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Reel to Real X D&G Climate Hub: Outgrow the System

April 5 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Guest Hosted by Katie Percival & Julie Douglas from Climate Kitchen.

Outgrow the System | Cecilia Paulsson & Anders Nilsson | 58 mins

This month, with support from GSA Biosphere we are holding a screening of Outgrow the System a documentary film exploring new economic ideas and practices for a more sustainable global future. “Change is not only possible, but already underway.” We will be joined by guest hosts from Dumfries Climate Kitchen to host a post-film discussion with the film’s co-director Anders Nilsson.

Supported by D&G Climate Hub.

About the Film

A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

“Change the system, not the climate” is a common demand in the climate movement. But whatkind of system do we actually want? In the midst of humanity’s worst crisis, the pioneers stand ready. Meet the new economic perspectives that have the potential to change the world at its core.

The original meaning of the word ”economy” is “household management”. The economy of today however, is not house holding, but rather consuming our finite natural resources at an alarming pace. “Outgrow the System” explores how we can return to the essence of the term and design an economic system that genuinely manages our scarce resources.

Watch the trailer…

About Reel to Real

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection.

The Stove Cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 7pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes.

Free Donations Welcome
100 High Street
Dumfries, DG1 2BJ United Kingdom
01387 252435
View Venue Website

Access Information: Level Access in rear of building through adjacent close to left-hand side of the Cafe (facing the front of the building). 
To ensure your experience with us is as best as it can be, please do let us know if you have any specific access requirements and we’d be happy to help. Please email Kevin or Sal on: [email protected] or phone 01387 252435 and speak with one of our team. 
We are able to provide walk-throughs of the building before attending our events as well as assign seating before your arrival. 

Categories
Musings News

Celebrate International Women’s Day with the Stove

This March, join us at the Stove as we celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 with programmed events by, for and to celebrate women!

On the first of March we are kicking off our short series of #IWD events with a screening of Wildfire; part of our Reel to Real programme.

Reel to Real: Wildfire (March 24th):

This powerful film explores the complex bond of sisters Lauren and Kelly, navigating loss, trauma, and community secrets set on the Irish border.

The film is triple F rated in that it is written and directed by women and features significant women on screen; and in this case all three by writer/director Cathy Brady.

Doonhame Queens: Open Mic Poetry & Pamphlet Launch (March 8th):

On March 8th (this year’s official #IWD!), join us for an evening of powerful words and heartfelt expression at Doonhame Queens.

We will be celebrating the launch of ‘Mucky Pup’, a pamphlet of poetry by Elieen H Irvine. Edited and put forward by Susi Briggs, the Galloway Scots Scriever of the National Library of Scotland.

Doonhame Queens will also feature an open mic. Whether you’re a seasoned poet or just starting out, come share your work in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere.

Dumfries Women’s Signwriting Squad: Monthly Meet-Up (March 9th):

Our final event in our #IWD mini-series is our March edition of Dumfries Women’s Signwriting squad. This monthly meet-up is a space for women of all ages and backgrounds to learn and practice sign writing. It’s a fun and interactive way to develop a new skill, meet new people, and build a supportive community. No prior experience is necessary, so come with an open mind and a willingness to learn!

So, mark your calendars! International Women’s Day is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome you to the Stove. What stories will be shared? What voices will be heard? Let’s connect, empower, and raise awareness for gender equality.

Reel to Real Cinema X The Stove Cafe: Wildfire (International Women’s Day)

March 1 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Wildfire| Cathy Brady | 2020 | 84 mins | 15 | UK & Ireland 

This month our film selection marks International Women’s Day with a screening of F-rated* film, Wildfire. Directed by Cathy Brady, this debut feature film explores the complexities of trauma and sisterly relationships set on the Irish border.

About the Film 

Inseparable sisters raised in a small town on the Irish border, Lauren and Kelly’s lives were shattered with the mysterious death of their mother. Left to pick up the pieces after her sister abruptly disappeared, Lauren is suddenly confronted with the family’s dark and traumatic past when Kelly returns home after being reported missing for a whole year. With the intense sisterhood reignited, Kelly’s desire to unearth their history is not welcomed by all in the small town, as rumours and malice spread like wildfire, threatening to push them over the edge.

