Project Detail

Witches

Synopsis

In this personal and intimate film writer-director Elizabeth Sankey uses her own story of being admitted to a psychiatric ward after the birth of her son to explore the unexpected yet compelling connections between perinatal mental health illness and the history and portrayal of witches in western society. Using clips of cinematic witches to illustrate her own experience and those of fellow sufferers, alongside interviews with medical professionals and academics, Sankey creates her own spell book for all to use.
Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2024 - World premiere
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2024 - Documentary Competition

Details

Year
2024
Type of project
Features
Running time
90 min
Director
Elizabeth Sankey
Producer
Manon Ardisson, Chiara Ventura, Jeremy Warmsley
Executive Producer
Efe Cakarel, Jason Ropell, Bobby Allen, Thomas C. Hoegh
Screenwriter
Elizabeth Sankey
Principal cast
With contributions from: Sophia Di Martino, Catherine Cho, David Emson, Dr. Trudi Seneviratne, Professor Marion Gibson, Shema Tariq

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Ardimages UK

Manon Ardisson
Chiara Ventura
Jeremy Warmsley

Sales Company

MUBI

Meghan Wurtz

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. 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.

Romantic Comedy Romantic Comedy

Director: Elizabeth Sankey

Year: 2019

A documentary that goes beneath the surface of our favourite films, seeking to better understand the way we view love, relationships and romance. From 'It Happened One Night' to 'Runaway Bride', from clumsy meet cutes to rain-soaked declarations of love, these films reflect our experiences but are often just as problematic as they are comforting. They're hugely successful and deeply loved by many, but - being frequently dismissed as guilty pleasures - they have often avoided critical analysis. Helped by a diverse chorus of critics, actors and filmmakers, and with original songs by her band Summer Camp, director Elizabeth Sankey embarks on a journey of investigation and self-discovery. Official Selection International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2019 - Voices - World premiere Official Selection SXSW 2019

Dancing on Road Dancing on Road

Director: Lauren Gee

Year: 2024

Documenting and celebrating the Black British female roller-skating community, showcasing its long history and fixture within popular culture. Blurring the boundaries between documentary and music video, this experimental film reveals the expansive network of London’s Black skate scene through two key individuals that share their stories and delve into what this space and their skate crews and mentors provide them. This joyous exploration gives visibility to a subculture that to many outsiders is unknown but is made familiar through its nostalgic lens which pays homage to the sports DIY and music-led roots. Official Selection Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival 2025

Glaciers Requiem Glaciers Requiem

Director: Saddiq Abubakar

Year: 2026

In isolation on Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Nigerian-born modular synthesis artist Colloboh transforms glacial and oceanic recordings into sonic compositions - uncovering a dialogue between ice and sea that reshapes his understanding of consciousness, ecological collapse, and humanity’s place within both. As his process unfolds, Colloboh transforms these sounds into layered sonic works that blur the boundaries between observation and communion. The film culminates in a haunting gesture: he plays the completed composition back to the landscape itself, completing a dialogue between artist and environment. A meditation on impermanence, consciousness, and the fragile bond between humanity and the natural world.