in our hands
In Our Hands (2017) is a feature length documentary that tells the story behind the blood, sweat and tears of the farmers who are outgrowing the industrial food system in the wake of Brexit.
Directed by Jo Barker and Sylvie Planel
Produced by Holly Black and Humphrey Lloyd
Made in association with The Landworkers' Alliance with over 300 community screenings.
Awarded the Agro Film Jury Award, Slovakia | Official selection Festival de films Alimenterre, Montréal, Canada | Festival Alimenterre, Brussels, Belgium | Agrofilm, Nitra, Slovakia, Hunger.Macht.Profite.9 | Austria, British Documentary Film Festival, London, UK | New Earth International Film Festival, Krakow, Poland | Courage Film Festival, Berlin, Germany, Food On Film Exeter Phoenix with Exeter Food: A University Research Network and the MA Food Studies screening and panel discussion with local farmers (2023), Devon Transformed festival 2023.
the accidental choirmistress
In this doc short the Accidental Choirmistress (2021) takes us on a journey of love and grief, how it can permeate music and bring people together in the times we most need to be close. A commission by the Hypatia Trust as part of the Women of Cornish Music: Past & Present project.
Directed by Jo Barker and Holly Black.
Official selection for Cornish Slates (2021), Two Short Nights Film Festival (2022), official selection and finalist for best documentary short award Women’s International Film Festival Nigeria (WIFFEN) (2022), CineSisters SouthWest (2022), BlueScreen at the Cube Microplex Bristol (2023).
the red dress
Since 2009 artist Kirstie Macleod has been engaging artisans from around the world, inviting them to contribute their political, cultural and personal stories to The Red Dress. Kirstie and the Red Dress travel from the cold lights of the gallery to the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico, meeting two of the women who have contributed to it. Very few of the embroiderers have seen the dress fully assembled and Kirstie has yet to met many of them, until now.
Directed by Jo Barker and Holly Black.
This short exhibition film was designed to travel alongside the dress to various exhibitions across the world including: Bleddfa Centre, Wales, UK 2020, Elim Connect Centre, Wells, Somerset, UK 2021, Goddess House, Glastonbury, uk 2021, ACE Arts gallery, Somerton, Somerset, UK 2022, National Waterfront Museum, Wales, UK 2022, CILAS (Cairo institute for liberal arts & sciences), Cairo, Egypt 2022, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France 2023, Preston Park Musuem, Stockton on Tees, UK 2023, Michael Horbach Foundation, Cologne, Germany 2023, Tyntesfield National Trust, Bristol, UK 2023, Southern Vermont Arts Centre, USA 2023, Frick Museum Pittsburgh, USA 2023, Fuller Craft Museum, Boston Massachusetts, USA 2024, Epworth Chapel, South African Quilt Festival, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa 2024, Locksbrook, Bath Spa university with the National Centre of Fashion and Sustainability 2024.
ONE ACRE
A short doc on a young new entrant farmer as she reflects on her experience of farming; from climate change, to community and the art of letting go of control. This is a commission in 2020 by North Devon Moving Image as part of Down on the Farm.
Directed by Jo Barker, Holly Black and Dee Butterly.
Shown as part of SouthWest Filmathon (2020), Two Short Nights Film Festival (2022), part of the permanent collection at the Museum of North Devon.
100 MILES & 2 MOUTHS
In 2015 Holly Black and Jo Barker decided to only eat food from within 100 miles of their home city Bristol for an entire year, to find out what it truly means to eat local. This documentary short (2016) follows their highs and lows as new feasts are foraged, old traditions explored and tantrums thrown.
Directed by Jo Barker and Holly Black.
Official selection Greenmotions Film festival, Freiburg, Germany, Annual Copenhagen Film Festival, Denmark, Hebrides International Film Festival, Scotland, Harvest Film Festival, Dorset, UK.