* The film is triple F rated in that it is written and directed by women and features significant women on screen; and in this case all three by writer/director Cathy Brady.

“SAVAGELY POWERFUL IRISH BORDER DRAMA”
★★★★

— THE GUARDIAN

“POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCES”
★★★★

— EMPIRE

“NIKA MCGUIGAN BURNS BRIGHTLY IN
HER FINAL PERFORMANCE”
★★★★

— THE IRISH TIMES

“AN ATTRACTIVE FILM WITH HYPNOTIC LEAD PERFORMANCES”
★★★★

— LITTLE WHITE LIES

“DELICIOUSLY UNCOMFORTABLE”

— MICHAELA COEL, IWC JURY MEMBER

”SUPERB: FORCEFUL, UNCOMFORTABLE AND FIERCELY INTELLIGENT”

— Wendy Ide, The Guardian

Watch the Trailer: 
About Reel to Real 

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection. The Stove Cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 7pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes. 

Free Donations Welcome

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS FILM FEATURES STRONG LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE, AND REFERENCES TO SUICIDE. NOT SUITABLE FOR AUDIENCES UNDER 15.

100 High Street
Dumfries, DG1 2BJ United Kingdom
01387 252435
View Venue Website

Access Information: Level Access in rear of building through adjacent close to left-hand side of the Cafe (facing the front of the building). To ensure your experience with us is as best as it can be, please do let us know if you have any specific access requirements and we’d be happy to help. Please email Kevin or Sal on: [email protected] or phone 01387 252435 and speak with one of our team. We are able to provide walk-throughs of the building before attending our events as well as assign seating before your arrival.

Reel to Real Cinema X The Stove Cafe: The Nettle Dress

February 2 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

The Nettle Dress | Dylan Howitt | 2023 | 68 mins | 12A | UK 

This month, the Stove’s Reel to Real Cinema programme returns with documentary film, The Nettle Dress, exploring ‘hedgerow couture’ and slow fashion, and the power of nature and craft to support us through times of grief. 

About the Film 

Textile artist Allan Brown spends seven years making a dress by hand just from the fibre of locally foraged stinging nettles. It’s how Allan survives the passing of his wife, leaving him and their four children bereft, and how he finds a beautiful way to honour her. 

Stunningly filmed by award-winning documentary maker Dylan Howitt, The Nettle Dress follows Allan’s journey through seasons and years, foraging, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing the cloth, before finally sharing a healing vision of the dress back in the woods where the nettles were picked, worn by one of his daughters. 

A labour of love in the truest sense, The Nettle Dress is a modern-day fairytale and hymn to the healing power of nature and slow craft. It’s one story representing a huge groundswell of people rediscovering the joys of making. 

Watch the Trailer: 
About Reel to Real 

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection. The Stove Cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 7pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes. 

Free Donations Welcome
100 High Street
Dumfries, DG1 2BJ United Kingdom
01387 252435
View Venue Website

Access Information: Level Access in rear of building through adjacent close to left-hand side of the Cafe (facing the front of the building). To ensure your experience with us is as best as it can be, please do let us know if you have any specific access requirements and we’d be happy to help. Please email Kevin or Sal on: [email protected] or phone 01387 252435 and speak with one of our team. We are able to provide walk-throughs of the building before attending our events as well as assign seating before your arrival.

Reel to Real Cinema X The Stove Cafe: Sound For The Future (The Scottish Premiere)

January 12 @ 7:00 pm 9:00 pm

Sound For The Future | Matt Hulse | 2020 | 1 hr 42 | 15 |UK

Reel to Real returns for the New Year with The Scottish Premiere screening of Matt Hulse’s Sound For the Future, part essay film, part exploration of post-punk British music and DIY culture. A family history seen through the fractured lens of art, self-exploration, music, politics and attitude, Sound For The Future is a passionate, hilarious and brazenly honest delve into the creative process.

About the Film

On the surface, acclaimed artist-filmmaker Matt Hulse’s affectionate recreation of the time he and his siblings formed Britain’s youngest post-punk band THE HIPPIES in 1979 can be viewed as a wistful and energetic memoir. But dig beneath and you’ll find a powerful, battered and bruised ode to childhood and the experiences which make us us.

