The Ends | 4’00 | 2024

The Ends is a triptych of short films exploring the the urgent housing crises facing London’s council estates. Through a dialogue of movement and dance set against the brutalist architecture of post-war estates, the films confront gentrification and corporate greed while celebrating these communities' resilient spirit and beauty.

After attending Shanelle Tali Fergus show ‘Mum.Edit.More’ accompanied by urbanist and built environment professional, Nabil Al-Kinani, who spoke on his book Privatize the Mandem, documentary filmmaker Nojus Setkauskas and I decided to explore the current situation of London’s at-risk council estates through the embodied knowledge and movement of a dancer who grew up in one. This project is a practice and a meditation on using dance to bring awareness to these urban environments and their communities. It is research for me into my work as a poetic, movement-focused documentary maker and on the ethics of representation of bodies and communities on and behind screen.

Directors: Cailin Leigh Manning and Nojus Setkauskas

Cinematographer & Editor: Nojus Setkauskas

Producer & Movement Director: Cailin Leigh Manning

Mover: Kyra Mills

Sound: Nicholas Jaar

Part I: Westbury Estate
Part II: Brown Diamonds & Lobsters (Lesnes estate in Thamesmead) (in preproduction)
Part III: Because We Are Beautiful (Sydenham Hill Estate) (in development)

The Ends: Westbury Estate premiered at Dance Camera West 2025 (LA, USA) and is slated to screen at Winterdances in Finland

Featured in Metalocus (Madrid, Spain)