Scheme Birds

Scottish teenager Gemma, despite all the misery, is the radiant protagonist of this poignant but impressive documentary. After her mother abandoned her, Gemma was raised by her grandfather, who keeps pigeons and gives boxing lessons. Their 'scheme' (the place where they live) is Jervisten, a fading town where nothing is going on since Margaret Thatcher closed the local steelworks in the eighties. In Gemma's words 'a place you either get knocked up or locked up'. Amidst drinking, violence and crime, Gemma is coming of age and finds motherhood. Although Scheme Birds is bursting with the frustration of a generation of Scots let down by society’s promises, Gemma's strong personality and determination offers a glimmer of hope in this fascinating story of survival that has been beautifully and sensitively captured by the new filmmakers. Winner of the Best Documentary and Best New Director at last year's Tribeca Film Festival.

This film is presented in cooperation with International Film Festival Assen | Women & Film and introduced by artistic director en programmer Henriëtte Poelman.