Creating a scene

The theme of the 2025 festival is ‘creative healing’, exploring the ways in which artistic expression can ‘nurture the soul’ – ‘from painting to poetry, theatre to dance, music to meditation, creativity serves as a powerful holistic tool for recovery,’ says RSFF.

Kitchen says she wants to take the festival ‘back to the streets, where it belongs. This is about challenging stigma by opening it up to the public and creating a vibrant, inclusive event that celebrates recovery out loud and in the open,’ she states. She’s also the founder of Sobriety Films UK, which focuses on recovery-oriented storytelling and has collaborated with organisations including Change Grow Live, Waythrough, the NHS Addictions Provider Alliance, Phoenix Futures and Turning Point – holding screenings and running filmmaking workshops to help challenge stigma and raise awareness of recovery.

Kitchen herself has been in recovery from alcohol addiction for nearly 20 years. ‘Along the way, I’ve experienced two relapses, but I’m now 13 years sober,’ she says. ‘I always highlight that because it’s important for others to know – you can come back from relapse. My recovery has been abstinence-based, which is what has worked best for me. I experienced my first episode of major depressive disorder at the age of 19 and to cope with overwhelming anxiety I began using alcohol to self-medicate.’ Over time this became a ‘horrible and harmful cycle’, she says.

Getting sober, however, was the best thing she did for her mental health, she states. ‘As someone with a dual diagnosis I know how challenging it can be to separate mental health issues from addiction. But I also know that recovery is absolutely possible.’ While many people still fall through the cracks in the system – presenting with substance problems that stem from underlying mental ill health issues, only to be told they need to be abstinent before receiving any mental health treatment – the conditions are ‘deeply connected and must be treated together, at the same time’, she stresses.

‘I believe everyone’s recovery journey is different,’ she says. ‘There are a variety of methods and treatment choices – it’s up to the individual to find what works for them. I know that recovery is possible, because I’m alive to live it every day.’

It’s this belief that also underpins her vision for the festival. ‘This is a festival for the whole of the UK, and for anyone whose life has been touched by drug or alcohol use,’ she says. ‘That includes individuals in recovery, family members, friends, and professionals. Everyone’s story matters, and everyone should feel welcome. At its core, this festival is about education, awareness, and connection.’

Recovery is often misunderstood, she says, ‘and I want to help demystify it. What does it look like in real life? How is it achieved, and how does it evolve? Through bold, personal storytelling and the creative power of film – across genres, styles, and voices – we can open minds, ignite conversations, and stir imaginations. I want to nurture emerging talent, nurture new voices, and give people in recovery a platform to express their truth.’

One of her biggest hopes is to see lived experience filmmakers collaborating with others in the recovery community, she says – ‘supporting individuals and groups to tell their stories on screen. My dream is to see independent creative hubs across the UK, where people with lived experience come together, learn from one another, share filmmaking skills, and create raw, powerful, dynamic films that reflect the richness and diversity of our recovery journeys and beyond. This is more than a festival. It’s a movement – one rooted in honesty, creativity, truth and hope. Join us!’

Meet the RSFF team and see last year’s winning films at the DDN Conference on 10 July