Special Screening: MIRRORS

What began as a modest document of trades, traditions, cultures, home environments and contemporary life in England, evolved and expanded to become an all-consuming project.

Shot on 16mm film, Mirrors is a lucid diary and poetic map of an island, its relationships, customs, rifts and bonds, depicting its diverse individuals, communities, and historic events. As we gaze at our reflection in this film, it takes us on a mesmeric journey through seven unprecedented years in England.

From volatile public demonstrations to intimate domestic scenes the film reveals the experience and emotions of living in England, explored through the lives of total strangers as well as family and friends, a meditation on the resilience of the human spirit in the most challenging era of our lifetime.

Paul Daly is a photographer and filmmaker whose work has been shaped by his hometown of Coventry, and in particular the effects of austerity on working-class communities. As we dip our toe into 2023, this special screening of Mirrors is an opportunity to take stock of a turbulent period and hear Paul reflect on an eye-opening nationwide journey.