Year: 2026
Director: Louise Lockwood
Producer: Sarah Howitt
Executive Producers: John Archer, Nancy Bornat and Mark Thomas
Production Company: Hopscotch Films
Broadcaster: BBC Two, BBC Scotland
Screen Scotland support: The film accessed £155,000 through Screen Scotland’s Film Development and Production Fund.
Synopsis
Bel tells the story of Beldina Odenyo, the Kenyan-Scottish musician, singer and songwriter, who performed under the stage name, Heir of the Cursed as well as working across Scotland’s theatre and poetry communities.
After her acclaimed performance at the Scottish Album of the Year Awards in 2021, Bel took her own life, leaving behind raw, intimate video diaries and a hard drive full of original songs of great beauty.
This stirring film documents the journey her sister and friends took to release her work posthumously, creating a heartfelt, insightful portrait of a complex, intelligent and profoundly talented young woman.
More information
Premiere: The film will have its World Premiere as the Closing Gala film at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2026.
Image credits: Euan Robertson