What’s New: Counterpoint Productions Launches
Counterpoint Productions is a newly formed UK production outfit dedicated to creating film and TV projects that centre on migration, displacement and refugee experiences. It has just launched as the production arm of Counterpoints Arts — a London‑based charity organisation that supports creative work by and about migrants and refugees. (Screen Daily)
The team behind the new company includes:
- Almir Koldzic (founder and lead),
- Ornella Mutoni (documentary producer with BBC/Channel 4 credits), and
- Laith Elzubaidi (producer). (Screen Daily)
The aim is to develop films and TV series that not only tell compelling stories but also reshape how migration and displacement are understood culturally, both in the UK and internationally. (Screen Daily)
Early Projects & Partnerships
First Commissioned Feature: Where Did My Mother Go
One of the first projects in Counterpoint’s slate is Where Did My Mother Go — a feature set in Palestine — commissioned under the new banner. It is being produced by BAFTA winner Yasmine Afifi and Mohamed Shalby. (Screen Daily)
Collaborative Development Efforts
Counterpoint Productions is already working with:
- Climate Spring, a non‑profit focused on environmental justice,
- BBC Film on at least one co‑funded feature, and
- Major industry partners like Netflix, Apple and Channel 4. (Screen Daily)
The projects on Counterpoint’s early slate include:
- Feature films,
- Fiction TV series,
- Short documentaries. (Screen Daily)
This shows a broad strategic ambition — not just art house documentaries but also narrative storytelling aimed at mainstream platforms. (Screen Daily)
Why It Matters: Case Studies & Broader Context Case Study — Spotlighting Lived Experience
Traditional mainstream film and TV often present migration in abstract or crisis‑driven ways. Counterpoint Productions seeks to centre the voices of people with lived experience, telling stories grounded in personal reality, resilience, and human complexity. This is significant because such stories are typically underrepresented in both UK and global media. (Counterpoints)
Counterpoints Arts — the charity behind the production arm — has a long track record of supporting migrant and refugee artists, commissioning 150+ artistic projects and providing platforms for over 300 creatives from displaced communities. Their work has helped bring these stories into cultural institutions and festivals (e.g., Refugee Week, Platforma festivals) across the UK and beyond. (Counterpoints)
By building Counterpoint Productions, the organisation is transitioning from support and advocacy to direct storytelling production, increasing the likelihood that diverse, nuanced refugee narratives reach film and TV audiences worldwide.
Sector Commentary and Goals
What the Producers Say
Ornella Mutoni has stressed the urgency of this work, noting that refugees and migrants are often vilified or misunderstood in society — making these stories “more important than ever for the film industry, and society at large.” (Screen Daily)
Almir Koldzic echoed this, saying the team saw a clear appetite for content in this space and noted that there was no dedicated production company focusing specifically on displacement and migration within UK cinema that looked at these issues holistically. (Screen Daily)
Industry Reaction
Film professionals have welcomed the launch as a step toward greater diversity and storytelling equity in UK media. Industry partnerships with organisations like BBC Film and streaming platforms signal that Counterpoint’s stories could reach global audiences and influence public perception beyond the arts world. (Screen Daily)
Commentators stress that this launch comes at a time when migration and climate change intersect increasingly in public discourse, and narratives about these themes are growing in cultural relevance. This aligns with Counterpoint’s collaborations exploring climate‑migration connections. (Screen Daily)
What This Could Mean Long‑Term
For the UK film industry:
- A new source of talent development for filmmakers from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
- Content that challenges stereotypes and broadens representation on screen.
For audiences:
- More stories that humanise migration and displacement, offering perspectives beyond headlines and politics.
- Diverse narratives across both fictional and documentary formats.
For creatives:
- A production pipeline backed by key partners such as Netflix, Apple and Channel 4 — opening opportunities for emerging voices with lived experience. (Screen Daily)
Summary
Counterpoint Productions is a newly launched UK production company committed to telling stories about migration and refugee experiences, combining creative ambition with social impact. Backed by Counterpoints Arts and supported by high‑profile partners, it aims to develop a slate of documentaries and narrative projects that amplify diverse voices and lived experiences often missing from mainstream media — with early commissions, collaborations and industry support already underway. (Screen Daily)
Here’s a news‑style summary focused on case studies and comments for the launch of Counterpoint Productions — a new UK production company centred on migrant and refugee stories: (Screen Daily)
Counterpoint Productions: What’s Happening?
