With extraordinary ambition and imagination, a performance company of young people from Cumbria, worked with TKP directors & a range of professional artists to create the film ‘Forge the Future’.

Written and self-filmed by young people on mobile phones during lockdown, the film offers a unique insight into the impact of the pandemic on young people and their mental health. The group used a timeline of the year 2020 to structure & guide the piece, encapsulating the mood & feelings of each month in a raw & honest way.

Professional Film Maker Nick Farrimond, guided the performance company in the creation of their film work & brought all the material together in the final edit.  The original and emotive sound score, created by Lee Affen and members of the performance company, was inspired by the film’s content & themes.

The Final Piece

The piece captures the colossal impact that the pandemic has had on young people’s lives, aspirations & mental health.  The young people wanted audiences to understand the struggles of a year in lockdown, through the eyes of a young person.

It looks deeply into mental health of young people and the role that creativity plays in their lives. The film piece was shared through our Forge the Future online event, in which we invited representatives from arts organisations, universities, the local council, and mental health charities to see & experience their work.