TISH
DOCUMENTARY | ENGLISH | 90 min
A working-class photographer captures the impact of Thatcherism on the north of England but is unable to escape the poverty and inequality she exposed.
Driven by a commitment to document the impact of deindustrialisation on working class communities in Northeast England in the 1970s and 1980s, Tish Murtha used her camera to expose societal inequality. She felt she had an obligation to the people and problems within her local environment, and that documentary photography could highlight and challenge the social disadvantages that she herself had suffered. However, despite early acclaim for her work, she was unable to make a living from photography and died in poverty.
The film is a journey of exploration for Ella Murtha as both daughter and custodian of the Tish Murtha archive, a chance to elevate and preserve a legacy that has been lost and to tell the story of an artist and woman outside of the ‘mother’ that existed for her – or the version of Tish claimed within dominant narratives of the 70s and 80s photography – from the people who knew Tish and the images she left behind.
Opening Night Film - Sheffield DocFest 2023.
DIRECTOR Paul Sng
PRODUCER Jen Corcoran
NARRATED BY Maxine Peake
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN United Kingdom
Supported by:
Holmfirth Film Festival | April 24
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From Page To Film Festival, Bridport Arts Centre | April 27
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Pop Recs, Sunderland | May 2
Tickets coming soon
Bideford Cinema | May 5
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Manchester Metropolitan University | June 28
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Belford Community Cinema | July 1
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Virtual Cinema
Watch TISH online here
SCREENINGS + EVENTS
“gripping portrait of a passionate photographer of Austerity Britain”
★★★★
— The Guardian
“deeply aware of social division, but with a gentle eye. She caught wildness, but more often her kids and youths, against a backdrop of dereliction, are quiet, meditative, and in tune with each other.”
★★★★
— The New Internationalist
“Tish reveals how Murtha’s black-and-white photographs captured the defiance of those living in north-eastern working-class communities devastated by deindustrialisation”
★★★★
— Total Film
“intimate and celebratory Documentary”
★★★★
— Eye For Film
“FRAMING OF A DAUGHTER EXPLORING HER MOTHER’S LIFE AND LEGACY … THROUGH HER OUTSTANDING WORK, TISH MURTHA REALLY DOES SPEAK FOR HERSELF”
— Screen
AWARDS + FESTIVALS
2023 Sheffield Doc Fest
World Premiere, Opening Night Film
A new film about British photographer Tish Murtha, who captured life in the North East of England in the 1970s and 1980s, chronicling the de-industrialisation of the region and the rise of Thatcherism, will be released on 17 November. Tish’s work was intimate and non-judgemental, and her community was always at the heart of her artistic output.
Photography project, ‘Documenting Your Community,’ invites you to be inspired by Tish Murtha and take your own photos of your community, capturing life in contemporary Britain. You don’t need to be a professional photographer - we’d love to see photos that capture your local shopkeeper or people in the park or pub.
The British Culture Archive, in association with Modern Films and supported by the BFI, will showcase a range of work on its website that shows the breadth of modern life today. If you’d like to be part of this photography project, then all you have to do is post your photo on Instagram and tag it #tishmurthafilm with a line or story about what your photo is about. You can also submit your photo via contact@britishculturearchive.co.uk
The photo copyright remains with you, and by tagging the photo, you will be permitting us to post the photo online on The British Culture Archive website. The photo must be original and taken by you, or you have sought permission to use it. The photo must also be appropriate and not contain any offensive content. We will not sell or distribute the content. At the end of the project, we may produce a printed programme of a selection of photos submitted and will contact you for permission to use.
If you’d like to find out more about how to read a social documentary photograph, then have a look at our video essay.
If you have any questions, contact us at info@modernfilms.com