Issue 1761 Science

Felix lockdown documentary

The Felix lockdown documentary launches next week. It is the product of great effort and we hope that you will enjoy it

On Friday 29th January, the first episode of the Felix lockdown documentary will be published. A documentary in three episodes on the topics of mental health, relationships and learning, which will be published over the next couple of weeks, this piece tries to capture and preserve student voices during a time that many felt that they were being unheard. What the students have to say is at times heart-breaking, and sometimes a little surprising, but we hope it will inspire and reflect the student experience of lockdown.

The trailer can be watched here <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FFelixImperial%2Fvideos%2F327069778589413%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe>

This documentary was born out of a feeling that rhetoric about the student experience of the global pandemic in the UK was lumping all students together. Headlines describing students as “broken and defeated”, “anxious and stressed” and “lost” have been commonplace in the UK media since the outbreak of the pandemic. While we are certain that the past year has been a struggle for many students, we hope that this documentary will highlight the varied and wide-ranging experiences at Imperial. Without shying away from the difficulties of the past year, we hope that we are able to show you that there has been some good amongst the terrible.

The documentary was filmed and edited in November and December by Felix members working strictly to follow lockdown regulations. Despite the difficulties, and through considerable ingenuity the documentary is, we hope, not just a testament to the students who are being filmed, but also the students behind the camera who never let themselves despair or become discouraged, but instead lived up to the highest of journalistic ideals, recording and publishing regardless of obstacles. Lily Shepherd, who led the project, and all those that worked with her deserve huge respect for what they have been able to achieve, and I hope you will join us in congratulating them for what they has been able to achieve. We would also like to thank every student who was interviewed, for speaking to us so candidly and allowing us to share their stories.