Stretch

Director: Jay Bedwani

Year: 2020

Ecstatic lipsynching in downtown bars is a far cry from Donna’s Baptist upbringing in San Jose; now in her seventies, her estranged siblings haven’t even seen her in a dress. Donna is offered a chance to co-write a play about an overlooked episode in queer history, the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, in which transgender women Donna knew stood up against police harrassment. She writes a character to be played by a young transgender activist. Praised for her writing and emboldened by her new friends, she heads out of the city to meet her sister Gloria… This intimate and uplifting film is beautifully observed by director Jay Bedwani and features mesmerising moments recalled by Donna in her emerging writer’s voice. Donna is a film that shows the strength that can be drawn from your community and proves: it’s never too late to find your métier and truly blossom.

Director: Jay Bedwani

Year: 2016

Jasun Watkins brings his pink, brash and very camp Elvis impersonation act to Porthcawl in the biggest Elvis tribute festival in Europe. This documentary joins him in the days leading up to the competition, as he recalls how his troubled family life and childhood suffering fed his desire for fame.

Director: Saoirse Crean

Year: 2026

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