Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

This archival documentary traces the rise and fall of Richard Nixon and the death of the American dream, from the presidential primaries of 1968 through the Watergate break-in of June 1972 and Nixon’s resignation two years later, killing trust in the political process and the American presidency in the wake of the Vietnam War. Narrated by Harry Shearer (This is Spinal Tap), the film tells the untold story of the Watergate burglars, based on director Shane O’Sullivan’s book on the subject, and explores representations of the Nixon years in popular culture, using the music, commercials, and cinema of the era to evoke the fevered political landscape and the culture wars between Nixon’s silent majority and the radical anti-war left. How MEDIUM COOL, LION’S LOVE and SHAMPOO reflect on the political events of 1968; and how paranoid thrillers like THE CONVERSATION, TAXI DRIVER and ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN can be read in the context of the Watergate break-in and investigation which followed.

Synopsis

Every day, thousands of dairy calves are separated from their mothers at birth. A DAIRY STORY follows Wilma and David Finlay as they risk everything to find a way to keep dairy cows and their calves together. Filmed over two years, we see Wilma and David’s determination to reinvent dairy farming; challenging industry norms by putting nature and animal welfare first. Their path wasn’t easy. They faced criticism and ridicule from their intensive dairy neighbours and almost went bankrupt proving it could work. When Wilma receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, their mission to encourage wider industry adoption of their cow-with-calf system takes on new urgency. This documentary addresses themes of connection and mortality, and topics of animal sentience, the environment and system change. Following calves from birth to weaning, we see the herd's profound capacity for maternal care. A DAIRY STORY shows how changing a farming system changes everything; from the lives of the animals to the wellbeing of the farmers, and perhaps even the future of dairy farming itself. Official Selection IndieCork 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Central Scotland Documentary Festival 2025 - UK premiere

Synopsis

Finding beauty in the ordinary, Liverpool takes centre stage in this year-in-the-life documentary portrait. ​ Communities and voices are observed from a fresh perspective as the city navigates through an eventful year. Mirroring the ebb and flow of the River Mersey, LIVERPOOL STORY is an intimate document of daily life, observing the city and its people over the passing seasons.

Synopsis

The controversy surrounding the Parthenon Marbles centres entirely on their initial acquisition and their current location in the British Museum. In 1983, when she became the Minister for Culture of Greece, the esteemed actress and politician Melina Mercouri reignited Greece’s argument that they were illegally removed from the Parthenon temple in Athens by Lord Elgin. The British Museum has consistently affirmed the legality of its acquisitions and that they are better and more securely preserved and appreciated in London. In the past, it has been stated that the sculptures are an essential part of its wider world collection, which enables visitors to understand both the full cultural and historical context of ancient Greece. Greece asserts that the sculptures are integral to its national identity and historical narrative, and that only their reunification with the remaining Parthenon artefacts in Athens can provide the fullest, most complete, and meaningful context for their display. With both sides standing firm on their positions, the debate remains unresolved. THE MARBLES advocates for reunification in what has become the art world’s most pressing issue.

Synopsis

An immersive dive into nature, across the world made with barely any travel, exclusively on the original home-movie format, Super 8. SUPER NATURE takes a joyous, heart-warming gaze on the natural world; a visceral, poetic, more intimate meditation on us and our relationship with nature than the hi-tech approach we’ve come to expect. A growing network of makers take to this antique format, to share images, thoughts and philosophies in a gentle, beguiling way, scored with diverse music. A fresh take on the most important subject there is. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

The story of working-class women who, during the 1984–85 Miners' Strike, found themselves at the forefront of a battle against the British state. From Scotland down to Kent, women from the coalfields shed light on their experiences of the year long struggle, and how they became the backbone of the Strike. With many still active today, their actions reshaped the landscape of political activism for working-class women.

Synopsis

Locked and loaded with film tape, a man explores an abandoned rave house, once known as The Warehouse, that was once the beating heart of the South West’s clubland.

Synopsis

The story of George J. Mitchell, a working-class boy from Maine who would become the majority leader of the US Senate and one of the most respected political negotiators and leaders of his generation. From the basketball court of Bowdoin College to the streets of Berlin as a counterintelligence agent, Mitchell tells his incredible story in his own words. Filmed in his home state of Maine across the summer of 2023, this documentary showcases a problem solver who has worked across the worlds of politics, baseball, and business with an unending passion for understanding through dialogue in his country and around the world, working to bring peace to Northern Ireland.

Synopsis

Revealing the inner world and outer life of Irvine Welsh, one of the most original and controversial writers of our times. Over four decades across novels, screenplays, and as a forthright, opinionated and outspoken media presence, the 'Trainspotting' author has both celebrated and defined contemporary society and culture, whilst simultaneously exposing all of their many flaws. In this intimate and personal documentary we meet the acclaimed writer at a crossroads, acutely aware of his mortality and accepting that his hedonistic days are drawing to a close, but still very much committed to new avenues of creativity and discovery. On a book tour in Canada, Welsh chooses to explore the boundaries of consciousness by taking DMT at a Toronto drug therapy centre. The resulting hallucinogenic trip, illustrated within a kaleidoscopic imagined memory space, is interspersed with candid observational footage, cinematic archive, and novel excerpts to create a captivating piece of autobiographical cinema that gets to the beating heart of one of Scotland’s most vital creative voices. Official Selection Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

A time capsule from the underground. NOVA 78 resurrects the electrifying Nova Convention of 1978 featuring never-before-seen footage of William Burroughs, Frank Zappa, Patti Smith and other icons restored over a decade in the UK and reimagined as a cinematic event for today’s audiences. Official Selection Locarno Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

A security guard must use his wits and keep his nerve as the cold night brings forth an eclectic mix of colourful characters to contend with.

Synopsis

An experimental feature film that dives into the murky waters of memory. The filmmaker's daughter Eden, dressed as Dorothy, walks a path of recollection but she does not walk alone. On her journey she is accompanied by workers from a factory that produces memory. Official Selection Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025 - World premiere