Kent Rising

Kent Rising is a feature length observational documentary which follows the extraordinary Josephine Buchan who has committed her life to helping young people who are not, in her words ”school shaped” to reach their true potential through exposure to theatre and the Arts. In this film Josephine takes eight 13-18 years olds, who are currently disengaged from education. She will have them audition, rehearse, and then perform a new play, Don’t Ask. Throughout the process, often involving atypical methods, she will trying to get them develop the confidence to trust themselves and others. The theatre environment will be a safe place to succeed – and fail. It will be a community and home which they might not have in their real home environments. Josephine’s aim is for the children to develop a greater understanding of themselves and to learn communication skills that will enable them to be more successful in the outside world. Will she succeed? Will the children succeed or fail?