Cannes Docs

Runtime: 100'

Expected release: October 2025

Production stage: Post-production

Budget: €771,000 (70% in place)

1st feature: No

Looking for: Festivals, buyers, distributors, gap fiancing

Synopsis:

How a group of lads from working class Scotland became one of the most admired soul and funk bands in the history of music, winning over the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and a future US President – “Those boys could jam,” recalls Barack Obama. And as one of the most sampled bands in hip hop, Average White Band’s music continues to be hugely influential today.

Director’s Profile:

Anthony Baxter is a multi-award-winning director based in Scotland.His work include the BAFTA-winning Eye of the Storm, his poignant profile of artist James Morrison, which was broadcast in prime time on BBC2 and on more than 200 PBS stations in the United States. FLINT: Who Can You Trust? is the “monumental” (The Guardian) account of one of the worst man-made disasters in American history. A Dangerous Game is a searing indictment of the profound ecological and social impact of luxury golf resorts around the world.Baxter’s iconic You’ve Been Trumped, in which a small Scottish community battles against the future American President, won a dozen international awards and was distributed globally through Netflix. The sequel, You’ve Been Trumped Too, follows Donald Trump’s initial Presidential campaign, and had its premiere at IDFA.

Producer’s Profile:

Richard Phinney is an award-winning journalist, producer and filmmaker. He produced and wrote the award-winning theatrical documentaries You’ve Been Trumped (2011), A Dangerous Game (2014), You’ve Been Trumped Too, and FLINT (2020) and won a Scottish BAFTA for his work on Eye of the Storm.

Stacy Robinson has 20 years of experience writing and producing documentaries for CNBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, OWN, and numerous cable networks. She wrote and directed the\ Emmy Award winning documentary on Ida B. Wells and the Birth of Gospel Music for PBS, and received a National Emmy nomination for her work as Co-Director of We Are Witnesses: Chicago. She is currently Artistic Director of the Kartemquin Films, with its legacy of award-winning documentaries (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself etc.) spanning over five decades. Kartemquin also champions filmmakers in developing their craft, and aligns with partners who understand that documentaries are powerful vehicles for truth that can transform the world around us.

Runtime: 85'

Expected release: January 2026

Production stage: Development/ Production

Budget: €351,946 (65% in place)

1st feature: No

Looking for: Festivals, sales agents, distributors, buyers

Synopsis:

Neighbours and activists rush to surround an immigration van detaining two residents in Scotland’s most diverse community. Everybody to Kenmure Street is an intense, ground-level, and ultimately joyous account of the standoff with the police and the UK Home Office. Our film celebrates collective action, looking to the stories that led to that day and the historic events that have shaped this community.

Director’s Profile:

Felipe Bustos Sierra is a Chilean-Belgian film director based in Glasgow. He is the son of a Chilean journalist who was exiled to Belgium after the 1973 coup d’état. His debut feature documentary, « Nae Pasaran » (2018), won Best Film at the 2018 BAFTA Scotland Awards, where Bustos Sierra was also nominated for Best Director (Factual). The film received a BIFA nomination for Best Documentary in 2018 and enjoyed a successful theatrical release in cinemas across the UK and Chile from 2018 to 2019. The film’s discoveries led to a new public monument inaugurated in 2019 as a permanent tribute to the workers at the Rolls-Royce factory, centered by the film. Bustos Sierra is an alumnus of the Berlinale Talent Campus, Eurodoc, and the EIFF Talent Lab.

Producer’s Profile:

Ciara is a producer and co-founder of Barry Crerar, a BAFTA-nominated independent production company based in Glasgow. From nurturing and developing new and emerging local screen talent to realizing the most dynamic and ambitious international co-productions, the company tells stories that connect contemporary global audiences with resonant and groundbreaking voices and themes.

Documentary credits include « Irene’s Ghost » (2018); drama credits include « Sebastian » (2024) and « Girl » (2023), both of which premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance Film Festival, as well as « Nobody Has to Know » (2020) by Bouli Lanners, co-produced with Versus Film Belgium.

