Recovery Street Film Festival Launches 2026 with a Dry January Special in Manchester

16 January 2026 | 4:30–6:00 PM | SODA, Manchester Metropolitan University | £2.88

The Recovery Street Film Festival is thrilled to launch its first event of 2026 with a special screening and panel discussion as part of Portraits of Recovery’s DRY26 —their brand-new arts programme that enriches the Dry January experience through the power of arts and culture. The event will be hosted at the prestigious SODA (School of Digital Arts), Manchester Metropolitan University.

Attendees will experience six powerful films from the 2025 festival, created by filmmakers and contributors with lived experience of substance use. These films offer raw, authentic narratives of resilience, hope, and transformation—stories too often unheard, now amplified through the art of filmmaking.

Join us to watch the joint first prize winners from 2025: The Light Side by Lucy Rocca and David McCollom, and Sons of Jericho by Laura Roberts and Alex Back. The programme also features films by Barnsley filmmakers Michael Close, James Mosley, and James Clark (It’s Magical); London-based filmmaker Maddie Kitchen (The Women’s Recovery Mural); and Brighton filmmaker Alex Mazonowicz (IS).

Followed by a panel featuring:

Dr Rachel Genn, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing (Fiction and Script), Manchester Metropolitan University — Panel Chair

Maddie Kitchen, Creative Director, Recovery Street Film Festival

David McCollom, award-winning filmmaker of The Light Side

Dominic Pillai, Curator of Social Engagement, Portraits of Recovery

Join us for a powerhouse of storytelling, insight, and inspiration, and celebrate the transformative power of film and photography in recovery during Dry January.

Tickets: £2.88

Book via Eventbrite:[https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/recovery-street-film-festival-screening-panel-tickets-1978231349218?aff=oddtdtcreator

https://portraitsofrecovery.org.uk