Film of the Month returns this September with a fresh new look. Cutting the red tape (metaphorically speaking) is award-winning documentarian Sean McAllister. Sean  is known for his candid, frank films, depicting with extraordinary intimacy the lives of ordinary people who are struggling to survive but are survivors, caught up in political and personal conflict, struggling to make sense of the world we live in. His most recent film, A Syrian Love Story (2015) picked up the Jury Prize at…

“You can kill but you mustn’t fuck…” – a trip to Germany sparks questions of sensationalism and nationality…

Doc-lovers! Bertha Dochouse are hosting their first ever short film screening – check out the programme for this week below… Tuesday 8th September sees DocHouse’s very first short film screening, The Land Between Us, and one of many more to come! In the hopes of becoming, not only the centre for documentary in London, but a new platform for emerging filmmakers and those honing their craft, Bertha DocHouse are thrilled to join the ranks of the capital’s short film enthusiasts. Join them on Tuesday…

Doc-lovers! A little message from SP’s friends at Bertha Dochouse – check out their exciting programme for this week below… Marking the release Brian Hill’s latest film, The Confessions of Thomas Quick, Bertha DocHouse is celebrating one of the most radical and respected directors in the UK with a selective retrospective of his work. Over the last decades, Brian Hill has consistently pushed the bar for documentary by finding inventive ways to make films that challenge audiences and stimulate debate. Brian’s ability to explore…

A very well deserved congratulations to all 14 members who have been shortlisted for The Grierson Trust awards 2015. There are members in pretty much every category (obviously, no surprise there…) Up for the ‘Best Documentary on a Contemporary Theme’ are Ruth Nicklin with Excluded: Kicked out of School Ep.1 and Brian Woods with Raining in my Heart. Brian is also looking at picking up the ‘Best Science or Natural History’ award for Curing Cancer. The success run for Laura Poitrais’ Citizenfour, distributed by SP and…

Huge welcome to our July Film of the Month judge, award-winning British director Asif Kapadia. His most recent film  is the much-acclaimed documentary Amy, which is screening at the East End Film Festival on 2 July with a special Q&A with Asif and out in cinemas on 3 July. Asif’s previous work include the critically acclaimed documentary Senna, which garnered awards all around the world including the BAFTA for Best Documentary, and fiction feature The Warrior, starring Irrfan Khan, which…

This Tuesday is Shooters in the Pub, we’ll be meeting from 6.30pm in the The Arts Theatre Club, 50 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4SQ. Join us for some drinks and catch up with your fellow film creatives: directors, writers, actors and more. We’ll be talking to Kazz Basma from the documentary sales agency Sideways Films, whose docs have been screened across many channels including BBC and HBO. They are continuously on the lookout for new documentaries to represent, so if…

Planetary (dir. Guy Reid) Meditation Session Yes, I meditated to a film – this was a nice little retreat from the hustle and bustle of the festival. Taking yourself away to a ‘mindfulness meditation’ session to the audio of Planetary; a poetic and cosmic journey into global perspective. It’s a visual reminder that every living thing is connected that will question your own environmental awareness. The soundscapes are mesmerising, so much so that I completely missed the bells ringing for the meditation to…

Mavis! (dir. Jessica Edwards) A force of nature would be a mildly accurate way to describe Mavis Staples, and does not do her justice. As a teenager, Mavis was fronting The Staples Singers, a family gospel group that provided the soundtrack for the early civil rights movement after being inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Now 75, Mavis is still unstoppable, constantly touring, recording albums and cheekily reminiscing about Bob Dylan. Cobain: Montage of Heck (dir. Brett Morgen) It’s intimate,…

The rather lovely Drake Doremus (Like Crazy, Breath In, Spooner) came on as judge in May for Film of the Month. All top 3 films were, ironically, of a romantic demeanour – and Drake loved each one. His favourite was a beautiful piece on the probability of finding your soulmate: “Asks a very simple question in a highly original way. Tightly packed with emotion and honestly. This short exemplifies what a great short can and should be. Makes you think…