PhotoMonth! Mother Vera, Alys Tomlinson and Cécile Embleton

PhotoMonth: Photography Festival

From 2 October to 3 November 2025, PhotoMonth will transform London’s “E” postcodes into a month-long celebration of photography. The relaunched festival spans neighbourhoods from EC1 to SE15 with over 50 pop-up exhibitions and established galleries from Kennington to Mile End, Clerkenwell to Camberwell and Hackney to Stratford – across both institutional and alternative spaces, including museums, churches, libraries, cafés, and architectural practices.

The Festival programme includes a series of film screenings, workshops, artists talks and portfolio reviews. To celebrate the 100 years anniversary of the Photo Booth, PhotoMonth is launching a special competition in collaboration with AutoPhoto for the best portrait. Find your AutoFoto booth at Yorkton Workshops (part of the Wonderland exhibition), The Photographers Gallery and Whitechapel Gallery to take part.A parallel film programme runs throughout the month, exploring the intersections between photographyand film. Each screening will be followed by a live Q&A with directors, photographers and special guests.

Winner of the prestigious Grierson Documentary Award at its UK debut at the 68th BFI London Film Festival, the stunning MOTHER VERA opened to audiences across the UK on 29th August. Shot in breathtaking black and white, Mother Vera is a visually arresting and deeply meditative portrait of a woman confronting the shadows of her past. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with directors Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson.Vera has spent 20 years in a convent on the outskirts of Minsk, living among men undergoing addiction rehabilitation. When a conversation with her mother stirs long-buried memories, Vera is compelled to revisit her own past and the tragic events that led her to this secluded life. What unfolds is a quiet, powerful story of resilience, healing, and spiritual transformation. With its haunting cinematography and contemplative pace, Mother Vera invites audiences into a world rarely seen on screen — one of silence, struggle, and redemption. Directed by Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson, and produced by Laura Shacham for She Makes Productions, Mother Vera is an unforgettable cinematic experience.

‘Sublime and sensorial debut feature’ - The Film Verdict Synopsis

After two decades in a Belarusian Orthodox monastery, Vera reflects on her unexpected path to nunhood, rooted in a history of addiction. Facing her lingering guilt, she finds herself at a crossroads between her monastic sanctuary and an uncertain future. With a poignant gaze, Vera's quiet journey of self-examination offers an intimate glimpse into the complexities of faith, recovery, and personal transformation within cloistered walls.

Info: You are invited to view an exhibition of the works of the renowned Barry Lewis and his current project, “Intersections”: a study of London through portraits and words of the people.

Info: Take your seats as we feast on this stunning cinematic experience 'Mother Vera' by Alys Tomlinson and Cécile Embleton..

Info: An opportunity to share space with liked minded people and visit the exhibition again!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Source, Source Studios (formerly Stratford Circus), Theatre Square, Barking, United Kingdom