Projects with status: Pre-production

Synopsis

Third feature from BLUE JEAN (and her forthcoming SENSE AND SENSIBILITY adaptation) director Georgia Oakley.

Synopsis

An animated VR short inspired by autistic musician Jen Msumba, who defies a system designed to erase her through synaesthetic music-making. It explores the universal need to be accepted for who we are. Participants journey through Jen’s life, from childhood, when the world feels confusing and “wonky”. Music is her safety and compass. While others read notes on a page, Jen sees visual maps that help her express emotions and navigate uncertainty. As a teenager, Jen’s mother becomes ill and her anxiety overwhelms her. Years of psychiatric institutions and medication leave her sedated, unable to play instruments. Her family sends her to the Judge Rotenberg Center, whose practices will later be described by the United Nations as torture. Over seven years of confinement and painful electric shocks, Jen is taught to believe she is “wrong”. Secretly composing music in her head becomes her refuge. Realising the centre will not support her independence, Jen writes to a judge and wins her freedom. She rediscovers music and invites us into her musical map, where participants touch and transform notes through movement, shifting melodies from classical to punk rock. We end with Jen performing on stage.

Synopsis

After accidentally insulting President Saddam Hussein on stage during a performance of Hamlet, theatre actor Salem faces a looming death sentence. To escape the execution, he continues playing the role of Hamlet, feigning insanity, and is sent to a psychiatric hospital, where his condition awaits evaluation. Trapped in a facility filled with the lost souls of Saddam's regime, Salem must navigate a precarious balance between his will to survive and the fear of genuinely losing his mind. Salem catches the attention of the hospital director, who becomes increasingly wary of his growing influence over the patients. But, he finds an unexpected ally in Adyan, a young, ambitious, and deeply committed psychiatrist tasked with assessing his condition. Adyan, however, faces a moral dilemma: remain loyal to her duty, deliver an honest verdict and secure her promotion, or risk everything to save Salem. They defy institutional norms and stage a play with the patients. What begins as a simple exercise of Salem's diagnosis and patients' therapy becomes an unexpected triumph, drawing so much attention that it reaches Saddam Hussein, who grants Salem a presidential certificate of appreciation, officially declaring him mad.

Synopsis

A high energy, fast paced, tragic and comedic look, at a city changing beyond recognition. It's younger generation, fighting for self expression. Frank, a crooked businessman, runs; The Apollo. A venue in the heart of Glasgow, famous for the iconic bands it hosted. Supported by his cronies, mostly hoods and part time gangsters. Frank profits from the business but has no interest in its social significance. His 3 sons (all in their 20’s) are: Andy; training to be a priest, Mark; an ex-soldier, and Ian; Studying at University. Frank also has an illegitimate son called Beattie, who suffers from epilepsy. Each of the sons are very different and the film explores the character development of these young men over the space of 3 days and in the epilogue. Where the action jumps forward to 3 months later. The film incorporates live action (re-enactments) of gigs which took place at the time at the Apollo.

Synopsis

Fresh out of university and brimming with optimism, Lucy and Sean begin their civil service placements at Belfast City Council, only to find themselves thrust into chaos when a bizarre gastrointestinal epidemic - dubbed "Code Brown" - strikes the city. As nappies become black-market currency and the council descends into disarray, the duo stumbles upon a conspiracy involving illegal sewage dumping and a corrupt councillor lining his pockets. What began as mundane office work spirals into a frantic investigation filled with stool samples, shady contracts, and a very suspicious boat. With Belfast quite literally in the shit, it’s not the bureaucrats who save the day, but its citizens. From disinfectant-wielding grannies to paramedics in DIY hazmat suits, the community rallies with resilience and absurdity. In a climactic council showdown - punctuated by an explosive display from local wildlife... - Lucy and Sean expose the scandal, becoming unlikely heroes. The film ends with a messy but heartwarming celebration of civic pride, teamwork, and a city that proves it can weather any storm…even a tidal wave of diarrhea.

Synopsis

Gripping, classic, rip-roaring, family and punchy adventure drama.

Synopsis

Set across Kenya, a cinematic documentary that immerses the viewer in a world where ancestry and progress coexist in tension. In the rural heartlands, a tribal community embodies heritage through agriculture ritual and craft. In Mombasa, a young professional works at the intersection of technology and evolving infrastructure, facing constant change. A school student balances home and classroom life while imagining a future shaped by tradition and opportunity. Filmed in a 'fly-on-the-wall' style, without narration or talking heads, the film unfolds through observation: the pounding of grain, the rush of traffic, the laughter of children, the silence of ceremony. By weaving these strands together, TIPPING POINT asks a quietly profound question: At this cultural and economic crossroads, what does well-being mean, and is happiness being redefined?

Synopsis

A neo-noir thriller set against the backdrop of early 2000s Manchester, a city alive with music, fashion and restless youth. At its heart is a close-knit group of students who live for the nightlife, drifting between pubs, clubs and endless parties. Their world shifts when Lois, an old friend of Cat, suddenly reappears. With her beauty, confidence and enigmatic charm, she unsettles the group and immediately captures the attention of James. What begins as fascination quickly spirals into fixation. James becomes enthralled by Lois, unable to resist the pull she exerts on everyone around her. In the end, obsession consumes him, and James finds himself a pawn in something larger and darker than he imagined — a violent game of chess he never agreed to play.

Synopsis

An expansive, distinctive film told entirely through a series of car journeys taken by a London couple over the course of thirty years.

Synopsis

Captured as an elephant calf, Mangal encounters both love and loss as he is made to join the world of humans. Transported from one place to another, changing hands, he ultimately becomes a revered deity worshipped as God, yet tied in chains, until he decides to break free.

Synopsis

What happens when a world-class athlete, at the peak of his career, tests positive for steroids he’s never heard of?

Synopsis

A famous pianist's retirement to Ireland takes an intriguing turn when his housekeeper recounts their history. Concurrently, an abandoned well becomes a focal point, shrouded in tales of enchantment, violence, desire, and retribution.