Stephen is auditioning to play himself in an inventive, cinematic and moving exploration of addiction and mental health.

Visual artist Melanie Manchot works with a recovery group in Liverpool, who take up roles in a semi-fictional film-within-a-film that explores addiction and mental health from multiple perspectives. It is centred around Stephen, a character recovering from gambling and alcohol addictions. References to the first police crime reconstruction, filmed in Liverpool in 1901, are a reminder that addiction has long existed within the fabric of our culture. It’s a tough process and emotionally charged scenes reveal inner truths, which gain additional power when the people playing the roles are, in some sense, playing themselves. Visually striking,STEPHEN is a startling record of this form of treatment and a reminder of how dextrous the documentary form can be.

The film will then go on release from 26th April with screenings confirmed at ArtHouse Crouch End, Genesis Cinema Mile End, Close Up Cinema Shoreditch as well as at First Site Colchester, Chester Storyhouse cinema and more to be confirmed.

To find out more please go to the direct link.