documentary

The Galaxy Britain Built - The British talent behind Star Wars, Screening and Q&A (Norwich)

Star Wars is a global phenomenon.

The Galaxy Britain Built tells the story of British artists, designers and filmmakers who worked on it, and reveals the secrets of the creation of some of the most famous costumes, props and sets in movie history.

RTS East invites you to this very special screening of The Galaxy Britain Built hosted by BBC Look East presenter and Star Wars Superfan, David Whiteley. We are delighted that the screening will be followed by a Q&A session with legendary Film Producer, Robert Watts.

A celebration and screening of 63 Up

“Give me the child for the first seven years and I will show you the man.” Inspired by this Jesuit motto, the Up series began in 1964, following a group of people drawn from startlingly different backgrounds who have allowed television cameras to drop into their lives at seven-year intervals ever since.

Led by director Michael Apted throughout the decades, this acclaimed series has now reached 63 Up, providing an illuminating perspective on whether or not the course of our adult lives is set by our earliest influences and the social class in which we’re raised.

The Bradford Aunties on their cross-generational BBC film

It takes a village to raise a child,” says the proverb. Yet three dynamic South Asian volunteers from Bradford were hearing that this was no longer happening.

“It came across that there was a barrier between the youth and the elderly,” said Tahera Kacholia, one of the trio who work with women’s groups in their community.

Rubina Niazi agreed: “The ladies were complaining about the young people, saying that they don’t listen nowadays.” And that “they don’t sit with their grandparents. They don’t talk,” added Ghazala Khalid.

The making of Ocean with David Attenborough, as told by Silverback Films

Two clownfish swim in an sea anemone

It’s opening night for the new feature documentary from Silverback Films, Ocean With David Attenborough, and 40 or so people are gathered in a Reading cinema. 

Teenagers slouch at the back while a child leads his grandfather to the front row, keen to see the 99-year-old presenter’s latest marine adventure. On a Thursday night, it’s an impressive turnout for a cinema that can struggle to draw half this number for a Hollywood blockbuster. 

The Last Musician of Auschwitz Q&A with director Toby Trackman

Marking 2025's Holocaust Memorial Day, The Last Musician of Auschwitz tells the extraordinary story of cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the only surviving member of the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz. The film also brings to life the testimony of other inmates who performed and wrote music at the concentration camp, while weaving in a series of powerful new performances of their compositions.

This Q&A followed a premiere at the British Museum, and saw BBC Arts Commissioner Suzy Klein interview Director Toby Trackman about the making of the film.

The making of Hunting Mr Nice

Four photos of the face of a man in his thirties or forties are held up in front of somebody's face. Behind him, there is a green and orange backdrop with cannabis leaves, a small plane and a flamingo pool float

The late Queen’s phrase “recollections may vary” is something documentary-makers know all too well as they try to tell real-life stories.

In the case of new BBC two-parter Hunting Mr Nice: The Cannabis Kingpin, an added challenge was that several of the interviewees were frequently high on drugs during the times they were trying to recollect.

The audience at the RTS Cymru Wales screening and Q&A learnt about the difficulties of assembling and questioning members of notorious cannabis smuggler Howard Marks’s inner circle, some of whom had never spoken before.

Development Masterclass with Dorsa Nam and Dan Omnes | RTS Student Masterclasses 2024

Development Execs Dorsa Nam and Dan Omnes are both former Broadcast Hot Shots but have their own areas of development expertise: Dorsa on unscripted and Dan on documentaries.

They dove into the craft in conversation with Emma Read, using some of their hit series like The Man with 1000 Kids and Big Zuu's Big Eats as case studies.

Idris Elba to investigate knife crime in new BBC documentary

Idris Elba pictured in London

Elba, who’s best known for starring as the titular detective in the BBC drama Luther, grew up in what he describes as “a tough part of East London, where violence was always a possibility.”

He knows first-hand how easily he could have fallen down a different path, so he is well-placed to present Idris Elba: A Year of Knife Crime. Over the course of the 60 minute film, he will meet young offenders, bereaved families, youth workers and the police to try and understand the reasons behind the increased incidence of knife crime.

Director Jonny Ashton on filming Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams On Tour and "the power of investing in young people"

Freddie Flintoff sings Sweet Caroline in the minibus with his cricket team

At a time of declining social mobility, especially for young people, watching Freddie Flintoff manage a cricket team made up entirely of working class boys from Preston still hits like a ray of hope.

By smashing the class ceiling of such an elitist sport, the former England captain is steadily teaching the boys to dream of better futures for themselves, and the rest of us the transformative power of some gentle encouragement.

Victoria Beckham lands a documentary series with Netflix

The documentary series will focus on the building of her fashion and beauty empire, and the balancing act between running a family and a business simultaneously. The Beckhams, close friends, and collaborators will all feature as the doc builds a full image of Victoria’s time in the spotlight – from Spice Girl to style guru, from WAGs to riches.

The series is executive produced by Nicola Howson, known for Beckham and Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything.