A York-based media company will be screening its documentary in London later this month.
It arrives at the ICA courtesy of Aesthetica, a York-based cultural organisation, as a landmark screening of the Aesthetica x Audible Listening Pitch on Monday 23 March 2026.
The Listening Pitch is a documentary scheme exploring sound and storytelling.
Cherie Federico, director of Aesthetica, said: "Listening is a radical act.
"In a world saturated with noise, the Listening Pitch has created space for quieter, more human stories to be heard.
"These films amplify voices that are too often overlooked and reveal how listening can transform understanding, empathy and connection.
"Bringing this project to the ICA is an important milestone – not just for the filmmakers, but for Aesthetica as a cultural organisation rooted in York and working on a national stage."
The ICA screening is seen as a milestone, not only for the filmmakers involved, but also for Aesthetica as a cultural organisation rooted in York.
Founded in York in 2003, Aesthetica is best known for its BAFTA-qualifying Aesthetica Film Festival (ASFF).
The organisation has become a key contributor to York’s standing as a UNESCO City of Media Arts, supporting creativity and innovation through public programmes and talent development initiatives.
Aesthetica is celebrating 20 years of the Aesthetica Art Prize, which has supported thousands of artists and contributed to York’s cultural infrastructure.
Other activity includes projects such as Reignite, the Creative Business Skills Academy, and the UNESCO EXPO.
The Listening Pitch scheme has so far supported a growing catalogue of documentary films that centre sound as a primary storytelling device.
Its standout films have gone on to screen at SXSW and Sundance, and have featured on Guardian Documentaries.
Aesthetica and Audible’s partnership demonstrates how collaboration can support filmmakers who create work that challenges, moves and connects audiences through sound-led narratives.
Films commissioned through the scheme explore a wide range of social, cultural and environmental subjects, using listening as both a theme and method.
The most recent works address topics as varied as intergenerational trauma after the Rwandan genocide and nature-based healing in post-industrial Wales.
Aesthetica believes in the transformative power of listening and aims to deepen understanding and empathy through film.
The ICA screening will run from 6pm to 8pm, followed by drinks, DJ and networking until 11pm.
The event will feature a curated film programme and panel discussion, and will bring together filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences for an evening of conversation and connection.
The Listening Pitch is a collaboration between Aesthetica and Audible and has now become a nationally and internationally recognised platform for sound-first storytelling.
Registration is free and available online via asff.co.uk/docfilmnight.
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