ESC films

15/04/2026

Such a privilege to share the stage with these bringers of light.

11/04/2026

Looking forward to this Tuesday Borderlands Events. Come join us.

Borderlands this month is hosting Yousef M. Aljimal, a Palestinian writer and academic who has recently edited the book “If I Must Die” - The poetry and prose of Refaat Alareer. We will also hear the inspiring story of ESC films. We will have some music from a couple of great musicians including Erin Hill. Borderlands is the 14th April at 7.30pm. We’d love to see you there.

02/02/2026

We have loved partnering with Cancer Focus Northern Ireland to create these films over the past 7 years - this week as we celebrate it's beautiful to honour all the volunteers who give back to cancer support organisations... find our more by watching this film below...

05/12/2025

Sara’s Story is a specialist training film devised by esc films for the Safeguarding Board of NI’s Trauma Informed Practice Training programme. It has been used across the country in criminal justice, education, health and social care settings. Sara’s Story contrasts the presentation of trauma and addiction with the story of what has happened to someone to bring them to that point in their lives. It asks how things could develop differently if agencies responded in a more trauma-informed manner. The film is only available within the Safeguarding Board's in-person training delivered by Trauma-informed practice trainers registered with the TIP team. See https://www.safeguardingni.org/trauma-informed-approach for more details and training resources.

This film clip includes sensitive content from the outset.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg1fZDZ3_pg

Sara’s Story is a specialist training film devised by esc films for the Safeguarding Board of NI’s Trauma Informed Practice Training which has been delivered...

28/11/2025

As part of our commitment to against gender-based violence we are revisiting this powerful VR experience we made for Housing Rights.

A Roomful of Doors is a Virtual Reality Training film experience, created by VR specialist Gavin Peden for esc films with a group of housing advisors and a team of women from Women's Aid (North Down & Ards Women's Aid-028 91273196) who have experienced the dual traumas of domestic abuse and presenting as homeless.

This film was co-designed to help housing advisors be more trauma-informed about their practice and to really understand what it is to be in the woman's shoes.

PLEASE NOTE - This version was as a backup experience for participants who found the VR immersion too intense - the film is created to be viewed in 360 inside a VR headset and is only available as part of the Housing Rights Training.

Thanks to Gavin Peden, Rosie McClelland Letitia Fitzpatrick Leanne Devlin Sophie Boldt tom magill North Down and Arts Women's Aid Emalyn Turkington and her team.

For more info please see the blog "Housing and Domestic Abuse: how we developed our new immersive training course" at https://lnkd.in/ew8HCjPm.

Or feel free to contact [email protected]

https://youtu.be/XZuz4Nm7BE4

28/11/2025

A Roomful of Doors is a Virtual Reality Training film experience, created by VR specialist Gavin Peden for esc films with a group of housing advisors and a team of women from Women's Aid who have experienced the dual traumas of domestic abuse and presenting as homeless.

This film was co-designed to help housing advisors be more trauma-informed about their practice and to really understand what it is to be in the woman's shoes.

PLEASE NOTE - this intro to the film is a taster only - the real film is viewed inside a VR headset as part of the Housing Rights Training. For more info please see the blog "Housing and Domestic Abuse: how we developed our new immersive training course" at https://www.housingrights.org.uk/professionals/news/housing-and-domestic-abuse-how-we-developed-our-new-immersive-training-course. Or feel free to contact [email protected]

https://youtu.be/XZuz4Nm7BE4

27/11/2025

Domestic Violence and Coercive Control take many forms. We worked with a woman whose story was heartbreaking and hard to stomach. She told about how she escaped and was able to rebuild her life, bit by bit.

Domestic Violence and Coercive Control take many forms. We worked with a woman whose story was heartbreaking and hard to stomach. She told about how she esca...

31/01/2025

Migrating our Twitter / X account to BlueSky to keep in line with our values. We are a Belfast-based arts education charity working in NI Prisons, mental health settings, using film as social activism. 25 years of change and counting. Find us there and spread the word!

Belfast-based arts education charity working in NI Prisons, mental health settings, using film as social activism. We have been creating change for over 25 years... Check us out on www.esc-film.com

24/01/2025

Augusto Boal in Belfast interview with esc film's Artistic Director Tom Magill:

Tom Magill interviews Augusto Boal Tom Here we are in the Europa. It's about 11.30 am on Sunday 25 October and I'm talking to Augusto Boal about his work. Augusto in your latest book Legislativ