I came to the fifteenth edition of Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival as a student fellow curious to delve deeper into the world of experimental film and witness some of the organisation that goes into running an independent, community focused film festival held in the Scottish Borders town of Hawick.

Throughout my time at Alchemy, it was clear to see the importance of Hawick’s heritage being represented in film and how this provoked discussion between filmmakers and locals, particularly on the topic of the annual ‘Common Ridings’ tradition that was presented in the festival’s opening feature ‘Rum and Milk’. Despite not being able to attend this screening, it was an enlightening experience to see how Hawick’s rich history created unity and set the tone for the inclusivity that Alchemy stands for, just from the buzz of the audience alone after the screening. The two short film programmes that I got the opportunity to see explored the significance of one’s environment and the landscapes that surround us, one programme focusing on how this leads us on a journey of understanding the connections to our ancestry and the other discussing a capitalist society highlighted by the inclusion of urban landscapes. Viewing these films gave me an insight into the care the curators take to represent relevant themes that reflect what is happening in the world whilst enabling the individual filmmaker’s voice to be heard. Aside from the screenings in the cinema, Alchemy also holds several moving image exhibitions in which I, in the lead up to the festival, assisted in setting up.

Each space is carefully moulded to emulate the artist’s vision and the atmosphere of the works, this is especially noticeable in the display of Isabel Barfod’s ‘How Much Air Lungs Can Hold’ which looks at the relationship between blackness and swimming. The transfixing imagery is projected into a cave-like room allowing the ambient soundtrack to echo throughout the space of the Borders Textile Towerhouse.

Events held in the evening such as the Ceilidh dancing beautifully tied the festival together as everyone gathered for a night of endless spinning and twirling. I couldn’t help but reflect on the lack of warmth I sometimes feel for the London film industry in comparison to my experience in Hawick, perhaps the endless green landscape and sound of The River Teviot added to the joy I felt but most of all it was the sense of community that made all the difference. My learnings about Scottish culture as well as many other cultures represented through original, rule-breaking film has left me feeling inspired and in awe of the attentiveness of the Alchemy team.