Could North East director be Poised for prestigious award?
Toby Robson's powerful documentary about a community mental health initiative in Sunderland has him in the frame at the upcoming British Independent Film Awards
North East film maker Toby Robson has been longlisted for the British Independent Film Awards in the category of Best Debut Director - Feature Documentary.
The film, which caught the judges’ attention is Poised, a documentary which spotlights the story of Sunderland man, Steven France, who channelled his own trauma - and what helped him get through it - into empowering young people from the city struggling to find positive paths to follow.
After losing his step dad to suicide, Steven found an outlet for his trauma in his local martial arts centre.
A decade later, he opened his own gym with a mission to offer the same kind of solace and inspiration to local young people - a group he could see being left behind.
Produced by Toby’s production company, Two Yanks and a Brit, Poised got its first official showing at New Zealand’s Academy Award-qualifying festival, Doc Edge in 2024.
Exploring the intersection of male mental health and mixed martial arts, it has since enjoyed screenings at film festivals, Raindance and Cinequest and been picked up for distribution by Espresso Media International.
Posting on LinkedIn, Toby said the news was a ‘career highlight’, adding, “Whilst it might be my name on the tin; this first and foremost is for every single person who contributed, big or small, in making Poised what it is. You’ve all elevated my learning and capability and I’m so very humbled. Thank you.”
Toby also thanked mental health charity MIND for its support as well as “the entire Positive Steps and Made 4 The Cage community who bared their souls on camera for us to capture, without compromise, in tackling such personal and challenging subject matter”.
The five nominees in each of the new talent categories will be announced on November 3 with winners revealed at the 28th BIFA awards ceremony on November 30 at the Roundhouse in Camden.