Original title
First Cut
Released
-
Genre
Documentary
Production companies
Channel 4 Television, Splice Post
Status
Returning series
Number of seasons
5
Number of episodes
13
First Cut was initially a strand of thirty half-hour primetime documentaries commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor for Documentaries, Sarah Mulvey. It was added to the schedule to replace the old Alt-TV show, which launched many documentary makers' careers including Marc Isaacs, Olly Lambert, Emily James, Tina Gharavi, Paul Berczeller and Morgan Matthew. First Cut aimed to access the brightest and best new talent, allowing young directors to showcase their talent before being given further opportunities on Channel 4's flagship documentaries Cutting Edge and Dispatches. After the completion of the initial two series, First Cut was commissioned for a third series which began on Friday, 9 January 2009, with a documentary entitled "The Hunt For Britain's Tightest Person".
The story of pianist Joyce Hatto, revealing how she became one of the world's most acclaimed classical recording artists thanks to a fraud perpetrated by her husband William Barrington-Coupe. Six years on, Barrington-Coupe discusses his motives for hatching the scheme, and music lovers explain why they were deceived.
First Cut examines the impact of suicide on the underground. Tube drivers give poignant and moving first-hand accounts of their experiences of what they know as a 'one under'.
Commonly defined as a journey into the life of a person's previous incarnation, and guided by a hypnotherapist, past life regression stimulates heated debate amongst believers and sceptics. Neil Clarke is a disbeliever.
A report on the Nigerian confidence tricksters who target British women by assuming fake identities on dating websites, then defrauding their victims out of thousands of pounds. This film hears from two victims - although for one the story took a surprising turn when the man she thought was romancing her confessed his true identity. A reformed scammer in Lagos also explains the thinking behind the Nigerians' deceit. Part of the First Cut strand.
Documentary getting behind the mask of a small but secretive band of people who don comic book-inspired costumes and take to the streets to fight crime across Britain. Christian Watt's film follows the self-made sentinels on the job and reveals their normal home life, aiming to discover if they are bedroom fantasists or genuine vigilantes.
Documentary following a 39-year-old paediatric nurse Vicki as she attempts to comes to terms with diagnosed early-onset Parkinson's disease, and wonders what it means for her future. Side effects of the medication she takes for the condition include an overwhelming desire for sex and shopping and an addiction to the internet, all of which threaten to destroy her relationship with her long-term partner.
In 1991 the bodies of policeman Trevor Buchanan and family friend Lesley Howell were found in a car in Castlerock, Northern Ireland. At the time it was believed that Trevor and Lesley had formed a suicide pact, devastated, it was said, by the discovery of an affair between their spouses. For their surviving spouses, Colin Howell and Hazel Buchanan, life slowly returned to normal. But in January 2009 Colin contacted the police and told them that he and Hazel had murdered their respective spouses. Following his confession, Colin was convicted of murder and sentenced to 21 years in prison, and Hazel, who pleaded not guilty, was also convicted of murder. She is serving an 18-year jail sentence. Judy Kelly's First Cut film examines the story behind the murders and features unique access to Hazel's husband and her children, who are standing by her. The film reveals the extraordinary situation of a family being torn apart by murder, 18 years after the crime took place.
The true story of three women and the man they shared - unwittingly - after he romanced and promised to settle down with them all. However, when one of the women found out about the love cheat, the trio banded together and plotted their revenge - and their on-camera confrontation forms the climax to this documentary.
The fictional story of David De Gale, a secondary school teacher nearing the end of his career who, one Monday afternoon, attacks a pupil in his class. George Kay directs this half-hour monologue, performed straight to camera by actor Phil Davis. The film joins David De Gale at home on the morning of his trial as he relives the months of mounting pressure, both at home and work, that led to the attack on the pupil. He describes his experiences in the lead up to the attack, the attack itself, and, with his trial approaching, his isolation in the weeks that followed. Double Lesson is based on accounts of real cases and factual research. However, David is a fictional character. The film sets out neither to condemn nor condone David's actions, but to provide a better understanding of how and why some teachers lose control, and how pupils, colleagues and family treat them once they do. First Cut showcases the best in bold, bright and original documentaries by up-and-coming film-makers.
Documentary telling the story of Winnie Johnson, whose 12-year-old son Keith Bennett was killed by Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 1964. Recently diagnosed with cancer and nearing 80, Winnie is desperate to find Keith's body before she dies and makes one last plea to Brady to reveal where he buried his victim.
Two thirty-something singletons enter each other's lives completely, taking on the other's friends, social media, colleagues and exes, then analyzing their personal outlooks in an effort to tell the brutal truth about why they are alone.
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