'We want people to understand we are not broken people'. Cross the Sky, a community theatre company for learning disabled and autistic adults, has been part of Barnsley Civic since 2015 but has been running for over 20 years. Over the last six months, supported by funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, filmmaker John Slemensek-Thorne of Studio Bokehgo has embedded himself in the company, supporting the company members to tell their story. The resulting film, a short-format documentary, sees the group rehearse together for the first time since February 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic put a dramatic stop to their plans to tour their musical theatre production 'Up in the Attic', with the group being forced to only meet online for over a year. While the pandemic was very much considered a ‘collective trauma’ on an international scale, it is recognised that disabled people experienced the pandemic in very different ways to non-disabled people, being disproportionately affected by the lockdown, loneliness, access to healthcare and vaccines and the alleged societal shift back to ‘normality’ and the removal of face coverings in public spaces. As well as exploring how the group experienced the pandemic, the documentary also promotes the creativity and talent of learning-disabled and autistic people and hopes to challenge the public’s perceptions of learning disabilities. Representing both Cross the Sky and Barnsley Civic, Jason White said: “Many of our disabled performers have impairments that meant they have been more vulnerable than most members of our community to what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. It also meant that the group had to shield for longer and take extra precautions before they could regroup and get back to what they love – performing.” “We now consider John to be part of the Cross the Sky family. It was a pleasure to have him take up residency with us. It was obvious from the start that he understood the group, the importance of our message and the need to enable and amplify the voices and experiences of our disabled members.” The film’s director John Slemensek-Thorne said: “A film screen is a window through which we can explore our world. I am so honoured and proud to have been welcomed into the extraordinary world of Cross the Sky. Together we have co-produced a film of great authenticity, integrity, originality, and beauty. It is all these things because of the generosity and honesty of all the members of Cross the Sky. They have shown their hearts and their spirits, and thanks to this, we have a film that is so sincere and heart-warming. It is truly an artefact of how wonderful humanity can be. I have loved being a part of this.” ​

STUDIO BOKEHGO is an artisan film and photography storytelling studio focused on shining a spotlight on the inspirational, spectacular and talented people, places and moments around the world

Life is not always easy. But with determination you can overcome any challenges. This is the story of Fidelis Ayuk Oben. He has one leg. But he refused to let this stop him in doing what he wanted to do. And with the support of Dominion Training, he was able to break the barrier. "The first time I met Fidelis and he told me of his challenges and how it has been difficult for him to secure employment, I decided that I will do my best possible to enable him to help him to overcome them." - Julius Olutokun, Dominion Training This film has been commissioned by Dominion Training as part of Hopeful Families. Hopeful Families is a community programme designed to help individuals who are out of work to develop their confidence, skills and build a career. It is part of the Building Better Opportunities programme. It is jointly funded by the Big Lottery Fund, and the European Social Fund.

Especially at times like these, cultural and artistic collaborations are of so much importance to inspire, engage and motivate people. I had the great honour of being invited by Majestic Leeds to create a film to celebrate their ambitious and caring redevelopment of a much loved building in Leeds - the Majestic. The Majestic throughout it's history since the early 1920's has been home to many performances as a cinema and music venue. To showcase this new exciting step for the building, we decided to create a new performance, bringing together the wonderful talents of choreographer Jamaal Burkmar and dancers Christopher Radford & Queenie Fleur Maidmont-Otlet. I hope you enjoy this film as we share in the excitement of what the new Majestic brings to Leeds.

Our Rotherham, Our Yorkshire Happy Yorkshire Day everyone. Throughout the past few weeks I have had the honour of working with the incredible RMBCEvents of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. They were due to host a festival for Yorkshire Day, but due to Covid-19, they decided to get innovative and take it online. This film was made to celebrate Rotherham for its true beating heart. We commissioned a unique piece of poetry created by Rotherham Young Writers with Hive South Yorkshire, the film then brought together a collection of wonderful people from across Rotherham to create a collective sharing of the poem. I was moved by the passion, energy, and warm welcome from all I came into contact with throughout the creation of this film. This film is a celebration of all those who put so much energy into making Rotherham a great place. Thanks to all those who helped make it happen. I hope you enjoy the film.

This is the story of the creation of the UK's tallest mural. Another in the series of films I am creating with the incredible street art duo, NOMAD CLAN.

I have been extremely proud to work alongside the fantastic Morley Arts Festival to create this film - a Portrait of Morley. I am always honoured to be welcomed into any community and to tell a story of it, and the welcome I received from the people and businesses of Morley was truly lovely. Through film we can shine a spotlight on people and places and showcase wonderful and interesting things happening. Thanks so much to all who supported this film and I hope it makes the town very proud.