Short, Short Film Programme and Access Information
Our Short, Short Film Festival is proud to present a series of short films from local learning-disabled artists and groups, or featuring learning disabled actors. Films include theatre group Jigsaw Theatre Training Group, film company Shoot Your Mouth Off, Full Circle's Freedom Road, award-winning short film Identity by Andy Winward with Patrick Gill. We have two films from recent community workshops – Feeling Magnificent Catwalk and Wig and Moustache Comedy workshop. There is a brand new short monologue, Daisy Chain, written by Vici Wreford-Sinnott and performed by Megan Rees. We are thrilled to present the film on one of our New Work Commissions – the co-created film-poem 360 Degrees – We are Not Going Anywhere developed with artist Lizzie Lovejoy and John Kirkbride.
Please note that this is not what is not a classical relaxed performance event as it is not possible to fully create that given the films the disabled filmmakers wanted to make and include. The films are all captioned, and have sensory and content information below. The cinema has not been sold to full capacity to allow some spacing between seats where required. The houselights will remain on at a low level so that people can see where they are. It is also fine to leave and come back. This is a tutting and judgement free zone. Some people make involuntary sounds and movements due to their condition. Where it is not access related, please do think of others and keep chatting to a minimum. There is a Chill Out Room nearby. Thank you.
Feeling Magnificent Catwalk (3.5 mins)
We have documented some of the community arts workshops run in the lead up to the festival. Feeling Magnificent comes from the desire to support learning disabled neurodivergent people from the LGBT community and follow on from our Cabaret Catwalk last year. Everyone deserved to feel magnificent and should be able to strut their stuff with confidence and power. This workshop was led by actor and director Lindsay Nicholson who is also a trainer in equality. Participants used props and costume pieces to build a character to explore on a catwalk.
Content Information – dance music is included in the film. The film makes reference to the LGBT community and a very short history of drag.
Kev Howard Place of Power Portraits at SYMO (6 mins)
This short film is from Shoot Your Mouth Off Films based in Hartlepool. It was shot the day photographer Kev Howard visited to take some of the portrait images presented in our Place of Power Exhibition which is in ARC’s 2nd Floor Gallery and runs until 27 November. The film gives an insight into what Kev was hoping to capture and also into the thought processes of those being invited to be photographed in places they feel powerful.
Content information – the film is made on location at FYMO Studios in Hartlepool. The subject revolves around how disabled people want to be represented.
Leadership Is… (3 mins)
Jigsaw Theatre Training Group from STEPS Voices of disabled people are meant to be heard, and they are in this film, the result of many discussions about identity, confidence, power and leadership. These things means so many different things to different people and it is illuminating to hear thoughts directly from disabled people, neurodivergent people and those with mental health conditions.
Content and Sensory Information – the film is text and audio over a consistent moving image over misty forests and valleys.
Identity (4 mins)
Made by Winward Studios this film is directed by experienced Tees Valley filmmaker and made with Patrick Gill who also stars in the film, along with Rob Winward. It is an experimental exploration of mental health awareness as the main character, wearing a hospital gown, is lost in the woods, and keeps seeing a figure. The film has already been screened at several festivals and has been nominated for awards.
Content and sensory information – the main character is wandering lost and looks concerned and confused. He has seen a figure in the woods and wants to see their face. There is a feeling of unease due to the nature of the film.
Freedom Road has been a long, long march for us (10 mins)
Freedom Road was a commission from the national Our Freedom Then and Now project, celebrating the freedoms we have experienced since the end of WWII. It was a theme open to interpretation and Full Circle thought about the things they would love to be able to free to do, acknowledging not everyone has the same freedoms. Being able to make the film and live performance are a freedom in themselves and demonstrate the leadership the group have in being artistic and creating opportunities for others.
Content and Sensory Information – the film plays against stereotypical views of disabled people. It is lively and fast-moving with lots of colour and sound in places. There is imagery of people seated under a piece of large transparent fabric for 2 minutes whilst a poem is recited with rousing music underscoring it. The film then moves through several scenarios which disabled people may not necessarily be associated with, may be actively encouraged to avoid, may be underestimated to be able to do including a rollercoaster ride, watching a horror film (we never see the horror film just their reactions, a train ride, being photographed by the paparazzi, going on a wild tuktuk ride at midnight, being exhibits in a museum with a sound of peoples’ voices,
Daisy Chain (6 mins)
A new monologue written and directed by Vici Wreford-Sinnott, starring Megan Rees and filmed by Black Robin films. Daisy is a young learning disabled woman with an overprotective dad, but she knows her own mind and she knows what she wants.
Content and sensory information – the actor narrates a monologue over the song Wild Horses. We see the character go on a journey toward independence. The film references disabled people being underestimated and excluded but also daisy is a strong character who does everything she can to be herself.
Wigs and Moustaches (6 mins)Wigs and Moustaches lend themselves very well to comedy performance skills. We invited local surreal comedy expert Scott Turnbull to run a workshop looking at physical comedy and some of the essential skills needed. Everyone had a brilliant time as you will see in the film. Needless to say the wigs and moustaches have been out since the workshop and we can’t wait to do it again! Laughter is a really good tonic.
Content and Sensory Information – there are some edits in this film made to look like photographs, and there are lots of wigs, moustaches and even eyebrows for comedy effect. General silliness, but excellent skills being gained.
Surprise Stockton Flashmob (5 mins)This film was made an unbelievable 9 years ago as part of a project called 45 Days to Find My Way which was about creative challenges with a group of young adults. One of the challenges was a surprise flash mob on Stockton High Street. It was a fantastic event and was really well supported. Why are we showing this film again? Because next summer we want to do a much bigger flash mob of disabled people in Central Stockton. Perhaps something record-breaking…and we need you to get involved.
Content and Sensory Information – a large group of dancers dancing on the High Street to Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars.
360 Degrees - We are not going anywhere (5.5 mins)One of our New Work commissions for the festival was for a film-poem. 360 Degrees: We Are Not Going Anywhere is a group poem created with award-winning poet Lizzie Lovejoy, with selected extracts filmed with the co-writers by incredible film-maker John Kirkbride, who is currently a Film Hub North Generator Director. The poem looked at what disabled people’s voices are, can be and will be. It is a triumphant spoken word piece rising from adversity and discrimination.
Content and Sensory Information – This film starts with a buzz of bad film static and glitching images. It doesn’t last long. This is a very lively, colourful film with a music soundtrack under the poem which is narrated by many of the voices of people who wrote it. There is a protest with placards, images of people making speeches to audiences, dancing, celebration, and is high energy in its editing style, cutting between people and
