Film shows snapshot of life on Colchester estate

Two documentary films about people living and working on the Greenstead estate in Colchester have revealed life-affirming stories of community cohesion.

Both films, produced by University of Essex filmmaker Nic Blower, will be shown at the Lakeside Theatre on 23 April, following community screenings on the estate where they were made.

The two films, This Moment and the Next and Residents’ Diaries, were created for a project called Stories from the Stead. As well as using documentary film to tell the stories of the community, the project includes film and storytelling workshops and a weekly film club that give people the skills to film their own stories.

The films were shot during spring and summer 2023.

This Moment and the Next is a feature-length film that weaves together a mosaic of life in 21st century Britain. It came about after filmmakers spent time embedded in the community.

“This is a small slice of life from the community and there is so much more that we could’ve filmed and included. We found so much crossover and cohesion between people, families and community spaces on the estate,” explained Nic.

“The richness of this community feels particularly resonant at this moment in time, when future certainties are being tested.”

In the accompanying, shorter, film, Residents’ Diaries, people aged between 11 and 64 document their lives on camera with surprising and revealing insights. Included in this collection of moments in life is the story of Via, a fine art student, who documents her return to the estate where she grew up after a spell living in the city centre.

Speaking in the film she said: “I’ve really enjoyed this whole process of taking time to slow down and kind of absorb my surroundings here a lot more, because being in Greenstead doesn’t exactly change for me. I love it here, I really do. I wouldn’t want to change that.”

Reflecting on the experience, she added: “Being able to record my life in a really natural way was really helpful and it would give me a reason to think about what process my life was going through at that time.

“I found the project overall, really, really positive, I’d never been involved in anything like it before, so it was a bit daunting at first but after meeting everybody and getting to know all the people that were involved, it just really aided me in being able to express myself.”

Speaking about the process of making her film, Via added: “I think it all comes back to observation and just making sure you’re aware of where you are, because, as I’ve been on the estate for so long, it’s just become a part of me.”

Together, the two films provide a rich snapshot of daily life on a large estate that could be anywhere in the UK but is a unique part of Colchester.

Nic, who hopes to take the films on tour around the UK to inspire other communities to make their own documentaries, said: “Documentary film has the potential to communicate complex and nuanced stories, and people can tell stories about their own lives and experiences, which can be liberating.

“Working in Greenstead revealed a strong sense of cohesion that helps people navigate the everyday challenges of life in 21st century Britain. It was a privilege to be able to spend time on the estate and document peoples’ lives.”

Stories from the Stead, featuring the 75-minute This Moment and The Next and the 35-minute short Residents’ Diaries will be shown at the Lakeside Theatre on 23 April. Book your ticket.

The project was funded by a grant from North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance.