Projects in categories: Documentary

Synopsis

In this participatory documentary, filmmaker Rabie Mustapha works with a group of children living in Northern Ireland to tell stories about their family life and cultural backgrounds. Despite the children’s globalised nature, they manage to bring in an insight to specific cultural journeys from Al-Nuba, Halab and the Northern Irish countryside. We see Maya, an inquisitive 9 year old girl whose hobby is to deliver shocking facts within a deadpan and to ask deep philosophical questions. Through an interview with her mom we learn about her Nubian heritage and a long history of generations displacement. Mahmoud and Khalid on the other hand are more calm and observant. Through their filmmaking journey we learn about their Syrian and Turkman heritage. With Mila we see the countryside of Limavady and learn about a more relaxed way of living where children are more connected to nature and where the girl’s artistic abilities are developing. Through this pluralistic film Northern Ireland is portrayed as a changing place with more than one face.

Synopsis

There is a certain air of mystery around the famed Michelin stars sparsely given to the world’s best restaurants and chefs. Few people can explain the system as well as legendary chef Marco Pierre White, the first Brit to earn three of them - and the first to famously give them all back. This documentary lifts the heavy curtain of secrecy that surrounds high-end dining, with White demystifying the Michelin myth while the highly-regarded team behind East London’s buzzy Angelina restaurant chases their first ever coveted star. Official Selection SXSW London 2026 - World premiere

Synopsis

An intimate portrait of a women's group in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The documentary follows the women as they collaboratively create a stage production. Through writing sessions, rehearsals, and candid conversations, the women craft a performance rooted in their lived experiences - stories shaped by addiction, family fracture, and encounters with the justice system. The documentary follows the evolving group dynamic, capturing moments of vulnerability, frustration, and unexpected humour as the women negotiate what it means to share such personal stories in a public space for the first time.

Synopsis

In 1979, when there was almost no support for trans lives, Martine Rose renovated a rundown terrace in Sheffield, UK, and opened it to anyone who needed it. Through previously unseen archive and Martine's own account, ROSE'S HOUSE uncovers a largely forgotten chapter of queer history, moving between past and present to trace what she built, and what remains. Official Selection Sheffield DocFest - World Premiere

Synopsis

Edinburgh has a developed network of greenways. One key 60 year old route, The Roseburn Path, is under threat of being significantly transformed into a Tramway. The documentary explores the history, development, social and wellbeing benefits for residents of the path and contrasts the competing needs of development and connectivity.

Synopsis

The making of an investigation and creation of intelligence and how far free speech allows this intelligence to be presented and conveyed. There are two biographical stories intertwined, one of James Hogan and the other of the author. James Hogan created intelligence and advised accordingly and the other; the author, desperately sought advised all his life but never got any until he only worked with James Hogan. Before James and after James Hogan, instead of receiving advice the author had to constantly fight for the right to exist. In 2010, the author has been asked to make a presentation of himself in "Virtual Alien", the story is set in a highly competitive and rotten world that is show business "A not-so fictional story about the tribulations of a virtual artist who is trying to survive in show-business and slowly discovers all the machinery that keeps him alive".

Synopsis

A punk band whose members have learning disabilities and Down syndrome fight to reach a bigger stage as unexpected setbacks close in, putting the very existence of the band in jeopardy. Ultimate Thunder are six musicians whose raw, fully improvised gigs have built them a growing reputation on the punk scene. When critics start calling them "The Most Punk Rock Band in Britain" the possibility of something bigger starts to feel real. But over three years of filming, the obstacles keep coming. ULTIMATE THUNDER captures friendship and resilience forged in rehearsal rooms and backstage chaos, following a band whose commitment to making noise together is as defiant as anything in punk. This is a story powered by the people at its heart and the music they refuse to stop making. Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2026 - Audience Award winner

Synopsis

A love letter to a remote Arctic community going through upheaval, depopulation and climate change. When a church burns down in a storm, a remote arctic community come together to preserve their identity as they face an uncertain future. Official Selection Nordisk Panorama Film Festival 2026 - World premiere Nordisk Panorama Film Festival 2026 - Winner Best Nordic Documentary

Synopsis

An in-depth study of David Lean, the man and his films. David Lean was one of the greatest filmmakers. He redefined what films could be, but his singular vision and tenacious determination to film the impossible earned him a reputation as an obsessive maverick. He was a master of his craft, capable of creating love and beauty on screen, but whose personal life was often troubled, uprooted, and painful. Featuring interviews with contemporary filmmakers including Wes Anderson, Paul Greengrass, Alfonso Cuarón, Celine Song, Brady Corbet, Francis Ford Coppola, Denis Villeneuve, Nia DaCosta, and Joe Wright. Official Selection Cannes Film Festival 2026 - Cannes Classics - World premiere

Synopsis

The most gifted footballer of his generation was finished. Retired in disgrace at 25, he appeared destined for permanent exile from the sport he loved. Incapable of blind obedience, Eric Cantona was a libertine who bridled against conformity whenever he felt its grip tighten. The French branded him unmanageable. But the fire that burned in Eric became the spark to ignite a dynasty at Manchester United. At turns thoughtful and explosive, CANTONA reveals how legendary manager Alex Ferguson channelled the brilliance of this most captivating and unpredictable of athletes. A tale of friendship and fatherhood, Cantona and Ferguson's testimonies reveal how a man misread as hostile and unknowable was finally understood, loved, and forgiven, by the strictest disciplinarian in football. Official Selection Cannes Film Festival 2026 - Special Screenings - World premiere Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2026 Official Selection Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2026

Synopsis

We are introduced to Ashkan, an unconventional dentist and battle-scarred visionary leading South Cliff Dental through rapid growth as he prepares to unveil a new headquarters. Ashkan navigates through a dark and turbulent period marked by personal collapse, body dysmorphia, steroid abuse, and a professional investigation that threatens to end his career. As his life spirals toward despair, a timely phone call rekindles his passion for the arts and offers a glimmer of redemption, even as the lasting effects of his choices nearly cost him his life. We follow Ashkan's transformation as he embraces a clean lifestyle and champions a bold, disruptive vision for the future of dentistry.

Synopsis

Led by renowned vocal coach Jennifer John, Folk to Folk follows a group of women in Liverpool who use traditional folk songs to build unexpected connections across cultures. As they learn and sing in Gaelic, Romansh, Boro and other languages, the sessions uncover shared themes that unite us. The songs rise like ghosts from the past, stirring memories, laughter and tears, and opening a safe space for the women to reflect together. “This project proves that music is a universal language. It allows us to feel, to be emotional, and when we do that together… that’s where the power lies” - Jennifer John