s Degree in English/American Studies,
Art History and Cultural Anthropology
Awards
A CALL
Screenplay Award Schleswig-Holstein – Nomination