Local filmmaker presents lecture at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival about her upcoming film on Essex Girls

August 24, 2026

Natalie Scarsbrook of South Essex based filmmakers Blatella Films, is directing the new feature length documentary entitled Witchcraft & Stilettos on the origin, impact, and future of the ‘Essex Girl’ stereotype, and has so far interviewed nearly 130 women from across the county.

The film will feature stories from the women, and their experiences with the stereotype, and will also highlight the various women and groups challenging the stereotype, and how we can possibly dismantle it forever.

“It’s important to speak on these issues beyond the borders of Essex because there’s so much we can learn from this stereotype and its history that we can apply to other aspects of society,” Natalie said, “And so having the opportunity to present at the Edinburgh Fringe is a massive honour, for me as a filmmaker and woman.”

The lecture was part of The Speakeasy, an annual lecture series which features speakers on a wide range of topics. This year the series was hosted at The Royal Scots Club. Organiser, Sophie Paterson said,

“The Speakeasy is delighted to have hosted the Underground Lectures for a third year as part of Fringe 2026, presenting another suitably varied and thought-provoking programme of topics.

While planning this year’s Fringe programme, we learned about Natalie Scarsbrook’s documentary, Witchcraft and Stilettos. Having known Natalie since university, we were particularly excited to discover the film and immediately felt that its themes would be a fantastic fit for the Underground Lectures series.

We were therefore thrilled when Natalie agreed to deliver her lecture, Redefining the Essex Girl Narrative. The event was met with great interest and provided a valuable opportunity to explore and challenge some of the perceptions and narratives surrounding the ‘Essex Girl’ stereotype.

The Speakeasy is proud to have played a small part in the journey of Witchcraft and Stilettos and to have helped bring this fascinating topic to a wider audience. We are grateful to Natalie for sharing her work and insights with our audience and look forward to continuing to provide a platform for engaging, diverse and thought-provoking ideas.”

The lecture also featured the premiere of the films second trailer which can be found here: https://youtu.be/o-EgD0NTDaM?si=0TwZeLpezpvvb2iH

For more information on the film please visit www.witchcraftandstilettos.com or email natalie@blatella.co.uk