Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

The documentary film explores an unknown chapter in post South African liberation. In 1993, Lady Anya Sainsbury, a former principal ballerina at Royal Ballet in London, met Nelson Mandela at a party in South Africa. They both agreed for her to set up a dance scholarship programme at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London, which provided 23 of South Africa’s talented young dance students between 1995 to 2003, with the opportunity to follow their dance dreams. The film highlights the personal experiences of six of those dancers that subsequently met Mandela in London at a dinner party in Lady Sainsbury’s house in 1999, they are Mandela’s Dancers. The film combines archival dance photographs and video footage spanning over fifteen years, with excerpts from the student performances and candid recollections. Mandela’s Dancers is not about the triumph of the human spirit or any other of the top 10 favourite dance clichés. It’s about something far rarer and of vastly greater significance – it’s about real life. It’s about how Nelson Mandela changed the face of contemporary dance!

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The Pagoda in London’s Kew Gardens is rarely open to the public. It was open for a short time last year and I took the opportunity to climb all 253 wooden steps having first done so 60 years before.

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The Ambiguity of David Thomas Broughton is a music documentary following the creative process of one of the UK’s most enigmatic musicians and performers. As a musical act, David Thomas Broughton is almost unclassifiable. His live shows are a exhilarating mix of musical experimentation and performance art, underlined by a raw unpredictability. His recorded material is dark but beautiful, marrying traditional folk with a surrealist edge. Off-stage, he’s an introvert with a passion for bird watching. Who is the real David Thomas Broughton? Through a series of interviews with friends, family and collaborators, filmmaker Greg Butler attempts to unravel this ambiguity. His journey takes him to David’s home town of Otley, where we track David’s creative process as he records new material to be played at the End of the Road Festival.

Synopsis

A keen and accurate observation on the the effects of the rapidly increasing illegal immigrant population within coastal city of Calais, France. Deep access into the migrant groups in the jungle provides a fascinating look into the individually desperate nationalities and opinions from the perspectives of those directly affected by the crisis creates a topical and enthralling visual debate in documentary.

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A film about us. It's a film about you, your children, your parents, your friends. It's about every one of us. It's about our failure: failure as individuals, the failure of business, and the failure of our politicians. It is about an unprecedented planetary emergency. It's about the future of us Based on scientist Stephen Emmot's eye-opening lecture on humanity's biggest threat: overpopulation.

Synopsis

Identity, most people take identity for granted. We see ourselves reflected back as we gaze into the eyes of our parents. What if your image isn't the same, what then? Abandoned Adopted Here is an independent documentary, exploring the idea of identity as a transracial adoptee and being British-Chinese/East Asian.

Synopsis

Identity, many of us take it for granted. We see ourselves reflected back as we gaze into the eyes of our parents. What if your image isn't the same? What then? An independent documentary exploring the experience of growing up as a culturally displaced British East Asian during pre-multicultural 60s UK. A look at identity, transracial adoption and is there such as thing as being British Chinese/East Asian

Synopsis

Marla Coppolino has an unusual passion for the world’s smallest dwellers: land snails. In between science and art, Marla brings you into their tiny world. She embarks on a mission to enlighten you to the plight of the lowly land snail through creative, bizarre and unconventional means.

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A 2000 year old decorated Iron Age Mirror was found in Oxfordshire, UK. This film documents sampling and research, and considers the significance of this enigmatic object. Winner of 1st Place category in Non-Fiction Aahn 2016 International Short Film Event, Mumbai, India

Synopsis

Living far from the continent and isolated from the rest of the world, the Guanches believed they were the only survivors of a terrible natural catastrophy that had wiped out the entire humanity, until six hundred years ago when the Spanish sailors first stepped on the Canary islands. More than 2500 years separated the two cultures. SAVAGES IN FOREIGN LANDS is a quest to the truth and identity, but also story of survival, legacy, conquest and recognition.

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An essay video work examining contemporary Nigerian diasporic female identity through the contradictions inherent to an ethnographic reading of the funeral of the filmmakers’ family matriarch. Using personal archive to explore the concepts of female identity, diaspora, cultural memory and most importantly ‘fiction’.

Synopsis

Battle Mountain is the story of Graeme Obree’s epic journey. Can a man who broke world records and won world championships 20 years ago still cut it as his fiftieth birthday approaches? Graeme Obree and his legendary bike “Old Faithful” inspired Sir Chris Hoy – who calls him a genius, as well as Sir Bradley Wiggins and millions of cyclists across the world. 20 years on he has built a bike, and the aerodynamic shell, in his attempt to break the International Human Powered Vehicle Association land speed record. “BATTLE MOUNTAIN” is an immersive observational documentary showing how Graeme built “The Beastie” (as named by Sir Chris Hoy). Following Graeme as he trains in the Ayrshire rain and the sunshine of Tenerife, and watches as his cardio workouts take him to the point of collapse. 'Battle Mountain' isn’t just about a sport and engineering genius. It is also about the fragility of the human mind and the mental strength required to make you a world record holder. Graeme openly talks about the difficulties he has encountered and survived through his life. He doesn’t shy away from his demons, everything is confronted head on. Edinburgh International Film Festival 2015 - World premiere