Projects in genres: Climate / Environment

Synopsis

At the crossroads of art, activism, and the ocean lies the extraordinary story of Paolo Fanciuli, a humble Italian fisherman with a revolutionary vision. Known as Paolo the Fisherman, he has waged a quiet but fierce war against illegal bottom trawling - one of the most destructive fishing practices threatening marine ecosystems. Driven by years of witnessing the ocean's decline, Paolo devised a radical and poetic solution: the creation of an underwater museum—a surreal seabed installation of massive marble sculptures. These works of art serve a dual purpose: they physically block trawling nets from destroying the seafloor, and they symbolically stand as monuments to resistance and hope. HOUSE OF FISH is a conservation documentary that blends Paolo’s intimate, personal journey with a natural history perspective on the fragility of our oceans... a cinematic ode to the sea and to those who dare to protect it through creativity and courage. By spotlighting Paolo’s efforts and the power of artistic activism, the film aims to awaken a deep emotional connection to our oceans - and inspire urgent action to save them.

Synopsis

Every day, thousands of dairy calves are separated from their mothers at birth. A DAIRY STORY follows Wilma and David Finlay as they risk everything to find a way to keep dairy cows and their calves together. Filmed over two years, we see Wilma and David’s determination to reinvent dairy farming; challenging industry norms by putting nature and animal welfare first. Their path wasn’t easy. They faced criticism and ridicule from their intensive dairy neighbours and almost went bankrupt proving it could work. When Wilma receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, their mission to encourage wider industry adoption of their cow-with-calf system takes on new urgency. This documentary addresses themes of connection and mortality, and topics of animal sentience, the environment and system change. Following calves from birth to weaning, we see the herd's profound capacity for maternal care. A DAIRY STORY shows how changing a farming system changes everything; from the lives of the animals to the wellbeing of the farmers, and perhaps even the future of dairy farming itself. Official Selection IndieCork 2025 - World premiere Official Selection Central Scotland Documentary Festival 2025 - UK premiere

Synopsis

An immersive dive into nature, across the world made with barely any travel, exclusively on the original home-movie format, Super 8. SUPER NATURE takes a joyous, heart-warming gaze on the natural world; a visceral, poetic, more intimate meditation on us and our relationship with nature than the hi-tech approach we’ve come to expect. A growing network of makers take to this antique format, to share images, thoughts and philosophies in a gentle, beguiling way, scored with diverse music. A fresh take on the most important subject there is. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Documentary Competition - World premiere

Synopsis

In Cambodia, former Khmer Rouge child soldier Aki Ra and his wife Hout help communities reclaim their land by undertaking the potentially lethal task of clearing unexploded landmines left over from years of war. Along the way they adopt unwanted kids whose childhoods and limbs have been destroyed by landmines, and open a war museum that soon becomes world famous. Aki Ra fights to break free of shadows cast by his role in the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, and rebuild his shattered family. But in a country grappling to come to terms with its history, the past always has a way of catching up.

Synopsis

Amy reluctantly returns home to the windy clifftop in North Cornwall where she grew up, after a break-up with her partner Jess has left her homeless. She hopes her mum, Sue, will be pleasantly surprised at the chance for them to reconnect. But Sue isn't good with surprises, and has other things on her mind. She is preparing to plant a bare root hedge, her final act of resistance against the second home development that will surround her home, concreting over her memories and erasing her past. They start early: digging in the hedge is backbreaking work.                                    When Amy finally manages to tell Sue about her loss, Sue is lost for words. They doggedly continue planting, gradually finding a rhythm together in the silence. As night falls, and exhaustion sets in, Sue returns to the house, and Amy is left in the field, digging the last trench for the remaining plants. Alone, they each find a way to reach out across the silence, the years of separation, and their losses, towards each other.

Synopsis

An escaped prisoner flees into the Icelandic countryside. After their friends mysteriously vanish, they are pulled into a space where time and nature move differently. A modern take on Icelandic folklore of the hidden people, featuring motion captured circus artists and realtime animation. Official Selection Art VR Festival 2025 - World Premiere

Synopsis

Ten days before the millennium, Hope, a single mother, arrives in London with her two infants, clutching only the clothes on their backs. Escaping a haunted past, she seeks refuge in a city gripped by Y2K paranoia. A charismatic stranger offers sanctuary, but as Hope navigates an uncertain future in unfamiliar streets, she uncovers his chilling motives. The threat to her family dwarfs the feared technological collapse. In a pulse-pounding race against time, Hope must protect her children at any cost, no matter the personal sacrifice. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025 - Short Film Competition

Synopsis

An experimental silent film about water and coping with grief. Princess, who recently lost her twin brother, Prince, has been struggling to sleep and maintain a routine. Worse still, the kitchen tap has been leaking for a month, and the water bill is extremely high. She finally calls a plumber who offers an unexpected solution. A random conversation forces her to move on from her past.

Synopsis

Three women find their relationships are changed forever when they put pen to paper. This sexy dramedy is a comforting embrace during turbulent times. We follow the adventures of three women in the English coastal town of Folkestone, as they express their secret desires through their writing. The story celebrates the power of Mother Nature, and female friendship, as the women turn fantasy into reality. Content warning: sexually explicit language.

Synopsis

Following explorers into places rarely glimpsed by human eyes: caves, flooded drains and underground laboratories, revealing hidden worlds beneath our feet. Featuring stunning visuals - a sensorial journey which offers a humbling perspective on our place within - not merely atop - this planet. Official Selection Tribeca Film Festival 2025 - World premiere

Synopsis

Faced with the prospect of having to quit their family's off-the-grid sustainable lifestyle, a step-father has to choose between his green ideals and his step-son's dreams.

Synopsis

Two artists in Walthamstow set out to take their street off the grid, kickstarting a solar-powered energy revolution. Inspired by lockdown mutual aid initiatives, artist-activists Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn decided to turn their street into an energy-generating powerhouse – a prototype for a new way of living, with the hope of galvanising a wider push towards sustainable alternatives. Directed by the duo, POWER STATION charts their turbulent journey, from pitching the idea to their neighbours and sleeping on the roof of their home to raising finance and launching a bid for a Christmas number one single. By turns funny and heartwarming, Powell and Edelstyn’s film is a vibrant portrait of their local neighbourhood, and a charming testament to the power of art in changing minds about what could be possible. Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2025