Documentary
Screening: Letters from Baghdad + Q&A
Letters from Baghdad is the story of a true original — Gertrude Bell — sometimes called the “female Lawrence of Arabia”. Voiced and executive produced by Academy award winning actor Tilda Swinton, the film tells the dramatic story of this British spy, explorer and political powerhouse. Bell traveled widely in Arabia before being recruited by British military intelligence during WWI to help draw the borders of Iraq. This unforgettable documentary takes unique look at both a remarkable woman and the tangled history of Iraq, while transporting us into a past that is eerily current.
Preview Screening: India’s Ladycops + Q&A
For the first time, cameras go inside a police station run by and for women, revealing a unique perspective on what’s really going on in Indian society. This surprising documentary follows Parmila and her special team of scooter-mounted female officers who are focused on preventing the harassment of women.
Workshop: Get Your Documentary Idea Commissioned, Funded & Made
Got a documentary idea but not sure how to: move it forwards, get some interest, get it funded, commissioned and broadcast? This one day course is for anyone, from complete beginners to experienced producers, who have a documentary idea but don’t know how to move it forwards, develop it and get it made. This workshop applies to online documentaries, broadcast TV documentaries and one-off theatrical release documentaries. During the day we break down the development process, working through what’s needed to create a compelling pitch, then a fully rounded proposal, a treatment, shooting schedule, budget and sizzle teaser.
Al Jazeera Preview Screening: The Making and Breaking of Europe + Q&A
This special two-part series explores the interwoven history of the European project and the far right in postwar Europe – both East and West. Beginning with the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community from the ashes of World War II, we chart the trajectory of European integration, in tandem with the story of the European far right, recounting the series of shifts that have led to today’s critical juncture: a post-Brexit EU and a stark rise in support for far right parties across Europe.
Screening – All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, And The Spirit of I.F. Stone + Q&A
Independent journalists like Amy Goodman, Glenn Greenwald, Jeremy Scahill, and Matt Taibbi are changing the face of journalism, providing investigative, adversarial alternatives to mainstream, corporate news outlets. All Governments Lie follows them as they expose government and corporate deception – just as the groundbreaking independent journalist I.F. Stone did decades ago.
A Revolution in Four Seasons
The film, first released in May this year, follows four years in the parallel political lives of Jawhara Ettis and Emna Ben Jemaa – two women at the centre of Tunisia’s radical turn to democracy during the 2011 Arab Spring.
Photographers’ Night: Perfecting the Pitch
For the first of our industry parties of the year, we’re giving photographers a chance to practice their pitching skills while receiving valuable feedback from online editors, curators and publishers. This night is a great opportunity for photographers to determine which outlet is best suited for bringing their project to a wide audience. Photographers who would like to present work in a 7 minute pitch should sign up to receive a time slot and all presenters will be listed online ahead of the event. Industry professionals will be present at tables respective to the platforms of their expertise, and everyone is encouraged to visit across these groups to have a chat and a drink.
Screening: The War Show + Q&A
This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Andreas Møl Dalsgaard.
Through observational and at times humorous footage of everyday life, The War Show exposes what it is like to be a creative, ambitious young woman living amidst one of the most destructive conflicts of our time. This unprecedented documentary offers a rarely-seen image of youth culture in Syria, following the experiences of a DJ and her friends following Arab Spring of 2011, when the sad realities that follow envelop their hope for liberation.
A Country in Motion: Films from Burma
“The fact that we can even make these films is representative of the change in this country,” said Lamin Oo, speaking to a full Frontline Club from Burma. Oo is one of his nation’s predominant emerging filmmakers and of the many talents being showcased at the Frontline Club’s ‘A Country in Motion: Films From Burma’ […]
Revolutions: Short Documentaries at LSE
The Frontline Club is delighted to partner with the London School of Economics in programming an evening of short films during the 2016 Literary Festival on the theme Revolutions. This is an external screening taking place at the Sheikh Zayed Theatre (New Academic Building, 54 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LJ). The event is free and open to all. E-tickets will be available to book online soon, and booking details will be published here. For any queries see LSE Events FAQ or contact [email protected]
The blood flow of the global economy
‘These came by ship,’ journalist Rose George remarked in the opening minutes of the film, casting her eyes over her clothes, ‘my shoes probably came by ship, the microphone certainly…’ The device you’re using to read this blog probably did too: 90% of everything we consume arrives in a shipping container.
A Country in Motion: Films from Burma
The Frontline Club is delighted to present an evening dedicated to the recent social, political and cultural transitions in Burma presented through the eyes of its young filmmakers. Free elections, gender equality and defeating poverty are themes reoccurring in this unique programme of short films selected by Igor Blazevic; thinker, political activist and founder of the One World Human Rights Festival in Prague.
Expand your factual stories: make them interactive
In the last three years online readership has well surpassed paper consumption, and some major institutions such as the Guardian and the BBC had to create entire new departments to shape their digital future. How has digital media changed the way we communicate our stories? And, more importantly, how can we, as authors, make the most of such changes? This one-day workshop will cover an introduction to interactive storytelling including a practical session where participants will experiment and get an exposure to the full potential of the interactive tools.
