First Cut
Season 2011
Series of short documentary films from new directors.
Where to Watch Season 2011
17 Episodes
- Welcome to RomfordE3
Welcome to RomfordThe life of a cabbie is never dull. On a Friday night in Romford, the drivers of A1 Taxis get all sorts of people in the back of their cab: a young couple on the way back from their "wedding on the cheap"; a man found lying in the middle of the road; a couple who have just met on the internet; jealous couples; reunited couples; couples who cannot wait to get home; desperate young men and lonely old men. The two-camera split-screen technique shares the simultaneous, real-time reactions of the cabbies and their passengers. - Father Ray Comes OutE4
Father Ray Comes OutFather Ray is an Anglican priest who's been stationed in a central London parish for three years. Ray is gay and believes now is the time to come out. See how he deals with the fallout from the sermon in which he reveals his homosexuality. (dir: Anna Llewellyn) - Made in EnglandE5
Made in EnglandCooper & Stollbrand is one of the last clothing factories in Salford. Three years ago, James Eden left his lucrative job in the City to buy a stake in the business, and he has dragged the factory out of the doldrums and into the 21st century, developing a business that produces garments for high street retailers and premium designer labels. See the factory floor in the run-up to Christmas. (dir: Satnam Authi) - Teen Horse WhisperersE6
Teen Horse WhisperersAt Impact, an alternative school in Liverpool, pupils with behavioural issues are encouraged to work with unwanted horses, who need taming at the Shy Lowen Horse and Pony Sanctuary before they can be reintegrated with their herds. But these teenagers must first confront their own difficulties before addressing those of the horses. (dir: Lucy Kaye) - Asian GracefullyE7
Asian GracefullyIn Asian culture, it's customary for family members to look after the elderly. Aashna House in London, one of Britain's few residential care homes for Asian OAPs, offers a home to Asians whose busy families can't look after them. One is Mr. Sen, a former film extra who has photographs of himself alongside Roger Moore and Harrison Ford. Now he's seeing out his days in an old folks' home, when he might have expected better. (dir: Fozia Khan) - Planning OutlawsE8
Planning OutlawsThree individuals struggle against planning regulations. While a 76-year-old woman witnesses her extension being ripped down, a man who decided to live in a house he'd made of straw bales wins his epic four-year campaign. The locals objecting to some lion gateposts, meanwhile, don't bother waiting for the planners, taking matters into their own hands, along with a large hammer. (dir: Melody Howse) (postponed from 21 January) - Double LessonE9
Double LessonThe fictional story of David De Gale, a secondary school teacher nearing the end of his career who, one Monday afternoon, attacks a pupil in his class. George Kay directs this half-hour monologue, performed straight to camera by actor Phil Davis. The film joins David De Gale at home on the morning of his trial as he relives the months of mounting pressure, both at home and work, that led to the attack on the pupil. He describes his experiences in the lead up to the attack, the attack itself, and, with his trial approaching, his isolation in the weeks that followed. Double Lesson is based on accounts of real cases and factual research. However, David is a fictional character. The film sets out neither to condemn nor condone David's actions, but to provide a better understanding of how and why some teachers lose control, and how pupils, colleagues and family treat them once they do. First Cut showcases the best in bold, bright and original documentaries by up-and-coming film-makers. - The Only Gay on the Estate?E10
The Only Gay on the Estate?Prompted by an email from a childhood friend not seen for 16 years, Michael Ogden returns to the Wythenshawe estate in Manchester to explore his past as a closeted gay teenager in the 1990s. Then he played football and dated girls while secretly lusting over posters of Ryan Giggs. Nowadays his life seems so different, but is it? For Ogden, filming becomes an opportunity to confront past and present. (postponed from 11 March) - 419 - The Internet Romance ScamE11
419 - The Internet Romance ScamA report on the Nigerian confidence tricksters who target British women by assuming fake identities on dating websites, then defrauding their victims out of thousands of pounds. This film hears from two victims - although for one the story took a surprising turn when the man she thought was romancing her confessed his true identity. A reformed scammer in Lagos also explains the thinking behind the Nigerians' deceit. Part of the First Cut strand. - Superheroes of Suburbia
E12Superheroes of SuburbiaDocumentary getting behind the mask of a small but secretive band of people who don comic book-inspired costumes and take to the streets to fight crime across Britain. Christian Watt's film follows the self-made sentinels on the job and reveals their normal home life, aiming to discover if they are bedroom fantasists or genuine vigilantes. - Sex, Lies and Parkinson'sE13
Sex, Lies and Parkinson'sDocumentary following a 39-year-old paediatric nurse Vicki as she attempts to comes to terms with diagnosed early-onset Parkinson's disease, and wonders what it means for her future. Side effects of the medication she takes for the condition include an overwhelming desire for sex and shopping and an addiction to the internet, all of which threaten to destroy her relationship with her long-term partner. - The Perfect MurderE14
The Perfect MurderIn 1991 the bodies of policeman Trevor Buchanan and family friend Lesley Howell were found in a car in Castlerock, Northern Ireland. At the time it was believed that Trevor and Lesley had formed a suicide pact, devastated, it was said, by the discovery of an affair between their spouses. For their surviving spouses, Colin Howell and Hazel Buchanan, life slowly returned to normal. But in January 2009 Colin contacted the police and told them that he and Hazel had murdered their respective spouses. Following his confession, Colin was convicted of murder and sentenced to 21 years in prison, and Hazel, who pleaded not guilty, was also convicted of murder. She is serving an 18-year jail sentence. Judy Kelly's First Cut film examines the story behind the murders and features unique access to Hazel's husband and her children, who are standing by her. The film reveals the extraordinary situation of a family being torn apart by murder, 18 years after the crime took place. - The Merits of Ferrets
E15The Merits of FerretsBest friends Maria, Kelly and David have dedicated their lives to rescuing Britain’s most mistreated ferrets. The three of them run 2nd Chance Ferret Rescue in Bristol, a refuge for traumatised and abused ferrets. But Maria, Kelly and David don’t just rescue troubled ferrets, they rehabilitate them to stop them biting and find them a new home. For Kelly, ferrets mean more to her than just pets; they are her therapy and a lifeline. (dir: Becky Lomax) - Love RatE16
Love RatThe true story of three women and the man they shared - unwittingly - after he romanced and promised to settle down with them all. However, when one of the women found out about the love cheat, the trio banded together and plotted their revenge - and their on-camera confrontation forms the climax to this documentary. - Rare Chicken RescueE17
Rare Chicken RescueThe chicken is the most common bird on the planet, but there are many breeds on the brink of extinction. Having been helped through depression by the poultry on his family's farm, Australian Mark Tully set off on a journey spanning five states to find and protect the survivors of endangered rare breeds. (dir: Randall Wood)