The story of a young autistic man, trapped in the throes of bereavement for the death of his mother and under the care of his ill-equipped father, who is brought back to life by the surprise appearance of an old friend.
Through a series of oral testimonies and carefully composed portraits, Alone Together, the Social Life of Benches explores how individuals and groups spend time in two distinctive public London locations.
Made by Esther Johnson as part of an Arts & Humanities Research Council project, this poetic documentary illuminates the thoughts and memories of frequent users of General Gordon Square, Woolwich, and St Helier Open Space, Sutton.
Revolving around the micro-space of the humble bench, the film incorporates contributions from a diverse range of visitors. These testimonies highlight themes such as the psychological feeling of being in a space, the rhythm and flow of visitors to a place, the importance of design for everyday street furniture and access to communal outdoor space.
The film acts like a stranger who joins you to ‘watch the world go by’, and to break the ice by starting a conversation with their fellow bench user.
A head-on collision between fantasy and reality told from the twisted world view of Errol – a sexually repressed teenager born in the wreckage of a Lada crash.
Raised in isolation by his mother at a remote petrol station, Errol yearns to explore the real world. When his mother dies in an accident, Errol learns that the father he thought dead is alive, and sets off in the Lada to find him, leaving an unintended trail of destruction across the desolate backroads of 80s Britain. When he finally does reach him, Errol’s violent-tempered father tries recruiting him to a criminal underworld, forcing Errol to choose what kind of man he wants to be.
This thrilling odyssey burns a highly flammable cocktail of love, hate, sex and death setting Errol's moral compass spinning. Is there any hope that he will find salvation?
Born into a world of silence, Eli finds himself not able to communicate well with people. Mainly because not everyone understands sign language. This has impacted his self-esteem and confidence. This is Eli's story of how difficult life can be when you aren't being heard.
They say that neurotic behavior is typically within socially acceptable limits, so how do you solve the puzzles in your head while being "normal''?
This film explores the borders between the different ways a mind can be scattered while in a process of trying to express its thoughts.
Archie is a small boy with learning difficulties. He doesn't speak, and can't cope with school. His parents are at war, and the social services want to take Archie into care. Most people have written him off, but a chance meeting with an unlikely friend changes everything.
Inspired by D.F. Wallace's first short story, visualising mental discomfort as living on another planet to Earth, the film splits the character of May in two halves: one struggling in London in the past, the other one trying to recover in a youth clinic in the present -until the two storylines collide.
A visually impaired young man awakes from unconsciousness to find the aftermath of a global catastrophe caused by environmental damage. Using his other senses he tries to come to terms with the devastation in his immediate environment. An eco-disaster short that shows the effects on an urban household.
A compelling portrait of loyalty, broken dreams and redemption told by its director, reluctantly-dutiful daughter Karen, who takes you under the skin of the deceptively humdrum household she returns to for this long goodbye.
Karen’s mother Ann suffers a devastating stroke that brings her daughter back home. But Karen isn’t the only one who comes back to help care for Ann in the crisis: Her prodigal father - the endearing yet unfathomable Ian, who’s been separated from Ann for years - also reappears.
Reunited so unexpectedly, and armed with her camera, Karen seizes this last chance to go under the skin of the family story before it’s too late, to come to terms with the aftermath of the secret her father had tried - and failed - to keep from them all: a relationship and a son, Campbell, born in Ethiopia and now in Scotland.
With candour, warmth and much unexpected humour, Karen’s role as family confidante, busybody, therapist and spy brings to life both an extraordinary story and a profound portrait of family survival.
Hot Docs 2015 - World premiere
Chronically ill Anna is visited by Doreen, a door-to-door proselytizer who makes herself at home and stays the day, slowly defrosting her non-welcome. Together, they walk in the park, bake a cake and watch an Ingmar Bergman film. Both women are blind, played by blind actors in this existential comedy.
Today 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism, most are boys . if you had 2 daughters diagnosed with autism , would you want to know why ? are we living in an autism epidemic ? or a epidemic of knowledge ?
With his twenty year high school reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his old school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn.
