About Us
Our Story
‘Wine Dark’ is the way Homer describes the colour of the Mediterranean sea in TheIliad and TheOdyssey. We chose it to represent our Creative Collective to honour our directors’ shared Mediterranean heritage and passion for classic texts and literature.
Wine Dark is an independent creative Collective, formed in London in 2024 by Tessa Battaiotto, Kat Sigalas and Andreane Rellou, with a focus on international projects and collaborations.
Our aim is to encourage diversity and inclusivity in our industry by championing up-and-coming talent and developing works that align with our values. We are particularly interested in depictions of mental health, disability, neurodivergence and linguistic diversity.
We are organisers of the Wine Dark Film Festival (WDFF) which had its debut at The Space Theatre in October 2024, and will be returning in late 2025. It is London’s first short film festival exclusively dedicated to mental health, disability and neurodivergence.
Meet our Organisers!
Tessa Battaiotto
Tessa is a British-Italian actress, VO artist, producer and filmmaker based between London and Milan. A graduate of the International College of Musical Theatre in London and New York and of Voice Art Live, one of Italy’s most renowned dubbing schools, she works professionally in the UK and Italy. She has a passion for fantasy period dramas, and is an active member of the Non-UK-Born Artists (NUKBA) Equity working party.
Fabrizio Quagliuso
Fabrizio is an Italian filmmaker and photographer born in Naples and based in London (UK). He focuses on creating personal and emotional stories that reflect his inner world and explore his relationship with the outside one.
In 2023, Fabrizio wrote and directed his first short film, Would You Rather, which explores the themes of acceptance and embracing one's own uniqueness. He is currently in post-production with his second short film, Those Sage Days — a story about childhood bonds, growing up, memory, reconnection, and healing.
Andreane Rellou
Andreane is a Greek-British neurodivergent actress, screenwriter and activist, based in London. She initially trained at the Performing Arts High School of Athens and worked as a child actor. She then moved to the UK and read Music at the University of York, then gained an MA in Acting from East 15 Acting School. In 2023, she wrote and acted in the award-winning short film Sorry I’m Late directed by Kat Sigalas, which was presented through the ADHD Hellas Foundation.
Robyn Wisker-Stilling
Robyn is a neurodivergent 2D Animator, artist and award-winning filmmaker based in Hertfordshire. A recent graduate of Middlesex University, London, with a BA in Animation.
In 2024, the pitch for her graduation film, Miss Odd (2024), won the Phil Davies Award—a funding prize from Peppa Pig creator Phil Davies—which covered production costs and enabled her to collaborate with Fonic Post-Production. Miss Odd has screened at festivals worldwide and was awarded Best Neurodivergent Narrative at the first edition of the Wine Dark Short Film Festival (2024), and won ‘Women in Film’ at Oska Bright 2026.
Josseth Mabuti
Josseth is a Kent-based animation graduate from Middlesex University with a strong background in visual storytelling and creative production. During their time at university, Josseth co-managed their Degree Showcase, directed their own animated short films on Mental Health & Family, and collaborated on a range of live projects and animated films.
Their work has been recognised with multiple awards for Best Film Sound at Middlesex University’s animation showcases, and they’ve also dedicated time to work and volunteering — from supporting students to helping with community building projects in London.