Tish

Docs Ireland 2023 laurel
sheffield docfest 2023
BIFA Longlist
Thessaloniki 2024 laurel
leeds international film festival 2023 laurel
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Tish

  • Status: Completed
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 90 Mins
  • Themes: Class, Photography, Social History, Women
  • Year: 2023

A film by Paul Sng

Tish Murtha, a mother, fighter, and visionary photographer used her lens to celebrate overlooked working-class lives and fight for social change in Thatcher’s Britain. Her daughter uncovers her poignant story, unveiling the artist behind the camera.

DIRECTOR Paul Sng
PRODUCER Jen Corcoran
NARRATED BY Maxine Peake

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“GRIPPING PORTRAIT OF A PASSIONATE PHOTOGRAPHER OF AUSTERITY BRITAIN”
★★★★

— The Guardian

“INTIMATE AND CELEBRATORY DOCUMENTARY”
★★★★

— Eye For Film

TISH is a heartfelt documentary that unveils the remarkable life and photography of Tish Murtha, a mother, fighter, and visionary artist hailing from Thatcher’s Britain.
Through her black-and-white images, Tish captured the struggles and triumphs of her working-class community with profound empathy and intimacy. Her daughter, Ella, embarks on a soul-stirring road trip, delving into Tish’s hidden archive of unseen images, personal artefacts, and diaries. Through this journey, Ella reconnects with the people who knew her mother best and discovers her enigmatic essence.
Tish’s powerful photography not only showcased the joys and hardships of her people but also served as a call for social change. This intimate portrait celebrates Tish’s unyielding spirit, her legacy, and the transformative power of art, reflecting the enduring relevance of her message in today’s world.
Opening Night Film – Sheffield DocFest 2023.

Paul Sng

Paul Sng is a bi-racial British Chinese filmmaker based in Edinburgh, Scotland whose work focuses on people who challenge the status quo. His films have been broadcast on television and screened internationally, and his feature documentary credits include DISPOSSESSION, POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE (winner of BIFA 2021 Best Documentary, BIFA 2021 Raindance Discovery Award) and TISH (Sheffield DocFest 2023 Opening Gala film). He has directed two short drama films, FOLDING (featuring Joseph Marcell and Shin-Fei Chen) and ASKA (featuring Jenny Ryan and Kate Dickie). He is a 2022/23 BAFTA Breakthrough Artist.

“DEEPLY AWARE OF SOCIAL DIVISION, BUT WITH A GENTLE EYE. SHE CAUGHT WILDNESS, BUT MORE OFTEN HER KIDS AND YOUTHS, AGAINST A BACKDROP OF DERELICTION, ARE QUIET, MEDITATIVE, AND IN TUNE WITH EACH OTHER.”
★★★★

— The New Internationalist

“TISH REVEALS HOW MURTHA’S BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURED THE DEFIANCE OF THOSE LIVING IN NORTH-EASTERN WORKING-CLASS COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY DEINDUSTRIALISATION”
★★★★

— Total Film

“FRAMING OF A DAUGHTER EXPLORING HER MOTHER’S LIFE AND LEGACY … THROUGH HER OUTSTANDING WORK, TISH MURTHA REALLY DOES SPEAK FOR HERSELF”

— Screen

 

Sheffield DocFest – Opening Night

BIFA – Longlist

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