celebrating untold stories from London's green spaces
Last weekend I had the pleasure of immersing myself in two days of films, conversations, and community at the London Nature Films Festival, held in the welcoming space of Makers Cabinet on Vyner Street. Nestled between the towpaths of the Regent’s Canal and the wild blooms of East London’s summer streets, the venue became a hive of environmental storytelling.
Across two packed days (14–15 June), we explored nature in all its urban expressions: cracks in the pavement, lost rivers, wildflower meadows reclaiming old sports grounds, and the trees and wildlife that remind us the city is very much alive.
I tend to wear the term “filmmaker” fairly loosely as I’m far more comfortable in the pair of 25 year old stretch fit photographer pants but I attended the Festival not only as an attendee but as a Director.
This was not only the first time I’ve shown films in frame of a festival but it was also the first ever film festival I’ve attended. Compounding this with the fact that I was showing three films over the weekend I think it’s fair to say that this felt like a filmmaker baptism of fire.
The festival was part of the Grow Urban Nature Festival and described itself as a transformative platform celebrating untold stories from London’s green spaces. I think that was a pretty fair description as was the advertised “delicious vegan food” which was indeed delicious.
Pavement Cracks and Wild Campaigns
We began with a journey back to 1961, courtesy of the BAFTA-honoured Survival series, as naturalist Aubrey Buxton documented the tenacity of urban wildlife long before rewilding was a buzzword. From there, we leapt forward to today’s frontline: food justice, biodiversity loss, and community-powered campaigns.
Chelsea Jackson and Alison Jeffries’ short “Reclaiming Our Food System” showcased Women’s Environmental Network’s work in Hackney, blending art and activism. Then came a beautifully poetic micro-documentary — “The Hidden Life of a Pavement Crack” — reminding us that wildness often begins at our feet.
It was a real joy to see my own work included in the programme. As a Ranger with London National Park City, I was proud to co-create “The Campaign for Warren Farm”, highlighting the power of local activism to protect Ealing’s largest urban meadow. Alongside it, powerful films from ReNature London uncovered the shocking loss of the ancient Whitewebbs Oak and made the case for protecting Whitewebbs Park as vital Green Belt land.
Blokes Who Walk: Finding Brotherhood
Directed by Afshin Robin Rohani this short film follows The Proper Blokes Club, a grassroots movement using walking as a tool for mental health support. It captures the transformative power of simply putting one foot in front of the other, side by side. Set along London’s riversides, parks and backstreets, the film shares real stories of men who’ve found connection, purpose and healing through walking and talking — often for the first time.
It was emotional, grounded, and deeply human — reminding us that green space isn’t just a luxury, but a lifeline. I was struck by the vulnerability and strength in the interviews, and how these men are quietly challenging stigma by showing up for each other, outside, in nature.
Dancing with Trees
This poetic short by Eren Kaplan follows parkour athlete Louis Allan as he moves through London’s urban green spaces — not as a playground, but as a kind of sanctuary. We see Louis climb, swing, and flow between branches, his movement becoming a dance of trust, exploration, and personal growth.
In just five minutes, the film captured something profound: how trees can become teachers, how fear can be reframed through movement, and how urban nature offers not only escape but transformation.
From Street Trees to Spirit of Place
Sunday began with films like “Big City Butterflies”, “Richard’s Journey”, and “Pymmes Brookers” wove stories of restoration and joy through urban green spaces, all followed by thoughtful Q&As with directors and participants.
The highlight of the day for me was Kwesia, a young changemaker and the creator of the video series City Girl in Nature – on a mission to engage young people from disadvantaged communities living in inner cities to connect with nature.
Side note : we need more podcasts filmed in polytunnels.
Later in the day, I shared two more of my own films:
- “Street Tree” followed tree expert Paul Wood and Fruity Walks’ Divya Hariramani as we tracked down the often-overlooked fruit-bearing trees of central London.
- “Kenninghall Road Parklet” explored how a group of Hackney residents reclaimed an unused car park space into a blooming parklet – a public invitation to slow down and connect with the urban wild.
The day closed with the lyrical and layered “Spirit of Place”, a meditation on wetlands, memory and belonging — featuring a quietly powerful performance by Mark Rylance. And just before the credits rolled for the weekend, “Rupture” asked us: what breaks the urban trance? It was a perfect note to end on.
Reflections
What made this festival so special wasn’t just the storytelling — it was the gathering. Filmmakers, campaigners, walkers, foragers, gardeners, policy-shapers and pavement-crack gazers all under one roof, sipping foraged tea and vegan curry, sharing questions and possibilities.
We need more spaces like this. Spaces where environmentalism is personal, creative, and joyful. Where local campaigns are given cinematic voice, and where every street tree, mushroom log, butterfly and puddle becomes part of a shared story of belonging.
Huge thanks to the organisers and to everyone who shared their vision — I left inspired, hopeful, and reminded that even in the busiest corners of the city, nature is not just surviving. It’s speaking. And we are learning to listen.
