Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

The story of TED Prize-winner Sugata Mitra’s attempt to pioneer a new form of education, seen through the eyes of children in an Indian village and in a northern British town, whose lives are being transformed by his ideas. The film poses the question "What kind of education do children need in the networked world?" Official Selection CPH:DOX 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

A sombre and intimate portrait of notorious villain Freddie Foreman, now aged 85 and seeking a catharsis from his sins. The former London gangster Freddie Foreman is the only one of his generation who survived the English underworld long enough to be able to tell the tale. And this is exactly what he does in 'Fred': Tells his story. Today, he is 85 years old and lives alone in a nursing home, allegedly with several murders to his name and with his memories intact. A long and critical interview with the East End boy who grew up in the turbulent era of the war and became one of London's most notorious gangsters in the 1960s and 1970s, when he hung out with pop stars and football players, is the thread running through Paul van Carter's self-reflective portrait of the criminal mastermind. A film that balances between true crime, deep journalism and colourful cock-and-bull tales from another era with Swinging London as its backdrop. The conversation with the charismatic Foreman unfolds against a richly detailed (pop-)cultural and historical background, where myth and truth meet – not least when he visits the set of the Tom Hardy film 'Legend'. Dark psychology and captivating storytelling in a masterful film. (CPH:DOX brochure) Official Selection CPH:DOX 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

A short documentary about the only helpline in the UK for gay farmers. Through a series of recorded telephone conversations and reconstructive visuals, the film uses the helpline as a lens through which to view the experiences of LGBTQ people in the British farming community. In a world that prizes traditional masculinity and in which ideas of ancestry are fundamental, being gay can be isolating. Candid, intimate and shocking, the film offers a snapshot of a group of people bound together by circumstance, but so often disconnected from each other. Official Selection CPH:DOX 2018 - International premiere

Synopsis

The official documentary about maverick Manchester comedian Frank Sidebottom, and the life and art of his hidden creator Chris Sievey. Frank Sidebottom, remembered fondly as the man with the papier-mâché head, was the court jester of the Manchester music and comedy scene for over 25 years, but only a privileged few knew the man inside. BEING FRANK tells a twisted tale of split personalities – a suburban superhero with a fanatical desire to preserve the myth he created, and eventually having to battle against being consumed by his alter ego. Drawing on unique archive footage of Chris and Frank, sourced from Sievey's own extensive archive of Super 8 film, VHS tapes and DVDs, a heartbreaking and hilarious look at what it takes to be a true artist. Official Selection SXSW Film Festival 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

Documenting Ghanaian housing activist Dora Boatemah and the Angell Town community in Brixton, London fighting for better housing conditions. Central to Boatemah's work was the right of tenants to vote on the future of their own estates. Dora died in 2001 at the age of 43. Official Selection Rotterdam International Film Festival 2018 - World premiere

Synopsis

Three young women reflect on adolescence as a period marked by loss of ‘voice’ and the struggle between competing desires for autonomy and connection.

Synopsis

Exploring the ever-changing face of South Korea since the Sewol ferry disaster that tragically killed 304 people, mainly high school children, in April 2014. The film takes us on a journey through Korean modern history exploring the changes the country has gone through since April 16th 2014 It encompasses emotional re-enactment narrations from survivors, interviews with family members, activists, historians and the general public, as we go in search of how Korea came to yet another crossroad in its history.

Synopsis

An inside look into the world of conspiracies; following Darren Nesbit (aka Daz Nez), a singer song writer and activist who wants to convince you that the earth, is in fact, flat.

Synopsis

Behind 22-year-old Lucy's smile she covered a dark secret. In May 2012, Lucy committed suicide to the complete shock of all her friends and family. This is not only Lucy's story, but the story of those left behind, telling the tragic story of a young woman who sadly took her own life at the age of 23. Lucy’s story is told through the eyes of her family and friends alongside archive footage and photos of Lucy. Her family reminisces about Lucy as a young girl growing up and consider any indication of mental health issues, leading up to the events of the day she committed suicide.

Synopsis

18-year-old Anne explores body image self-perception and her understanding being a woman today in two different worlds: that of her traditionally "feminine" mother, Céline, at home; and the gym where she trains amongst like-minded people. Official Selection Cannes 2019 - Critics Week Official Selection International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2020

Synopsis

Charting the incredible true story of the Scots who managed to ground half of Chile’s Air Force, from the other side of the world, in the longest single act of solidarity against Pinochet’s brutal dictatorship. In 1974 a group of workers at the Rolls Royce factory in East Kilbride showed their support for the people of Chile by refusing to carry out the vital repairs of engines for Hawker Hunter planes, which had been used during the brutal military coup in September 1973. The boycott endured for four years but the Scottish workers never knew what impact they had; it was a matter of conscience and an act of solidarity. Bustos Sierra – himself the Scotland-based son of a Chilean exile – reunites inspirational figures Bob Fulton, Robert Somerville, Stuart Barrie and John Keenan to hear their story. With unprecedented access, Nae Pasaran also ventures much further to detail the horrors of the Pinochet years, meets survivors of the period and hears the Chilean side of the story.

Synopsis

A personal portrait of British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran documented by Sheeran's cousin Murray Cummings. Following this modest performer’s creative processes, from an early-morning jam in the garden to a finished song, from the first chord to the honed lyrics. Whether observing Sheeran’s collaboration with producer Benny Blanco, the tension during a recording session at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, or paying a visit to Sheeran's first musical mentor at his old high school, Cummings gives voice to the people who know Sheeran the best. Drawing on photos and family, Cummings makes use of his own memories and the various stages of Sheeran’s development to create a portrait of a man obsessed by music. The film eschews the celebrity hype to concentrate on the intensive work on the current album in California’s creative quarter, providing us with intimate insights into the workings of this musician as he navigates between his own artistic aspirations and the demands of the music industry. Official Selection Berlinale 2018 - Berlinale Special Gala - World premiere