Understanding Glasgow film series

This series of films, set in and around Glasgow, aims to reflect the lived experiences of Glaswegians and let people tell their own stories in their own words. 

 "Poverty doesn’t make an area; it is the community spirit that makes an area.”

Working Men, Sense of Place, Young Mums and Bolting Doors, Mending Fences were the first four films in the series, made in 2012, and cover a wide range of issues which affect people living in and around Glasgow – employment, regeneration, community spirit and parenthood to name a few. Another two films were then produced, Going it Alone and Food Memories, one looking at the experience of a lone parent and the child she cares for; and one exploring food and its meaning in people’s lives from a broad perspective, through a dialogue between two young women. 

Working Men

“Say you’re making a bench.  You’ve got a beautiful product at the end of it.  That’s meaningful to me…you’re producing something”

Set in Govan, a burgh situated on the south of the river Clyde with a long and proud history, this film tracks an extended conversation between Peter and Anton, two workers at the Galgael Trust.  The film touches on work, inter-generational relationships and place.

Sense of Place

“I love this place with a passion.  If I won the lottery tomorrow, I’m staying where I am. They’ll take me out of here feet first. Or they’ll have to knock the building down with me in it.” 

Alice from the East End of Greenock talks about her life and growing up in the area. She describes the Belleville community’s plans for developing an area of derelict land into a vibrant community space. This film brings out themes of belonging, community, regeneration, and new possibilities and highlights the determination of one community to create something new and valuable in their neighbourhood. 

Young Mums

“Why do we get looked down on for having babies young?…why judge other people?…some people that are adults cannae look after their kids because they don’t have the support.”

Three young mothers from Riddrie, in the east of Glasgow, discuss a wide range of topics of importance in their lives: motherhood, staying in education, change, routine, family, entitlement, Glasgow. 

Bolting Doors, Mending Fences 

“It was coming up to Christmas… So the first year I put up some lights up in the close...in the second year I thought let’s do Santa in the garden.  So the next year I thought lets do something better again”

Alex moved with his family from Pollok in Glasgow to Renfrew, a town to the west of Glasgow near Paisley and recounts how he has refurbished and improved his house and his garden with the help of local children. He also describes Christmas events he has organised, including ‘Santa in the garden’ and ‘Santa on the sleigh’. In describing his experiences in Renfrew, Alex touches on how adults relate to children and how children need to be respected and allowed to play.  

Going it Alone

"I'm a different person today than I was when I thought I had everything….that's been down to her - she's been there to push me through all the time."

This short film provides a moving account of the life of one lone parent and the child she cares for and portrays how the experience has enriched their lives, despite the significant sacrifices that had to be made and bureaucratic obstacles that have been put in place along the way.

Food Memories

This short film explores food and its meaning in people’s lives from a broad perspective through a dialogue between two young women revisiting their past memories of food as well as their thoughts about various aspects of food in today’s society.