For 53 years, John Kapellas frolicked underneath the bright sky of the American west. Without warning, he started breaking out in rashes and feeling as if his entire body was on fire whenever he was exposed to light. Diagnosed with a rare photosensitivity to the entire spectrum of light, Kapellas (now 63) has lived the last decade in darkness. Directed by Jason Hanasik, How To Make A Pearl explores Kapellas’s current reality, his coping mechanisms, and the shadows in his past.
Ahead of the documentary’s release on 2 March, it will be premiered on 21 February at a special screening at Union Chapel in London.
We will also be showing some of our favourite Guardian documentaries, to be followed by a Q&A with all their directors in conversation with Charlie Phillips, head of documentaries at the Guardian.
Also screening:
Dearborn, Michigan – dir: Katharine Round/Ben Steele
The Valley Rebels – dir: Spencer Wolff
Second Innings – dir: Lindsay Poulton
Erica: Man Made – dir: Ilinca Calugareanu
If you can’t be there on 21 February, How to Make a Pearl will be available to watch on theguardian.com/documentaries on 2 March.
Global Short Docs Forum
We’re excited to be taking part in the first Global Short Docs Forum (GSDF) in May and there are still a few days left to enter your project, with the deadline on 16 February.
GSDF is a new initiative by One World Media, connecting film-makers from around the world with digital platforms looking for short docs, including the Guardian. Sixteen film-makers will be selected to attend the forum, a four-day residential workshop at the Frontline Club in London, including training, mentoring and one-to-one pitch meetings – with all expenses covered. If you’ve got a project for a documentary of up to 30 minutes featuring inspiring stories from people and places less visible in the mainstream media, visit globalshortdocs.com.