Counterpoint Productions is a newly established UK production outfit focused on developing films and TV that centre migrant, refugee and displacement narratives. It is the production arm of Counterpoints Arts, a London‑based charity with a long history of supporting creative work by and about migrants and refugees. (Screen Daily)
The company was co‑founded by Almir Koldzic and joined by producers Ornella Mutoni and Laith Elzubaidi. It is already building a slate that includes feature films, fiction TV projects and short documentaries. (Screen Daily)
Case Study: Where Did My Mother Go
One of the first commissioned features on Counterpoint’s slate is Where Did My Mother Go, set in Palestine and being produced by BAFTA‑winner Yasmine Afifi and Mohamed Shalby. This project exemplifies the company’s mission to foreground lived experiences of displacement and family separation — stories often underrepresented in mainstream media. (Screen Daily)
This film is part of a growing body of work in the UK and globally that centers migrant and refugee perspectives in narrative cinema — similar to other independent productions that use personal stories to humanise complex social and political issues. (IMIX)
Collaboration Case: Climate + Migration Stories
Counterpoint is also partnering with Climate Spring (an organisation working at the intersection of environmental justice and social change) to develop TV series and features exploring how climate change and human displacement intersect. One such project is already being co‑funded by BBC Film. (Screen Daily)
This approach ties into wider cultural trends where migration intersects with other global challenges like climate change — a theme that is increasingly appearing in arts festivals, social cinema events and community screenings in the UK and Europe. (refugeeweek.gr)
Comments from the Creators
Ornella Mutoni — On Why This Matters
Mutoni says refugees and migrants are “so vilified” that it’s more important than ever for the film and TV industry to find ways of “sharing … listening to these stories.” Her comment highlights a core mission: using storytelling to combat stereotypes and broaden understanding. (Screen Daily)
Almir Koldzic — On Industry Gaps
Koldzic has said that while there’s “a proper appetite” for content about migration and displacement, there was no existing UK company dedicated to telling these stories through film. The organisation hopes to both produce strong content and influence how the broader industry treats artists and filmmakers from displaced backgrounds. (Screen Daily)
Industry and Cultural Impact
Amplifying Underrepresented Voices
Counterpoint Productions is part of a broader shift in UK cultural sectors where creatives, festivals and community groups work to bring migrant and refugee experiences into mainstream cultural spaces. For example, Refugee Week and film programmes curated for such events focus on stories of resilience and identity that counter often one‑dimensional media portrayals. (refugeeweek.gr)
The parent charity, Counterpoints Arts, has a track record of supporting and commissioning artistic work that raises awareness and changes perceptions of displacement — commissioning over 150 projects and helping more than 300 artists and organisations engage audiences across the UK and beyond. (Counterpoints)
Broader Context & Commentary
Why Storytelling Matters
Arts and film can reframe narratives around migration — moving away from statistics or political debates to personal, human stories. Research in cultural studies shows that migrant and refugee stories presented as lived experience, not just issues, are powerful tools for empathy and understanding. (thesociologicalreview.org)
Industry Support Signals Growth Potential
Counterpoint’s early partnerships with bodies like BBC Film, Netflix, Apple and Channel 4 suggest a significant appetite in the broader industry for this type of focused storytelling, which could open doors for more diverse voices in the UK production landscape. (Screen Daily)
Summary
Counterpoint Productions is a new UK production company dedicated to telling migrant and refugee stories through cinema and television. With commissions like Where Did My Mother Go, collaborations on climate‑migration projects, and strong statements from its leadership, the outfit seeks to reshape media narratives about displacement and empower filmmakers from underrepresented backgrounds. Its launch reflects wider cultural efforts in the UK to amplify diverse perspectives and expand how stories about migration are told and received. (Screen Daily)