Project Detail

Bel

Bel
A woman singing into a microphone

Synopsis

Bel was a Kenyan-Scottish woman who dreamt of singing to the world. A musician, singer and writer, she performed under the stage name, Heir of the Cursed and in 2021 was on the cusp of fame. But just as the world was about to discover her name, Bel took her own life, leaving poignant video diaries and a phone full of amazing songs.
A Kenyan-Scottish woman fighting to be heard, a brilliant artist, still largely unknown. Her death, and a small yet beautiful body of work are her story now.
Like Nick Drake who died at the age of 26 – Bel’s untimely death has changed her life story – the beginning and middle are in the shadow of its end, and the power and mystery of Bel’s music and life lie in the pathos of this story and its meanings.
Whatever led Bel to take her own life was also at the heart of what powered her music, it was a part of who she was. This film tells the story of an artist on the cusp of stardom and her sister Leah’s determination to fulfil Bel's dream: releasing her record and sharing her with the world.

Details

Year
2026
Type of project
Features
Running time
90 min
Format
4k
Director
Lou Lockwood 1st Feature
Producer
Sarah Howitt
Executive Producer
John Archer, Nanacy Bornat, Emma Loach, Mark Thomas
Editor
Audrey McColligan
Director of Photography
Lou Lockwood, Sarah Howitt
Composer
Beldina Odenayo, arranged by Joe Rattray
Film Title Note
FKA Bel Heir of the Cursed

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Hopscotch Films

John Archer
Film City Glasgow
401 Govan Road
Glasgow
G51 2QJ
+44 (0)1414 406740/ +44 (0)7710 344508

Page updates

This page was last updated on 3rd March 2026. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

An audio cassette tape, with the title 'Childrens Tape for Sue', being repaired. The Solway

Director: Eamon Bourke

Year: 2026

Filmmaker Eamon Bourke lost his mother, Sue, when he was three and has no memory of her. When his father decides to sell the remote Lake District home where she died, Eamon returns with his camera to document the house and its clearing. Among Sue’s belongings - diaries, poems, photographs and tapes - he discovers a box of damaged cassette recordings. After painstakingly repairing them, he uncovers something extraordinary: his mother’s voice. Through these intimate audio diaries, Sue speaks candidly about motherhood, sings to her children, and captures fleeting family moments Eamon never knew. One final tape records her describing the onset of hepatitis, days before she fell into a coma and died in 1983. Another, more haunting still, features three-year-old Eamon calling out to his unconscious mother in hospital, in a desperate attempt to bring her back. As Eamon pieces together this archive, he confronts the enduring impact of early loss, speaking with his father and sisters while retracing the emotional landscape of his childhood. Set against the vast beauty of the Lake District, a deeply personal exploration of grief, memory and love - an attempt to recover what was lost, and to finally say goodbye.

Marc Munden directs the cast of Lord of the Flies Making of Lord of the Flies

Director: Lisa Marie Russo

Year: 2026

A trippy tale capturing the creative vision of writer Jack Thorne and director Marc Munden, as a British crew and young cast film this timely adaptation on the remote islands and interior of Malaysia during monsoon season. The crew battle twisters, torrential rain and scary insects to create this hallucinatory fever dream, featuring behind the scenes interviews, observational footage and mesmerising performances by the newbie cast.

Dungeon Masterhood Dungeon Masterhood

Director: Carina Nichaouchine

Year: 2026

Brothers Thomas and Sam have nothing in common, except that they play Dungeons & Dragons with their friends. Each week they escape into a fantasy world. Over four years, the group grow up and move on but Thomas, the Dungeon Master, refuses to let go.