FINALIST 2024
St Giles, a national award-winning social justice charity, is dedicated to empowering individuals to shape a brighter future. At the heart of their mission lies the profound belief that lived experiences are invaluable, and can be harnessed to help others.
The charity’s Peer Circles Project is a London-based endeavour that extends a helping hand to those who may not otherwise readily connect with mainstream employment services. Through St Giles' innovative peer-led approach, advisors with shared lived experiences work with individuals at their own pace, fostering confidence, imparting skills, and ultimately catalyzing transformative life changes.
This film, a creation by 2S Films, serves as a compelling tribute to the Peer Circles Project. It skillfully captures the essence of personal metamorphosis, showcasing stories that underscore the project's effectiveness and illuminate its future aspirations. Employing a diverse range of filming techniques, including combined turning shots, the documentary visually encapsulates the journey from challenging pasts to hopeful, empowering presents, and futures. The use of high-quality camera footage coupled with retro dadcam shots lends the film a raw, unpolished, yet impactful aesthetic.
The film's style authentically mirrors the project's London roots, encapsulating the trials of urban life. Simultaneously, it pays homage to the incredible resilience and strength of its contributors, who have triumphed over adversity. The upbeat tone consciously steers away from pity, portraying how the project empowers individuals to embrace their past experiences positively, paving the way for a better future—for themselves and those they may later support. The film is a testament to the spirit of St Giles and the transformative journey towards hope, strength, and community.
Agency - 2S Films
Crew:
Producer/ Director - Sophie Chan
Executive producer - Jason Jayes
Co Director - Daisy Jayes
DOP - Peter Ford
DOP - Robert Regan
Camera op - Elliott Kennedy
Editor - Jason Jayes
We want to see a society where everybody – no matter what their background – has a positive future.
St Giles is a charity using expertise and real-life past experiences to empower people who are not getting the help they need, people who are hard to engage because they have been failed time and time again – held back by poverty, exploited, abused, dealing with addiction or mental health problems, caught up in crime or a combination of these issues and others.
We show people there is a way to build a better future, for themselves and those they care about, and help them create this through support, advice and training.
We raise awareness of their situation and fight their corner to ensure long term changes are put in place.