We join Matt as he reimagines The Hippies in the modern day, recruiting a group of teenage Scottish actors to play the parts of himself, his sister Polly and brother Toby in a series of workshops and experiments to revive that momentous moment.

Part essay film, part exploration of post-punk British music and DIY culture, the creation of The Hippies was fuelled by Matt hearing Gang Of Four’s debut EP, kickstarting a lifelong creative and personal odyssey. Sound For The Future features music from XTC, Gang Of Four, Sleaford Mods, The Stranglers and The Hippies and the film also features one of the final appearances of Gang Of Four’s Andy Gill before his untimely death in 2020.

Watch the Film Trailer here:

About Reel to Real

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection. The Stove cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 7pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes.

Free
100 High Street
Dumfries, DG1 2BJ United Kingdom
01387 252435
View Venue Website

Access Information: Level Access in rear of building through adjacent close to left-hand side of the Cafe (facing the front of the building). To ensure your experience with us is as best as it can be, please do let us know if you have any specific access requirements and we’d be happy to help. Please email Kevin or Sal on: [email protected] or phone 01387 252435 and speak with one of our team. We are able to provide walk-throughs of the building before attending our events as well as assign seating before your arrival.

Categories
Musings News

Film Review: Queen of Glory by Nana Mensah

By Erin Aitchison

Queen of Glory, dir. by Nana Mensah (Bohemia Media, 2021)

This month, Reel to Real Cinema returned with Queen of Glory (dir. By Nana Mensah), in recognition of International Women’s Day. This feature-length film; written, directed, and starring Mensah, follows Sarah Obeng, a cancer-curing PhD student and brilliant daughter of Ghanian immigrants who is trying to navigate life after her mother’s sudden death. Mensah manages to explore themes of maternal/paternal relationships, heritage, grief and acceptance all in a neat 79 minutes – no mean feat for her directorial debut. Being an F-Rated film, (meaning it’s created by and significantly features women), Queen of Glory is perfect viewing for this year’s IWD.


Sarah Obeng is preparing to move to Ohio with her already-married lover (Adam Leon), when she receives a phone call that her mother has died following an aneurysm. Sarah is the sole inheritor of her mother’s estate, and the new owner of her Christian bookstore ‘King of Glory’ in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx.


Sarah is left to organise both a wake and a Ghanian funeral, decide the fate of the bookstore, wait on her dad (Oberon K.A. Adjepong) who is visiting from Ghana and placate her aunties who despite her scientific success keep telling her to lose weight and have some babies. During her endless tasks Sarah develops friendships with the lone bookstore employee, tattoo clad ex-convict and talented baker Pitt (Meeko Gattuso), and the multi-generational Russian-American family who live next door.


The film opens with close-ups of vibrant, rich textiles accompanied by the sound of West-African drums. Archive footage from Ghana is interspersed throughout the film, representing Sarah’s ongoing conversation with her heritage and her journey to celebrating it. The intermittent archive videos show both an insight to Ghanian culture and the repetitive cycle of the human experience as the videos echo what is happening in Sarah’s life.


Rich with these references to heritage and a powerful overarching conversation with grief, Queen of Glory also finds itself punctuated with pockets of humour. Memorable moments of laughter were the effects of Pitt’s pot-brownies, Sarah answering the door to a flat-viewer in a risqué outfit intended for her boyfriend, and the chaos of her neighbour going in to labour as three generations of people rush to find the blasted car keys.


At the second funeral for Sarah’s mother, we revisit the same drumming sequence which opens the film. From this we gain an appreciation of Sarah’s journey and the many women (and men!) who have influenced it. Sarah adorns her natural hair and a vibrant funeral dress, marking the inevitable end to her journey as she dances and finally weeps over the loss of her mother.

Voices of aunties, neighbours, customers and mothers guide Mensah’s character through this story with a feeling of familiarity and genuine warmth. Like the bright West-African fabrics shown in the title sequence of the film, Queen of Glory feels like it is carefully woven together by the voices of women.

Queen of Glory is currently available to watch via Amazon Prime and can be rented/bought online from various streaming services.


Erin is our Marketing Assistant at The Stove but is no stranger to watching and talking about film. Erin graduated with an English and Film Studies degree in 2022, and is delighted to share her thoughts on the films shown at our monthly Reel to Real screenings. 

You can find out more about Reel to Real Cinema here.

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