Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

When six Palestinian comedians hit the road to tour a stand-up show across Palestine and Israel, their search for humour amidst the injustice of everyday Palestinian life becomes a plea for humanity in the face of brutal war. There are no comedy clubs - or even a tradition of stand-up comedy - in Palestine. The country is also carved up by walls, fences and checkpoints that create divisions in culture and quality of life between towns. As such, developing a comedy show that can speak to these very different audiences is a herculean task. Despite the cultural and security challenges of going on tour, the five Palestinian comedians and their British director manage to cross checkpoints and borders to perform in theatres in Palestine and Israel. Audiences flock to the shows and the tour gains momentum through increasing public demand. Word spreads internationally and they are invited to London for a series of gigs starting, tragically, on October 7th, 2023, just as war breaks out at home. Suddenly, the mission to connect audiences with thoughtful humanity becomes an existential imperative. Official Selection SXSW London 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

In 1970s Britain, Tony Powell was a star defender for Norwich City Football Club — until one day he disappeared from the public eye without a word to family or friends. Decades and seemingly a lifetime later, Tony now quietly resides at the Holloway Motel in the heart of West Hollywood as its manager and sole resident (apart from his dog Samantha). However, after he learns the motel is shuttering and he’ll soon be evicted, Tony must finally reconcile his past and present in order to survive and come to terms with the multifaceted relationships of his life: those he’s found, lost and abandoned. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

Exploring how the legacy of Jack Kerouac’s seminal novel 'On the Road' reflects in today’s America. The film interweaves stories of contemporary “on-the-roaders”, modern travellers and cultural figures including Josh Brolin, W. Kamau Bell and Natalie Merchant, who reveal how Kerouac’s quest for authentic experience resonates powerfully in our screen-saturated era - offering a lyrical meditation on what it means to truly experience the journey. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Locarno Film Festival 2025 - European premiere

Synopsis

Following explorers into places rarely glimpsed by human eyes: caves, flooded drains and underground laboratories, revealing hidden worlds beneath our feet. Featuring stunning visuals - a sensorial journey which offers a humbling perspective on our place within - not merely atop - this planet. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

The style, the glam, the music, the hats! Culture Club burst onto the UK new romantic scene in 1981 and became one of the most defining and influential bands of their generation. This impossibly fun documentary celebrates the band’s story in their own words, while also revealing the surprisingly tender love story at its centre. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

A musical coming of age story that follows the SoCal VoCals, an elite team of collegiate singers from the University of Southern California as they compete in the most prestigious acapella tournament in the world. The film is an intimate portrait of young people for whom singing is the raw and direct way to express their authentic selves. In so doing each confronts the universal challenges of identity, belonging, and looming adulthood. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

Exploring the powerful, life-changing impact of foundational heavy metal band Metallica on their fans - this documentary shares the intertwined stories of the group and their most devoted fans, revealing the deep connection that can only be forged through music. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

From Lagos to London, this documentary follows Wizkid’s rise as a global icon reshaping how Africa is seen - and heard - around the world. Blending intimate moments, explosive performances, and cultural commentary, the film captures how Wizkid is using his platform to change perceptions, reclaim African identity, and inspire a new generation. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

A bold, narrative-driven experience that immerses players in the hidden and haunting histories of anti-Blackness in the US and UK. This is an experience designed to be difficult – mentally and emotionally. Drawing from primary sources, historical records and scholarly analysis, Coded Black offers a journey through past atrocities and moments of triumph. Explore two distinct, atmospheric scenes – a plantation and a modern 20th-century city – each filled with real historical documents and audio visual storytelling. With a structure that surfaces different content in each run, Coded Black is a narrative crafted for both personal reflection and educational engagement. The game deals with the historical topic of slavery and racism, and therefore includes descriptions of violent acts, images of devices used for the chastisement of enslaved people, and archival imagery depicting victims of lynching. Note, there is a museum version available with the lynching images disabled.

Synopsis

Two artists in Walthamstow set out to take their street off the grid, kickstarting a solar-powered energy revolution. Inspired by lockdown mutual aid initiatives, artist-activists Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn decided to turn their street into an energy-generating powerhouse – a prototype for a new way of living, with the hope of galvanising a wider push towards sustainable alternatives. Directed by the duo, POWER STATION charts their turbulent journey, from pitching the idea to their neighbours and sleeping on the roof of their home to raising finance and launching a bid for a Christmas number one single. By turns funny and heartwarming, Powell and Edelstyn’s film is a vibrant portrait of their local neighbourhood, and a charming testament to the power of art in changing minds about what could be possible. Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2025

Synopsis

A docudrama video essay exploring the life and legacy of the Saxon rebel Hereward the Wake.

Synopsis

When a tiny hardware shop in Bloomsbury is threatened with closure after 171 years, what does that mean for a community? We follow the owners Karen and Trevor, their dog Buster and their employee Karl on what could be their final seven days of trading.