Film Series: U.S. Under the Lens
Leading up to the 2016 presidential elections, our U.S. Under the Lens film series presents bold new documentaries tackling the most polarising and hotly-debated issues set to determine the outcome of the 2016 campaign.
U.S. Under the Lens: National Bird + Panel Discussion
This screening will be followed by a panel discussion with director Sonia Kennenbeck and others.
National Bird follows the dramatic journey of three whistleblowers who are determined to break the silence around one of the most controversial current affairs issues of our time: the secret U.S. drone war. At the centre of the film are three U.S. military veterans. Grappling with guilt over their participation in the drone programme, they decide to speak out publicly in spite of the possible consequences. As their stories take dramatic turns, this not-to-miss film gives a balanced insight into the U.S. drone programme through the eyes of veterans and survivors – connecting their stories as never seen before.
The Hard Stop: portraying the people behind the London riots
Words and pictures by Heenali Patel One summer morning in 2011, London’s Metropolitan Police pulled over Mark Duggan– a young, black, British man– and shot him dead. His killing sparked what became known as the Tottenham riots, and set off a chain reaction of arson and looting across the country. Images of burning buildings and […]
He Named Me Malala: Education and the Refugee Crisis
“We learn so much from Malala, she tells us that we have a voice in the West but we take it for granted”, Guwali Passarlay.
Reproducing Reality: Animation and Documentary
Join us for a screening and discussion exploring the use of animation techniques within documentary filmmaking. We will be joined by a panel of documentary makers and animators who will present a behind-the-scenes look at the varied artistic techniques behind recent projects, as well as the broader motivations and challenges to capturing reality through animated form.
16 Years Till Summer: Redemption in the Scottish Highlands
On 18 March the Frontline Club hosted a screening of the BAFTA-nominated documentary 16 Years Till Summer as part of its New Scottish Documentary season. The screening was followed by a Q&A with director Lou McLoughlan.
Documentary Shorts: Methods and Inspiration
A panel of experienced filmmakers came together at the Frontline Club on Monday 15 February to give an insight into their creative processes when making short documentary films. The panel consisted of award-winning filmmakers Liam Saint-Pierre, Chloe White, Marc Silver, and Gemma Atkinson, with documentary programmer and DocHouse producer Jenny Horwell moderating the discussion.
New Scottish Documentary Season: Scotland on Screen
Scotland on Screen, part of our New Scottish Documentary season, is an evening of short films produced with assistance from the Scottish Documentary Institute and showcasing the diverse beauty of the Scottish landscape, immersing viewers in breathtaking scenes and remarkable stories from communities across the country.
Short Documentaries for Valentine’s Day
This February, our monthly short film night will showcase a selection of documentary shorts exploring the themes of love, romance and longing. Featuring unforgettable stories from across the world and capturing love in extraordinary circumstances, this line-up will have something for everyone.
The Lives of Others: Character Driven Documentary
By Thomas Colson On Monday 30 November, a panel of acclaimed documentary filmmakers came together to discuss the difficulties and rewards of character-driven documentary. Beadie Finzi, one of the founding directors of non-profit film foundation BRITDOC, moderated the discussion and was joined by filmmakers Brian Hill, David Sington, and Edward Lovelace.
Sun Mu: From North Korean Propagandist to Pop Art Defector
By Heenali Patel On Friday 20 November, the Frontline Club hosted a premiere screening of the documentary I Am Sun Mu, a remarkable insight into the life and work of North Korean defector and political pop artist Sun Mu. The film follows Sun Mu as he prepares for his first solo exhibition in Beijing in […]
Making Change: Documentary Filmmaking and Social Impact
A panel of filmmakers and industry professionals will come together to discuss how they’ve carried their messages beyond the screen to incite engagement from viewers and response to social issues and injustices. Subjects to be discussed include storytelling methods for inspiring action, building campaigns through multimedia platforms, and engaging with the journalistic community.
Frame by Frame: Photojournalism in Afghanistan
By Anna Speyart On Tuesday 20 November 2015, the Frontline Club hosted a packed screening of the documentary Frame by Frame, followed by a discussion with filmmakers Alexandria Bombach and Mo Scarpelli. The film follows four Afghan photojournalists who have the challenging task of helping to establish a free and diverse media landscape after years of repressive Taliban […]
Shorts at the Frontline Club
Join us for an evening of short documentaries from different parts of the world, covering a wide range of topics. Shorts at the Frontline Club showcases moving, striking and funny films, exploring the diverse faces of documentary filmmaking.
The Lives of Others: Factual Filmmaking and Working with Characters
Several acclaimed documentary filmmakers come together for an evening discussing the art of character-driven documentary and working with characters.
Shorts at the Frontline Club
Join us for an evening of short documentaries from different parts of the world, covering a wide range of topics. Shorts at the Frontline Club showcases moving, striking and funny films, exploring the diverse faces of documentary filmmaking.
Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightning
By Helena Kardova Dorothea Lange introduced a tenderness to documentary photography, which has since elevated her images to an iconic status and pushed US citizens to come to terms with darker aspects of their collective history. On Monday 20 July 2015, the Frontline Club hosted a preview screening of the PBS documentary Dorothea Lange: Grab a Hunk of Lightning. The […]