Projects in genres: Woman Director

Synopsis

An experimental film that recreates the experiences of dementia through spoken word, documentary, dramatic reconstruction, and never-before-seen deteriorated archival footage: 16mm films from the 1930s to the 1960s, featuring major historical events and world travel. THE MEMORY BOOM is framed from inside the mind of Pops, a hospitalised grandfather with severe dementia. The decayed footage serves as a visual exploration of Pops' memories. Pops' grandson narrates from his bedside, attempting to preserve Pops' memories while struggling to comprehend memory loss. Pops' confused thoughts rise to the surface, and he shares them with his grandson as if it were 'storytime' leading him down rivulets of muddled tales and garbled memories spanning his lifetime. Pops' Filipina nurse supports the grandson, sharing her inability to care for her own dementia-affected father in the Philippines. The film charts the trio's journeys through emotional turmoil, leading to a deeper understanding of the nuances of memory. THE MEMORY BOOM was created with documentary participants from community groups across rural England and features anonymously donated archival materials, courtesy of Exeter Phoenix. The film was made in memory of the filmmakers’ relatives who lived with dementia, and explores memory preservation and photographic consent. Official Selection PÖFF - Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2024 - World premiere

Synopsis

A landmark feature documentary about astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle. Eileen’s incredible journey starts with her smalltown beginnings, sees her smash through many glass ceilings, and culminates in four dramatic space shuttle missions, the last being possibly the most dangerous and most important of them all. At its heart the film is the moving human drama of one family, where a mother’s extraordinary career takes us straight to the big philosophical question of what is the level of acceptable risk in human endeavour? This film celebrates Commander Collins’ trailblazing NASA career which opened the way for women to become spacecraft pilots and commanders, and proved a perfect riposte to a previous generation of male astronauts who thought there was no place for women to lead the way in space. Official Selection DOC NYC 2024 - World premiere Official Selection CPH:DOX 2025 - European premiere

Synopsis

Surface Area Dance Theatre in partnership with Harewood House, presents ‘ANTHOS, a dance-for-camera, featuring multidisciplinary artist Chris Fonseca performing with the sculpture ‘Adam’ by Sir Jacob Epstein, 1938-9, in the breathtaking Himalayan Garden. This film includes subtitles and captions.

Synopsis

In their final year of high school, three Argentinian best friends prepare for their last Welsh ‘Eisteddfod’ competition - but are they ready to say goodbye?

Synopsis

Using DNA extracted from a hat worn by actors in Bertolt Brecht’s Berliner Ensemble, DRINKING BRECHT is an interactive installation that explores the past and present of genetics and synthetic biology. A documentary you can drink, the work ingests worn-out scientific narratives and turns them into a marxist-feminist ritual. Official Selection International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) - Doc Lab 2024

Synopsis

A short animation about what happens as we die. Voiced by palliative care doctor, Dr Kathryn Mannix, the film takes a gentle step by step journey through the process of dying. Official Selection Cinanima International Animated Film Festival 2024

Synopsis

The documentary follows Freddie Hunt, the son of legendary F1 champion James Hunt, as he navigates life away from racing on an isolated farm in Scotland's Isle of Bute. Raised without his father, Freddie faced a tough childhood, finding solace in polo before eventually pursuing motorsport. Despite showing natural talent, the pressures of his father’s legacy overwhelmed him, leading him to quit racing and seek a simpler life. The film explores Freddie’s emotional journey, his decision to embrace sustainable living, and his complex relationship with his father's fame, revealing his personal story through intimate interviews and stunning visuals of the Scottish landscape.

Synopsis

The death of Dadi leaves the fate of the farm to one of three dysfunctional siblings. Set in the Valleys, this Welsh-language dark comedy explores familial tensions as war erupts within.

Synopsis

Climate organiser Milly is preparing for her first live TV interview when her sort-of boyfriend drops a bombshell about why she's been chosen as the movement's spokesperson.

Synopsis

In the retro-futuristic African nation of Alkebulan, Dr. Constance Moumie, a brilliant but overlooked scholar, faces a crisis when she discovers her fiancé, Sèyí Àjàyí, is engaged to Princess Ada. Her meticulously laid plans are thrown into disarray and she must quickly pick up the pieces. With the help of her best friend Bibiana, Constance hatches a bold scheme to expose Sèyí at his engagement ceremony, a move that unexpectedly brings her the long-overdue recognition she deserves. Official Selection Hamptons International Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

A group of young adults born during or just after the 1994 genocide against Rwanda's Tutsi people gather to find the courage to break a powerful taboo. Rwanda is one of the few nations in the world providing specialist counselling for children conceived through rape, who number 10,000 across the country. Here, course leader Emilienne, a mother, therapist and genocide survivor, helps the group to imagine a future free from family secrets and societal stigma. In a circle of supportive peers, they tell their individual stories and face their struggles together, in the hope their participation will advocate for others facing similar trauma. Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2024 NY African Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine breaks out, Lena tries to convince her family to see the reality of the forthcoming war. However, trapped in a world of distorted truths and conflicting loyalties the family goes towards a rift. Official Selection Brest European Short Film Festival 2024 - International premiere