Made of Truth: Hybrid Non-Fiction Shorts

These four films explore hybrid formal and narrative non-fiction approaches which open up how we might consider tackling challenging subjects, in a programme ranging from eviction to mental health and beyond, as well as the importance of community support and solidarity. These films have found audiences at festivals such as Clermont-Ferrand, Encounters, London Short Film Festival, Final Girls Berlin, Aesthetica, and more.

Several filmmakers will be in attendance for an extended post-screening Q&A, where they will reflect on their work and approaches. It will also be an opportunity to learn about the BFI Doc Society Made of Truth fund, which will reopen in spring 2025. Made of Truth funds emerging storytellers from across the UK to create new, cinematic and boundary-pushing non-fiction stories that respond to the changing world around us, supporting up to 15 short films per year using National Lottery funds.

Programme:

I Don’t Need Adult Conversation | 12′ | dir. Vika Evdokimenko
A new mother dotes on her baby by day, but discovers dark feelings stirring up inside her at night. This hybrid doc explores the shadow side of motherhood which remains taboo in our culture.

Hanging On | 10′ | dir. Alfie Barker
An experimental doc that spotlights the strength of a community when faced with eviction. Hanging On reminds us about the struggles of people who are slipping through the cracks of society and what it means to have a home.

Trust Me?! | 19′ | dir. Melanie Cura Daball
In Trust Me, a short documentary blending animation and live-action, a young woman shares her journey with bipolar disorder, reclaiming her story with humour and empathy, redefining resilience after feeling betrayed by her own mind – and those closest to her.

#BlackBoyJoyGone | 25′ | dir. Isaac Ouro-Gnao & Ashley Karrell
#BlackBoyJoyGone is a hybrid documentary by and for black men on mental health, sexual trauma, healing and finding strength within a collective brotherhood.