ONE IN THREE ONE TOO MANY

This week, leading figures from across business, law, politics, entertainment and women’s advocacy came together for a special screening of Prima Facie, the powerful new film starring Cynthia Erivo. Hosted by Dame Heather Rabbatts and Barbara Broccoli, co-founders of TIME’S UP UK, the screening was followed by a discussion exploring consent, justice, institutional accountability and the urgent need for change. With questions of sexual violence, power, accountability and the treatment of survivors continuing to demand urgent attention, the film’s message resonated far beyond the screen.

Directed by BAFTA award-winning Susanna White and adapted by acclaimed playwright and former human rights lawyer Suzie Miller from her internationally celebrated, award-winning stage play, Prima Facie tells the story of Tessa Ensler (Cynthia Erivo), a brilliant and ambitious defence barrister whose confidence in the justice system is shattered when she is sexually assaulted by a colleague.

The film asks difficult but essential questions: Who is believed? Whose experiences are recognised? What happens when the pursuit of justice meets the reality of sexual violence? And what responsibility do institutions have to change?

Following the screening, Susanna White and Suzie Miller joined Dame Heather Rabbatts, Time’s Up UK Chair, for a discussion about bringing the story from stage to screen, the portrayal of sexual violence and the film’s wider potential to influence conversations about power, consent, belief and accountability.

Dame Heather Rabbatts said: “Prima Facie asks questions we recognise from our own work: who holds power, who is believed, and what it costs to come forward. As we look at the world around us, there has never been a more timely or important moment for this film. The story is about the courtroom, but the questions it poses reach into every workplace, including our own. We need to move beyond conversations about change and ensure that people have safe, independent routes to report misconduct, access support and be heard.

“Bringing together people from across law, politics, business, the creative industries and women’s organisations matters enormously. Change cannot be delivered by one individual or organisation. It requires collective leadership, accountability and a willingness to act.”

Zelda Perkins, the first woman to break an NDA with Harvey Weinstein was also in attendance. Zelda, founded the Can’t Buy My Silence UK campaign and has become one of Britain’s most influential voices for reform on the misuse of NDAs to silence victims of harassment and abuse, she said:  “It works to make a stand – the law can change. We have now changed four pieces of legislation in the UK, which will dovetail together to make NDAs void. The big piece that we need to fight for still is to get these protections for freelance workers, and most people here will understand how important that is in the creative industries. That is something we still need to push the government on.”

The evening also highlighted the work of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), initiated by TIME’S UP UK in 2021. TIME’S UP UK campaigned alongside British talent including Barbara Broccoli, Naomie Harris, Keira Knightley, Emerald Fennell, Gemma Chan and Ruth Wilson and others to create an independent place for people working across the creative industries to seek advice, report misconduct and access support outside existing workplace power structures. 

CIISA Chief Executive Jen Smith addressed the gathering, outlining the organisation’s progress and the importance of securing industry-wide commitment to its Standards.

Jen Smith, CEO CIISA said; “CIISA has published its Standards and is working with major broadcasters and organisations to put them into practice, we are calling on every part of the creative industries to register and commit to creating safer working environments. There will be meetings next week to call on the Government to mandate funding of this independent body to bring it in line with other regulators.”

The connection between the film’s themes and the work of TIME’S UP UK was central to the evening. Founded in the wake of the #MeToo movement, TIME’S UP UK campaigns to address the power imbalances that enable sexual harassment and abuse, championing independent reporting mechanisms and lasting cultural change.

The success of Suzie Miller’s original Prima Facie stage play demonstrated the extraordinary power of storytelling to move beyond the theatre and into public life. First performed in 2019, the play went on to achieve international acclaim, including Olivier and Tony Awards, with Jodie Comer’s celebrated performance bringing Tessa’s story to audiences around the world through its West End, Broadway and National Theatre Live runs. Its impact extended beyond the stage, contributing to conversations about how the justice system understands trauma and the experiences of survivors.

Now, with the film adaptation bringing this story to an even wider audience, its arrival feels especially significant. At a moment when the demand for meaningful change cannot be ignored, Prima Facie challenges audiences not simply to witness injustice, but to question what they can do to help end it.

Prima Facie opens in cinemas on 13 November 2026.