The highly anticipated film celebrates the vision and profound humanism of the artist Tish Murtha, a photographer whose powerful imagery captured the essence of working-class communities. Directed by Paul Sng (POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE, DISPOSSESSION), the documentary unveils the life experiences, struggles, and achievements of Murtha, questioning the value placed on art and artists from working class roots – as well as following Tish’s daughter Ella, in her drive to preserve her mother’s legacy.

TISH marks the first documentary on the Together Films sales slate, following previously announced IN CAMERA (Dir Naqqash Khalid, premiering at Karlovy Vary Film Festival on July 1st). With their commitment to social impact storytelling, Together are uniquely positioned to introduce TISH to international festivals and distributors. 

A UK deal with distributor Modern Films, who theatrically released Sng’s previous, POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHE, has already been signed. This partnership guarantees this powerful tribute to a vital artist, activist and social chronicler will be brought to screens throughout the UK.

Paul Sng, director of TISH and Jen Corcoran, producer: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Together Films as our sales agent to bring TISH to audiences around the world. We’re also delighted to have the opportunity to work once more with UK distributor, Modern Films. Both companies are champions of inclusive cinema and we’re excited to partner with both on a film that celebrates the power and talent of a brilliant, yet overlooked, working class female photographer, Tish Murtha.”

Together Films’ Sarah Mosses, is “proud to be bringing this story to international audiences, to open further dialogue on the importance of art & photography as a form of social activism. Tish’s work captured the lives of those often ignored by prominent cultural spaces, and we hope her images will now be seen by a broader, global, audience.”

Modern Films’ Eve Gabereau, says she is “honoured to be working on this film with Paul and Jen, to bring Tish’s life to audiences through Ella and to build an impact campaign with Together Films. It represents such a strong combination for us and fully embodies what we do with film, talent and stories. Following on from our work on POLY STYRENE and more recently on BLUE BAG LIFE, there is such vitality and audience engagement in mother-daughter relationships through a first person lens. TISH has so much to give in this area and also about art, history, visuality, activism, identity – and sadness and survival.”

TISH is directed by Paul Sng and produced by Jen Corcoran (NASCONDINO [HIDE AND SEEK]) through her female-led, north east-based production company Freya Films in association with John Archer at Hopscotch Films and Sng’s Velvet Joy Productions, with cinematography by Hollie Galloway. The voice of Tish is played by Maxine Peake (FUNNY COW). The film was made with the support of the BFI Doc Society Fund and Screen Scotland (thanks to National Lottery funding) in association with BBC England and BBC Arts.

For sales enquiries, email sales@togetherfilms.org