UKRI and Sciencewise recently published findings from a year-long public dialogue on ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Facilitated by our long-time partners @hopkinsvanmil , it was a fascinating process to be involved with, from start to finish.
The report highlights a clear public concern and a lack of accessible, trustworthy information around UPFs.
We created a series of five stimulus pieces to be used during the dialogue process, working with contributors ranging from a delivery driver and new dad, to a young care leaver. Together we looked at their food environment, discussing their relationship to food and the role that UPFs play in their lives.
The dialogue helped shape a set of priorities for future research, ensuring it reflects lived experience as well as public need. You can watch our summary film and access the public report via the Sciencewise and UKRI websites. @weareukri
Thrilled that our feature H is for Harry continues to have a life and resonate with audiences. Alongside Netflix, it’s now on Disney+ for the coming five years across Europe.
During the National Year of Reading and in view of our recent work with Close Screens Open Minds and The Reach Foundation, we know how literacy is not a given but essential to a life of choice, opportunity and happiness.
@go_all_in_2026
Co-directors: Ed Owles and Jaime Taylor
Producer: Jon McGoh
Editors: @matthew_scholes and @emiliano_battista_
Executive Producers: Jez Lewis and @rachelwexler5050ra
Distributors: @dartmouth.films
We were thrilled to work with charity Close Screens Open Minds to film a fascinating and important conversation between Jonathan Haidt, Hugh Grant and Sophie Winkleman on the rollout of educational technology in schools, and what it could mean for children and young people.
EdTech is often positioned as a future-focused means of transforming education. In this discussion, they dive into emerging evidence and ever growing concerns around its effects on attention, comprehension, and broader physical and mental wellbeing.
This was a considered, passionate and wide-ranging exchange exploring how technology is shaping learning environments, and what that might mean for the future.
Find out more about the work and watch the a long cut of the conversation via Close Screens Open Minds.
@closescreens.openminds@jonathanhaidt
#edtech
We’re proud that Red Herring is continuing to have an impact as it was back on the big screen last month at Hackney Picturehouse as part of a Q&A with Director Kit Vincent and filmmaker and founder of East London Doc Club Georgina Savage. All Red Herring’s box office profits were donated to @headway_uk .
The next @eastlondon_doc.club screening + Q&A is of Leo Regan’s My Friend Lanre, be sure to go along and watch if you can!
Some things that bond us as a company: that recurring invigoration when learning about a fascinating new subject, working with specialists who are inspiring and committed in their field, or joining forces with someone on a formidable mission that we respect and want to amplify.
There has been lots of all of this so far this year. Here’s a few highlights:
🥞 Working with Hopkins Van Mil (alongside Sciencewise, UK Research and Innovation, and the Food Standards Agency) we’ve been creating stimulus material and a summary film for the first ever national public dialogue exploring the tricky and complex subject of ultra processed food. The results will help inform the development of @weareukri research in coming years, ensuring that the priorities and experiences of the public are included. Lots of identifying what we *don’t* know, on the road to plugging gaps in knowledge that badly need to be addressed. Meaty.
📽️ In our most exciting autumn news, perennially archive-inspired Postcode director Jaime Taylor has been selected to be one of this years The Grierson Trust DocLab cohort of Archive Producers. We are proud colleagues - Jaime couldn’t be better suited to this programme and it’s going to supercharge her eye for the archive!
📚 Michael Slavinsky of Languages For All is someone else on an absolute mission. His aim is to make foreign language learning at A Level and University more accessible, affordable and possible for state schools to offer their students. To quote Michael, “The vision for Languages For All is that our country becomes a place where it is normal, possible and valued to speak foreign languages”. We’ve loved making two films with Michael and the students this year.
🎨 IntranQu’îllités - a film we made with a group of Haitian artists about their work, how the island is perceived and the importance of creativity just launched on Aeon @aeonmag . It was made in collaboration with academics from the University of Leeds and has won awards for ‘research in film’ and ‘creative activism’. Watch and let us know what you think! (Link in bio)
Happy holidays one and all! Farewell to 2024, courtesy of this excellently-bearded latest award for our short film 'the time they spent here' - featuring the beautiful Bronze Age rock art of Tanum, Sweden. See you on the other side ❤️
Nuffield Council on Bioethics have released our film documenting the UK’s Citizen’s Jury on Assisted Dying, a really timely project which NCOB commissioned to explore public attitudes towards assisted dying in England.
Working closely with wonderful colleagues at Hopkins Van Mil, it was a privilege to meet jury members and witness their dedication, compassion and insight throughout this process, discussing such a sensitive and complex issue.
And it was especially moving to hear about the profound impact this had on them - having the opportunity to engage with challenging questions, to be heard and really listen to others too, not only experts but also the other jurors who brought their own values and experience to the conversation. It showed us all the power of participatory democracy in action, reflecting the role deliberative processes can have in rebuilding a fairer and more connected society.
At Postcode we feel especially proud of our involvement in this project, not only because this is such an important subject which effects us all, but also for the way in which through film, participants were able to reflect on exactly how and why they were left with a renewed sense of hope and connection after taking part.
As one juror, Helen, summarises:
“This process has definitely shifted something. I’ve never been consulted on anything that mattered before. There’s a lot of hopelessness amongst people my age and younger, so they don’t vote and I think that’s because they’ve lost a lot of faith. But maybe processes like this, like a Citizen’s Jury, would give people hope.”
Postcode’s Dara McLarnon has been an artist in residence this autumn at OSO Arts Centre in Barnes, collaborating with @bea_brennan (music producer and speech therapist) to develop an audio feature documentary.
We’ve been really grateful to @orleanshousegallery and Richmond Arts Service for the support, the space and the conversations.
Supported alongside a really interesting list of other local artists, Bea and Dara are in early development stages, planning to incorporate field recordings, interview, original foley, musical composition and archival sound.
They’ll be drawing on their collective experience in documentary, speech therapy, neuro-rehab and experimental electronic music production, and plan to explore group improvisation, its dynamics and effects from an artistic and psychosocial perspective. The piece will use spatialised sound design and relay stories around spontaneity, reaction and response.
(Image description: Bea Brennan photographed by Dara McLarnon. Bea is sitting at a table looking towards a piece of music equipment as she adjusts it with one hand, almost out of frame. In the background there are plants, speakers, a framed ornament. There is a poster on the wall showing a natural scene, including a tree and river.)
#ArtistsMakeSpace #audiodocumentary #documentary #electronicmusic
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ in @guardian !
In cinemas and on-demand from tomorrow: London, Brighton, Cambridge, Poole over the next week. Up north after that. Ticket link in bio.
Promise it's worth the trip!