Accolades include BAFTA Scotland Best Film nominations, selection for the inaugural Rising Stars Scotland 2022, and a BIFA longlist for Breakthrough Producer 2020.

Runtime: 90'

Expected release: March 2026

Production stage: Production

Budget: £350,000 (42% in place)

1st feature: Yes

Looking for: Festivals, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters and buyers

Synopsis:

“Love Letters” is an intimate documentary that captures the daily ongoings in the historical fishing village of Gardenstown. At the heart lies Juliet and Bubbles and their eclectic extended family and friends. This film will document their resilience, joy, and profound connection to community in a lyrical exploration of human experiences.

Director’s Profile:

Over the past two years, I have been developing projects along the Northeast Coast of Scotland, where the resilient spirit and joy of the people I encountered inspired the creation of “Love Letters.”

As a self-shooting filmmaker with a background in the arts, I’m interested in immersing myself in the lives of my subjects, creating films that are at once, performative and factual. I’ve always been drawn to unconventional storytelling, often uncovering distinct narratives through post-production or spontaneous encounters with contributors.

My previous film The Bayview, a Scottish BAFTA and Grierson nominated short documentary about a fishing community, has a similar sense of style. As a natural evolution, working with a community on the fringes of Scotland, I feel that ‘Love Letters’ has the potential to connect with audiences both in the UK and around the world.

Producer’s Profile:

James is a BAFTA-nominated producer known for his work on the SXSW award-winning feature film « The Fitzroy. » A graduate of prestigious programs including Berlinale, Rotterdam Labs, and EAVE Producers’ Workshop, he has established himself as a dynamic force in both commercial and narrative filmmaking.

In recognition of his innovative approach to production, James recently secured BFI Global Screen Fund backing to launch Randan, a new Film and TV focused production company in partnership with Bombito Productions’ Reece Cargan. They have an ambitious slate of projects due for release over the next year including, Screen Ireland-backed coming-of-age drama « Spilt Milk » which recently premiered at Tallinn Black Nights. He’s also venturing into documentary filmmaking with « Love Letters, » supported by BFI Doc Society and Screen Scotland.

Runtime: 90'

Expected release: May 2026

Production stage: Late development

Budget: €455,049.30 (35% in place)

1st feature: Yes

Looking for: Sales agents, distributors, festivals and gap financing

Synopsis:

Trans law student Efruz lives under constant threat to her safety and well-being in today’s authoritarian Turkey. Her friend Bircan films Efruz over the years as her dream of becoming a human rights lawyer is challenged more than ever, and where the two friends find hope from the past, in friendship and resistance infused with laughter.

Director’s Profile:

Bircan is a documentary filmmaker working between Scotland and Turkey. Her work explores themes of belonging, resilience, and resistance, as well as social impact and participatory filmmaking. Her debut short documentary, My Name is Anik (2019), premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and screened in theatres and festivals internationally. She is currently making her first feature-length documentary with Bombito/Randan Productions, supported by Screen Scotland and the International Documentary Association, and pitched at IDFA Forum. She is an alumna of IDFA Academy, Close-Up Initiative, Sheffield DocFest Queer Realities Director’s Lab, Glasgow Film Festival Talent Scheme, EIFF Script Starter, Filmonomics and Scottish Documentary Institute. She is also a BAFTA Connect member and an International Documentary Association Supported Artist.

Producer’s Profile:

Reece is a BAFTA nominated and RTS award winning producer and founder of Scottish production companies ‘Bombito productions’ & ‘RANDAN. Reece is Glasgow based and was selected by Screen International as a Rising Star Scotland. Reece has produced numerous award winning work, he recently he co-produced 2 features with the Netherlands – with support from Screen Scotland & Netherlands Film Fund.
Randan work across a varied slate of feature projects that span drama, documentary and animation. They have four theatrical release scheduled for 2025/2026.

Presented by: Reece CARGAN (RANDAN, Scotland, UK)