‘Essex Girls’ share their story in Southend for the upcoming Feature Documentary Witchcraft and Stilettos

February 9, 2026

Filming for a feature documentary film about the ‘Essex Girl’ stereotype has taken place in Southend. Witchcraft & Stilettos: Redefining the Essex Girl Narrative is about exposing the impact the common stereotype has on women and girls from the county.

The dictionary definition is Essex Girl (noun) a young woman from Essex… vulgar, empty headed and promiscuous.

South Essex film makers, Blatella Films, are producing the film with a targeted cinema release of Autumn 2026.

The film will feature women from across the county expressing their thoughts and experiences with the stereotype and highlight the various women and groups challenging it.

The most recent filming took place in Hadleigh and Southend. Among the interviewees was Mia who took part in the Accent Essex project with University of Essex.

Mia said:

“My accent isn’t something I want to hide, just because of the opinions of other people… if they can’t like me because of my accent, they wouldn’t like me for who I am.”

Over the next 4 months, Blatella Films will interview multiple women ranging from a UK champion powerlifter to a NASA scientist.

The film’s director Natalie Scarsbrook said this of the reaction to the project so far:

“It been wonderful how many people have taken the message of the film to heart, before its even finished being made. I think it shows how needed the film is to expose the harm the stereotype has done and how we can shake it off for future women in Essex.”

Films will be launching a Kickstarter campaign on 17 February 2026 to help raise funds to complete the film (the campaign will run until 17 March 2026), www.kickstarter.com/profile/w-and-s

For more information, please contact Natalie Scarsbrook at Blatella Films on Tel: 07510 661369 or email: natalie@blatella.co.uk