Manchester:Unplugged shortlisted for MHeFF Award

Laura’s series Manchester: Unplugged celebrates first film festival selection and award nomination

Great news for Manchester: Unplugged, the music documentary series created and produced by Laura Graham.

The series has received its first film festival selection, with its FREEQUENCY3 episode chosen for the Manchester Health Film Festival and shortlisted for Best Short Documentary.

Created to tell the stories behind Manchester's music, Manchester: Unplugged brings artists and their experiences to the screen through intimate interviews and live performances filmed in places that mean something to them.

The film tells the story of freestyle rapper and vocalist FREEQUENCY3, as she shares her experience of living with chronic pain and invisible disability, and how music has helped her navigate some incredibly difficult times. It also features a specially reimagined full-band performance of her track No More, filmed at Manchester's Ramona.

For Laura, who developed the series to give local artists the space to tell their stories in their own words, the recognition is particularly special.

Laura said: "I'm absolutely thrilled! Manchester: Unplugged has always been about showing there's so much more to an artist than the music they make. Olivia trusted me with her story and I'm so proud of the film we made.. To have it recognised at a film festival, and shortlisted for an award, is a lovely moment for us and all the crew.. It's Unplugged’s first nomination too, so that makes it even more ace!"

The nomination marks another milestone for the independent series, which featured five Manchester songwriters, each with a very different story to tell.

To watch FREEQUENCY3’s film and the other four in the series, click here.