The BBC has released details of its Spring Storyville slate of titles coming to BBC Four including, COPA ’71: The Lost Lionesses, telling the story of the 1971 Women’s World Cup, Executive Produced by Serena and Venus Williams and Inheriting a Castle, where we see, Justina rewarded by her former employer for her lifelong work as her maid with an enormous mansion deep in the Argentinian Pampa.

The films are

Praying for Armageddon

Praying for Armageddon is a political thriller that explores the power and influence of American Evangelical Christians, as they aim to fulfil the Armageddon prophecy.

The film embeds with American believers as they prepare for what they call, ‘The Holy War’ and exposes the powerful mega-church pastors who call for the ‘final battle’ that they believe will trigger the Second Coming of Christ.

The film, completed before the current crisis in Israel and Gaza, unveils how politicians driven by faith embrace the State of Israel as the key to their prophetic vision for the end of days.

Written and Directed by Tonje Hessen Schei

Produced by Christian Aune Falch, Torstein Parelius, Ingrid Aune Falch

Up North Film / Film i Skåne / Auto Images / Ventana Films / Making Movies

The Gullspång Miracle: A Nordic Mystery

When two sisters buy an apartment in the small Swedish town of Gullspång, they experience their own divine premonition. To their surprise, the seller is identical to their older sister who died by suicide 30 years earlier.

What begins as an eerie story of family reunification, soon becomes a Pandora’s Box as all three women’s lives spiral out of control in this real life Nordic mystery.

Directed by Maria Fredriksson Produced by Ina Holmqvist Ballad Film

 

Dalton’s Dream

In 2018, Jamaican national Dalton Harris won the X-Factor and became the first non-British black singer to win the final series of the UK’s biggest TV singing competition.

Shot over four years, Dalton’s Dream charts a tumultuous period in the young musician’s life from his traumatic upbringing in rural Jamaica to his journey to the X-Factor final. Dalton won a lucrative record deal that promised to transform his life but the subsequent challenge to build on his success, embrace his identity in the face of prejudice both at home and in his adopted country – are documented in this intimate film about desire and ambition.

Directed by Kim Longinotto and Franky Murray Brown Produced by Lorine Plagnol

Executive Producer Derren Lawford

Sungazer Limited / Dare Pictures / Dogwoof

Against The Tide

Indian fishermen, Rakesh and Ganesh are Kolis, from the ancient indigenous fishing community of Mumbai. Rakesh inherited a boat and his fishing knowledge from his father. Rakesh casts his nets in the creeks and shallow waters of the sea and his catch is small but he manages to sustain his family of his mother, his wife and their small baby.

Rakesh’s best friend Ganesh is from a wealthier Koli family and obtained a degree in finance from Scotland before returning to Mumbai to run a commercial fishing boat with a crew.

When bigger players use illegal fluorescent lights to catch bigger hauls deep-sea fishing, Ganesh borrows money to buy florescent lights, a bigger crew and heads off on a deep-sea fishing trip.

This intimate, beautifully shot observational documentary follows Ganesh as he risks his family’s wealth, whilst Rakesh sells his father’s boat to pay for treatment for his sick son.

An unlikely friendship is forged in the reality of overfishing, new technology and an indigenous, traditional way of life.

Director Sarvnik Kaur

Produced by Koval Bhatia, Sarvnik Kaur and Quentin Laurent A Little Anarky Films / Snooker Club Films

COPA ’71: The Lost Lionesses

In August 1971, football teams from England, Argentina, Mexico, France, Denmark and Italy gathered in Mexico City for a watershed tournament. With lavish sponsorship, extensive TV coverage, merchandise on every street corner and over 100,000 roaring fans at the historic Azteca stadium, media outlets treated the players like rock stars.

Despite being one of the most ground-breaking moments in footballing history, most people have never heard of it – because the players were all women.

COPA ’71: The Lost Lionesses is the extraordinary story of an extraordinary tournament – told through the fearless voices of the women who took part and also includes recently uncovered and never-seen before archive footage.

The tournament was the flame that lit the touchpaper for the explosion of women’s football around the globe and in the UK, it was one of the catalysts that led to the 2022 UEFA Women’s European Cup final when England beat Germany 2:1.

Executive Produced by Serena and Venus Williams

Directed by Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine

Written by Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine and Victoria Gregory Dogwoof / New Black Films / Westbrook Studios

Flee

This Oscar nominated mostly animated documentary charts the extraordinary tale of the desperate lengths a gay Afghan man was forced to go to escape persecution. Amin Nawabi (not his real name) was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. As a child, he was unafraid of wearing his sister’s dress to run through the streets but when the Mujahideen took over, Amin was forced to flee.

This harrowing and suspenseful film follows Amin as tries to find safety with traffickers and officials before finally finding poignant liberation, as he steps into his first gay club.

Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen

Produced by Monica Hellström and Signe Byrge Sørensen

Animation produced by Charlotte De La Gournerie

Cinephil / Final Cut for Real / Sun Creature / VICE Studios presentation card / Left Handed Films / RYOT Films presentation card

Bad Press

In 2018, out of 574 federally recognised tribes, the Muscogee Nation (the fourth largest Native American tribe) was one of only five to establish a free and independent press – until the tribe’s legislative branch abruptly repealed the landmark Free Press Act in advance of an election.

The tribe’s hard-hitting news outlet, Mvskoke Media, would now be subject to direct editorial oversight by the tribal government. One defiant Musgogee journalist refuses to accept this flagrant act of oppression. As brave as she is blunt, Angel Ellis battles against the corrupt faction of the Muscogee National Council. Angel and her allies rally for press freedoms by inciting a voter-supported constitutional amendment, just in time for the start of a new election.

An enthralling, edge-of-your-seat nail biter that unfurls with the energy and suspense of a political thriller. Bad Press is a timely and unprecedented story about the battle for freedom of the press and against state-censored media.

Directed by Rebecca Landsberry-Baker (Muscogee Creek) and Joe Peeler

Produced by Conrad Beilharz, Garrett Baker and Tyler Graim

Executive Produced by Will Potter, David Doran, Justin Nearing, Mary Garis, Will Hugon and Brenda Robinson

Oklafilm Presents

Inheriting The Castle

Justina, an indigenous Argentinian, has been rewarded by her former employer for her lifelong work as her maid with an enormous crumbling mansion deep in the Argentinian Pampa. The only condition is that she can never sell it. Justina, aged 60, and her lesbian daughter Alexia, aged 20, move from the city to this desolate paradise where they eke out a living.

With echoes of the 1975 US documentary ‘Grey Gardens’ by the Maysles Brothers, this film is a hugely atmospheric and hopeful portrait of a supportive mother and daughter whose lives have been shaped by their class and indigenous identities in a Europeanised Argentinian society.

Directed by Martin Benchimol

Produced by Mayra Bottero, Gema Juárez Allen, Clarisa Oliveri Gema Films / SISTER Productions

Image credit: BBC/Upnorth Film/Michael Rowley Photographer: Michael Rowley Image copyright: Upnorth Film