Documentaries

It now seems rather strange that we didn’t feature a single documentary in our 2020 festival! Realising the error of our ways, we wanted to encourage documentaries for our 2020 festival (to great applause when we announced it). There are 15 fantastic films playing in this block which focus on a wide variety of subjects ranging from ways of life, prejudice, living with illness, and the environment around us.

Kakuma Hope

(Kenya, Dir. Caroline True)
Life in Kakuma, one of the world’s largest refugee camps, can be incredibly difficult. Established in 1992, UNHCR’s Kakuma Camp is home to more than 190,000 people forced to flee violence, persecution and war. Kakuma Hope is the story of the Morneau Shepell Secondary School for Girls, the young women and the boarding school making a difference in the region.

George and the Whales

(Tonga, Dir. Nessim Stevenson)
A portrait of a Tongan whale-watching guide called George, and of the humpback whales that spend their summers in the warm waters around the islands of Vava’u. A beautiful film both visually and sonically, George and the Whales has been nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Music.

Waves

(South Africa/UK, Dir. Jessie Ayles)
Filmed in Cape Town’s notorious Lavender Hill, Waves explores the perspective of three young girls growing up in one of South Africa’s most violent communities. This film packs an emotional punch considering it’s short runtime and features some lovely cinematography. The film has been nominated for Best Documentary and Best Micro-short. Find out more on the Waves Facebook page here.

Reef Revolution

(New Zealand, Dir. Rebecca Pratt)
An undocumented reef, 11km offshore of New Zealand, has captured the curiosity and passion of a dedicated team and their local community. Follow in this sentimental journey, as the younger generation join ‘Project Reef Life’ team members in their journey of ocean discovery, and in turn surprise an older generation about life under their local ocean. Find out more about Reef Revolution here.

Eryngium Proteiflorum

(Mexico, subtitles, Dir. Dia Amida)
Environmental film which focuses on a unique flower from the mountains of Mexico. A mixture of scientific fact, celebration and ultimately concern for this exotic and beautiful plant. Read a review for the film here.

WHAT HEAT

(UK, dir. João Cabrita)
In the wake of news revealing an impending climate catastrophe, Extinction Rebellion Scotland is formed. Its members show more than a fearless commitment to arrestable, non-violent direct actions. A deep compassion, an existential fear and an active hope born out of despair. Find out more on the WHAT HEAT facebook page here.

Bayandalai – Lord of the Taiga

(Spain, Subtitles, Dir. Aner Etxebarria Moral, Pablo Vidal Santos)
From inside his yurt deep within the heart of the Taiga, Bayandalai ‒an elder of the Dukhas tribe‒ muses about the significance of life and death in the largest forest on Earth. He is the last of the great reindeer herders of the Taiga. Beautifully shot, this is a snapshot of a life which is all-too-fast disappearing. Find out more about Bayandalai – Lord of the Taiga here.

Snow Warrior

(Canada, dir. Frederick Kroetsch, Kurt Spenrath)
Snow Warrior is a love letter to the splendour of winter. It captures the beauty of a northern city through the eyes of a bicycle courier named Mariah. We see her ready herself and her bike for a grueling day’s work of racing through the snow and traffic to get her deliveries into the hands of her customers. Nominated for Best Sound, this short also features some very impressive cinematography. Find out more about Snow Warrior here.

Winter Hill

(UK, dir. Lee Gray)
Winter Hill is a story about a relentless and driven young woman who finally opens up about the realities of living with a chronic disease (ME), both physical, emotional and social, in the face of government disability cuts and the feeling of being left behind whilst everyone moves forward. Nominated for Best Documentary.

One Of Many

(USA, dir. MJ Bernier)
A collection of powerful individual voices is documented in the short film, One of Many, reminding us of the anger, distrust, heartbreak and hope that merged together on January 21, 2017 at The Women’s March on Washington. Extremely topical considering today’s political climate, One of Many has been nominated in the Best Documentary category. Find out more about One of Many here.

From Rags To Cups

(Malawi, Dir. Nancy Durrell McKenna)
From Rags to Cups, filmed in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Malawi, home to 37,000 refugees, explores the challenges that menstruation adds to the lives of women fleeing their war-torn communities with only rags to use. The film describes a simple and economic solution – the menstrual cup which is a sustainable, hygienic, comfortable and environmentally-friendly product, providing women with a dignified choice each month. Find out more about the filmmakers here.

Bad Fruit (The Unheard Voice of the Tuam Babies)

(Ireland, Dir. Teresa Lavina)
The Tuam babies in Ireland. 796 babies were thrown in a septic tank, no proper burials, no prayers, no respect. The nuns have not yet apologised for their actions. This film is a testimony told by the survivors of Tuam mother and baby home, their experience and stories. This piece is very close to filmmaker Theresa’s heart and even though it was shot with a very small budget this gives it an air of authenticity. In the days she spent with the survivors of Tuam’s mother and baby home, they taught Theresa about their suffering, about their hopes and about the pain and hardship of life. Theresa’s intends to make a longer version of this documentary in the near future.

If I Get Like That Just Shoot Me

(UK, Dir. Amy Clegg)
‘If I Get Like That Just Shoot Me’ is a short Documentary which aims to reveal how the perception and reality of informal care for the elderly is an ever-widening gap. It captures through one family unit; the exchange of Parent and Child roles and the shift of time over a matriarchal line and across generations between a Grandmother, Mother and Daughter. This is not an easy watch, but a really important one which is authentic, extremely moving and has something to say about the state of care for the elderly in this country. Nominated in the Best Documentary category.

Have We Met Before?

(UK, Dir. Oliver Mason)
Have We Met Before? documents the different ways that gay men have met and dated over decades since the 1970s. More specifically, it explores the significant impact that the internet revolution has made on the gay dating scene. Nominated for Best Documentary and Best LGBTQ+ Film.

Becoming Cherrie

(UK/Ireland, Dir. Nicky Larkin)
Diagnosed HIV-positive aged 19, Matthew Cavan struggled to find acceptance in conservative Northern Irish society. In a desperate attempt to escape his everyday reality and get back on stage, Matthew created his absolutely fabulous drag alter-ego Cherrie Ontop. Nominated for Best Documentary and Best LGBTQ+ Film, the film also boast some extremely impressive cinematography.