Projects in categories: Fiction

Synopsis

ROCK SONG began as a story about a thrill-seeking rock, chasing speed and adrenaline by rolling down the hill. During the film’s development, the director experienced a traumatic event that reshaped the story and its purpose. It became a survival project, a way to understand the pain, and also transfer some of it into the world of rocks. Through the rock’s journey: falls, cracks and discovering different parts of the forest, ROCK SONG reflects the experience of hurt, carrying the damage, and slowly figuring out how to heal. The film translates the director’s changing emotional states into movement and texture, while holding onto the hope of getting better in time. Made through stop-motion animation with hand-dyed fabrics and embroidery, the film’s soft and tactile world creates a quiet sense of comfort, contrasting with the difficult emotions that shape the film. ROCK SONG also considers the inner life of a rock, imagining how it might perceive its own existence. It explores the unknowable inner reality of things and how empathy can extend beyond the human.

Synopsis

At a vibrant Nigerian traditional wedding, the bride, Trish, takes centre stage, radiating beauty and grace. Yet it’s her spirited 13-year-old sister, Bukky, who craves attention. Tasked with collecting money gifted to the bride, Bukky weaves through the chaotic celebration, dodging kicks and spilled drinks, her frustration mounting. Amidst the commotion, her eyes meet those of Samson, a boy her age sitting alone... Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

On the cusp of adolescence, Celia’s world begins to unravel after she discovers her mother’s affair. Alienated at home and struggling with a mind where reality and imagination intertwine, she retreats into long summer days with her cousins, Kerry and Hannah. Things take a dark turn when she and Kerry stumble upon a body deep in the woods. They urgently summon the adults for help, but the body inexplicably vanishes - and no one believes them. As Celia becomes consumed with uncovering the truth, her grip on reality fractures further, pulling her into a dangerous mystery where the line between witness and suspect blurs, and the greatest threat may lie within her own mind. This coming of age film explores maladaptive daydreaming, an emerging psychological phenomenon where people become trapped in elaborate inner worlds - daydreams so vivid they can feel more real than reality itself. Affecting an estimated 2-5% of people, it often begins in childhood as an escape from trauma. Ina Lüders is a German director based in London. With over 40 years of experience in the film industry, she is currently 63-years-old and this is her feature film directorial debut.

Synopsis

On the verge of walking into the Spanish sea, Ava is pulled back to life by Paddy, a stray dog with a collar that leads her across Andalusia. Determined to return him home to Granada, she encounters eccentric strangers, fleeting love with a sunflower thief, and betrayal by an old woman.

Synopsis

A surreal comedy featuring five businessmen attempting to conduct some business. However; discussions ranging from the varying degrees of colours that asbestos comes in, the sorrow felt from killing a little blue bird, the strong desire to kick slow walking strangers into oncoming traffic and an idea to use underpants-wrestling as an apology for an out of place physical altercation - all keep getting in the way of actually allowing any formal business transactions to take place. THANKS TO MEET YOU! pushes you face first into a bewildering trip through the corporate wormhole, as the nonsensical water-cooler moments simultaneously fill your nostrils and cover your eyeballs until you can no longer breathe. And then it just sort of stops. Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

An experimental silent film about water and coping with grief. Princess, who recently lost her twin brother, Prince, has been struggling to sleep and maintain a routine. Worse still, the kitchen tap has been leaking for a month, and the water bill is extremely high. She finally calls a plumber who offers an unexpected solution. A random conversation forces her to move on from her past.

Synopsis

An epic fable inspired by the life of Ann Lee, the founder of the Shakers, a radical religious movement that began in the late 1700s. Mona Fastvold's film depicts Ann Lee's establishment of a utopian society and the Shakers' worship through song and dance. Official Selection Venice Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2025 Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Official Competition Official Selection International Film Festival Rotterdam 2026

Synopsis

A modern-day, London-set take on Shakespeare’s tragedy, exploring race, mental health and inequality. Official Selection Telluride Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2025 Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

In a forgotten fishing village, a boat mysteriously appears in the old harbour. The Rose of Nevada, lost at sea with all hands 30 years ago, has returned. For the few who remember, it’s a sign. The Rose of Nevada must go out to sea again, maybe then the luck of the devastated village will turn. Nick takes a job aboard the boat in an attempt to provide for his young family. Alongside him, newly arrived Liam joins the crew, desperate to escape his past. They head to sea and after a successful trip return to harbour. But something is amiss. They’ve slipped back in time and the villagers greet them as if they are the original crew. Official Selection Venice Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2025 Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Official Competition

Synopsis

After losing her beloved father, Helen finds herself saved by an unlikely friendship with a stubborn hawk named Mabel. Official Selection Telluride Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Zurich Film Festival 2025 - European premiere Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

The story of Agnes - the wife of William Shakespeare - as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. A human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare's most famous play, Hamlet. Official Selection Telluride Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2025 Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

Famous movie actor Jay Kelly embarks on a journey of self-discovery, confronting his past and present with his devoted manager Ron. Poignant and humor-filled, pitched at the intersection of regrets and glories. Official Selection Venice Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Telluride Film Festival 2025 Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025