Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

Everything changed for Cornelius Walker on the 27th November 2000 when Damilola Taylor was killed in what became one of the UK's most high-profile murder cases. Damilola was eleven - the same age as Cornelius. He lived five minutes away. He had the same colour skin. Cornelius’ mother, scared for her son’s safety, moved their family out of London. Cornelius suddenly found himself living on a white estate run by a white gang. Racism ruled. And Cornelius soon found himself the target of extreme verbal and physical racial abuse. But rather than fight back, Cornelius decided to become more like the people who hated him. He started to wear the same clothes they wore. He changed his accent. He straightened his hair and wore bright blue contact lenses. He even started to bleach his skin Cornelius tried to become white. The white gang became his family and kept him safe. And in return, Cornelius became submerged in a culture of violence and hatred. But as the violence and racism against other blacks continued, Cornelius struggled to marry his real identity with the one he had acquired. Filmed with non-actors in the same locations where the real events took place 15 years ago, BLACK SHEEP blurs the boundaries between documentary and fiction to pose difficult, but highly topical, questions about race and identity. Who decides what makes us who we are? And what compromises are we prepared to make in order to fit in? Official Selection Hot Docs 2018 - World premiere Official Selection Sheffield Doc/Fest 2018 - Winner, Best Short Documentary Academy Awards 2019 - Oscar Nomination, Best Documentary (Short Subject)

Synopsis

Brothers Kevin and John Pullar are desperate to hold onto the family tradition of net fishing from the Scottish coast for wild Atlantic salmon. They face enemies at every turn but are determined to fight on, no matter what the cost. A film about the uneasy relationship between traditional ways and modern day environmentalism. Official Selection Hot Docs 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

Immediately after a Palestinian man signs an online petition, he is thrown into a panic-inducing spiral of self-doubt. Over the course of a conversation with an understanding friend, he analyzes, deconstructs and interprets the meaning of his choice to publicly support the cultural boycott of Israel. Official Selection Visions du Réel 2018 - International Competition - World premiere

Synopsis

Inspired by solar science and spectacular images of the Sun, 'Celestial Motion' explores humans’ relationship to the universe through a cosmic meld of contemporary dance and motion-capture technology. Official Selection Hot Docs 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

Beginning in the 1960s, a small band of young scientists headed out into the wilderness, driven by an insatiable curiosity about how nature works. Immersed in some of the most remote and spectacular places on Earth—from the majestic Serengeti to the Amazon jungle; from the Arctic Ocean to Pacific tide pools - they discovered a single set of rules that govern all life. Now in the twilight of their eminent careers, these five unsung heroes of modern ecology share the stories of their adventures, reveal how their pioneering work flipped our view of nature on its head, and give us a chance to reimagine the world as it could and should be. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - Spotlight Documentary - World premiere

Synopsis

The side of Silicon Valley you never see, a tale of how great vision and epic failure can change the world. Spun out from Apple in 1990 to create the ‘next big thing’, the ideas that now dominate the tech industry and our day-to-day lives were born at General Magic. The first smartphones. Social media. E-commerce. Even the beloved emoji. But this was before the web, before 3G, before Google, before everyone had a mobile phone in their pocket. The world was not ready in 1994 to hold the world in its hands. And though General Magic died, those concepts and the people who pioneered them went on to change almost everything. Combining rare archive footage with contemporary stories of the Magicians today, this documentary tracks the progress of anytime, anywhere communication from a thing of sci-fi fiction in 1994 to a reality in our pockets and on our wrists today. With members of the original Mac team and the creators of the iPhone, Android, eBay and more, this is the story of one of history’s most talented teams and what happens when those who dream big fail, fail again, fail better and ultimately succeed. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - Spotlight Documentary - World premiere

Synopsis

Soccer stars were at the centre of the scene in the glamorous nightlife meccas of 1980s Brazil. But in their midst Carlos Kaiser, one of the biggest sports celebrities of his generation harbored a secret: He had never played a single game. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

“My shows are about Sex, Drugs and Rock n’ Roll. It’s for the excitement and the goosebumps. I want heart attacks. I want ambulances.” (Alexander McQueen) ‘Lee’ Alexander McQueen’s rags-to-riches story is a modern-day fairy tale laced with the gothic. An unremarkable working-class boy from East London, he harnessed his demons and went on to become a global one man fashion brand and one of the most iconic artists of the century. How did this punk rebel overturn the silver-spoon world of Paris haute couture, ushering in the heady, revolutionary era of ‘Cool Britannia’? And why, at the height of acclaim and power, did he shockingly put an end to it all? Mirroring the savage beauty, boldness and vivacity of his design, this film is an intimate revelation of McQueen’s own world, both tortured and inspired, which celebrates a radical and mesmerising genius of profound influence. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - Spotlight Documentary - World premiere

Synopsis

In three small American towns, young men’s adolescent dreams intersect with the realities of their adulthood. Spanning nearly a decade, this searing documentary is a meditation on youth, tradition, and the evolving hopes and dreams of modern adolescents in the forgotten industrial towns across America. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - Documentary Competition - World premiere

Synopsis

A cinematic hybrid film which tells the tragedy of Australia’s biggest offshore refugee detention centre against the backdrop of seemingly ordinary life on this remote island. Christmas Island, home to the famous red crabs, itself is a protagonist and in its beautiful yet threatening landscape we witness past and present moments of chaotic human migrations, that play out in stark contrast to its own ancient rhythms. Through stories of the island's first human migrations and the natural phenomenon of the annual crab migration, we come to arrive at a darker side of this seemingly idyllic paradise. Hidden in the core of the jungle sits Australia’s biggest offshore refugee detention centre. It was built to not be seen, yet in this film every encounter takes us closer, every direction leads us there. The crab migration comes to serve as an allegory for the natural movements of migration ancient and timeless. The natural spectacle sits in stark contrast to the chaotic human movements and entrapment that are senseless and absurd. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - Documentary Competition - World premiere

Synopsis

Experience MY AFRICA, a virtual reality journey to Northern Kenya, where the futures of wildlife and people are intertwined. Stand in the midst of a thundering wildebeest migration, witness a lioness snatch her prey, go nose-to-trunk with an inquisitive baby elephant and meet a community dedicated to saving Africa’s wildlife. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

Discover the feeling of caring for an endangered baby elephant, in this groundbreaking VR project. Viewers are put in the shoes of a keeper at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Northern Kenya caring for the newest arrival, a baby elephant named Dudu. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2018 - World premiere