Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

Through the psychoanalytic and introspective voiceover of a young post-pandemic Chinese migrant in Europe, the film interweaves her private memories of intimacy with public narratives of resistance. As her reflections unfold, she and her community navigate secrecy, repression, survival, looming precarity, and displacement, all while confronting the personal cost of existing in a world that demands their silence.

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

Mike and Emlyn, best friends and UFO investigators, cruise along the roads of South Wales in a multi-coloured van. They interview individuals who have encountered the unexplainable; from shimmering orbs, to huge spacecraft, to cascading beams of light. Their mission is to document these sightings, investigating what they could mean and where these phenomena come from. Armed with curiosity and a camcorder, Mike and Emlyn create a safe space for ordinary people to share their extraordinary experiences. But while they look to the heavens for answers, they remain unaware that what they’re searching for may be closer than they think. Official Selection Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2025 Official Selection DOC NYC 2025

Synopsis

Neza bazi, an ancient South Asian cavalry sport adopted by British colonial officers, has two distinct scenes in today’s UK. There is the national team (posh, tweed-wearing) and a quickly growing Pakistani British circuit at the heart of this film. Then there is Jaleal, a dual-heritage competitor who braids manes and sharpens lances while quietly dreaming of show jumping. Filmed over three summers in the northern town of Bradford, RIDING TIME meanders from the absurd to the profound. Juxtaposing the boisterous play and caretaking of the stables with the pounding hooves and fine kurtas of competition, the film follows its protagonists into a transcendent space between geographies, childhood and adulthood, people and horses. Official Selection Leeds International Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Berlin International Film Festival 2026 - Generation Kplus - International premiere

Synopsis

Photographer and activist Misan Harriman, documents the global impact of protest movements, capturing the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice in the year he was nominated for an Oscar for his short film THE AFTER. A documentary capturing photographer and activist Misan Harriman’s journey documenting global protest movements that drive social change. Following Harriman as he highlights the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice, the film showcases the intersectionality of these movements and their collective power. With historical context, interviews with activists, and explorations of digital activism, the documentary reveals how Harriman's lens brings the world's activism to light, inspiring viewers to recognize their own power in shaping a more just society. Official Selection SXSW London Film Festival 2025 Official Selection DOC NYC 2025

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

Between film screenings across the world, Mark Jenkin muses on cinematic influences, ponders cultural history and reflects upon home. Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival 2025 - World premiere Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - European premiere

Synopsis

With no single protagonist or linear narrative, the film immerses the viewer in a spectacle of strength through an intimate portrait of bodybuilders in the slums of Lagos. Inflated muscles, bulging veins and luminous skin glistening with sweat fill the screen. Shot almost entirely in close-ups, the camera hovers so near its subjects, moving softly like breath on skin, that at times figures become blurred, abstracted forms. Karimah Ashadu’s slow, measured pans across backs, chests and arms meditate on visibility, drawing attention to the embodiment and representation of the Black male body without rendering it singular or fixed. The metallic clang of barbells is punctuated with guttural sounds of exertion set against the ambience of the streets. Breath and muscle move in syncopated sonic choreography, and the men’s commitment to the ritual of maintaining the body is evident. Official Selection Berlin International Film Festival 2026 - Forum Expanded - International Premiere

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 - Documentary Competition - World premiere

Synopsis

A poignant and poetic exploration of the rise and decline of Luton’s once vibrant Caribbean culture. Through intimate personal stories, rich historical context, and a cultural lens, the film traces how a thriving legacy rooted in migration, music, resistance, and community has been gradually eroded over the years. From the golden days of sound system culture and bustling youth clubs to the bouncing spirit of Luton Carnival formerly Europe’s largest one day Caribbean carnival, the film reflects on how these vital cultural institutions have been systematically dismantled through decades of underfunding, neglect, and shifting priorities. These weren’t just events or social spaces, they were expressions of identity and anchors of community. With vignettes/reenactments shot on 16mm film and interwoven with candid communal conversations, this documentary offers a poetic and thought provoking insight and invites audiences from all backgrounds to engage in deeper reflection on the value of heritage and the fragility of community spaces. The film ends on the question of: How do communities reclaim their space, their voice, and their future? Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

This film follows the growth of the Afrocentric Black is Beautiful movement of the 60s and 70s through the lens of Kwame Brathwaite, pioneering Harlem photographer and its unsung godfather. Kwame Brathwaite spent his life documenting black American history, photographing and befriending some of its biggest stars over his lifetime. He also founded grassroots fashion shows he called "Naturally" that celebrated natural black beauty and Afrocentrism in a time when it was deemed controversial, and heralded a new dawn for blackness across the globe. Forgotten by history until his son uncovered his vast archive of photos in the 2010s, the film covers the revival of Kwame's legacy in the last few years of his life. Family, friends and artistic admirers championed Kwame's work in a bid to put his name on the map before his passing in 2023. Kwame's story weaves together the story of the black experience, cultural icons and activism, taking a Forrest Gump journey through the biggest names and moments in American culture. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Official Competition - World premiere Official Selection DOC NYC 2025

Synopsis

A wave of regeneration is hitting London’s working-class neighbourhoods. South of the river, the demolition of Elephant & Castle’s shopping centre has uprooted the community who made it their own. As they navigate an uncertain future, they carry with them the legacy of a place that once felt like home. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Short Film Competition - World premiere