Letters from Lockdown

The UK went into its first national lockdown on 23rd March 2020.

Full lockdown measures were reintroduced for a second time in November 2020 and a third time in January 2021, and by the end of month the death rate in the UK had reached 100,000.

Letters from Lockdown is a documentary film by Lizzie Klotz and Ed Cole, made in collaboration with filmmaker Oliver Smith, sound designer Jack Burton and participants from across South and West County Durham.

Participants were led through a variety of creative encounters, including instructive videos, Zoom meetings, letters, and socially distanced one-on-one conversations to identify, express and document their experiences. These experiences were recorded and collated together to create 24 minute long-lasting archive for the region.

Thanks are due to all those who took part, including those who shared their experiences with us but did not want to appear in the film.

Facilitators: Lizzie Klotz, Ed Cole

Participants: Ben Lovatt, Shirley Quinn, Steven Bainbridge, Susan Kirkbride, Walia Kani

Camera: Oliver Smith

Sound Designer: Jack Burton

24 minutes, 2021

Letters from Lockdown was commissioned as part of Northern Heartlands’ ‘Creativity in Crisis’ programme: a series of activities led by artists exploring creative ways for people to cope with the impact of Covid-19.

The programme was supported with funding from Arts Council England’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund.