Film recognised at Censurados Film Festival

We are delighted that Dr Laia Ventura Garcia, our UKRI Guarantee Postdoctoral Fellow had her short, experimental film ‘The Moral Value of Our Cells’ selected for the Short Uncut Competition at the 2025 Censurados Film Festival in Peru.

It was screened on 23 January at the film festival, in competition with nine other international short films, and awarded an International Short Film (Short Films Uncut) Special Mention. The Censurados Film Festival aims to be a benchmark in the defense of creative freedom, with the shortlisted films chosen for addressing issues censored by society and exploring broadly different realities.

About the film

‘The Moral Value of Our Cells’ is part of the EthnoCC Study, funded by UK Research and Innovation (Ref. 101105013). In this research, Laia examines the everyday experiences of cancer as it intersects with the cervix and vagina, uncovering how this intersection sheds light on broader social and cultural dynamics of intimacy in 21st century Scotland and the UK.

Here, intimacy is understood in a broad sense, reaching beyond the sexual realm. It encompasses the body and its transformations, its connections with medical technologies, and society's definitions of what is "normal". It’s about care, relationships, and how public health systems and societal norms shape our most personal spaces. Intimacy also includes acts of sharing—talking about private matters—and our interactions with non-human elements like viruses, cancer, or everyday objects such as tampons and menstrual cups. Ultimately, intimacy is more than personal; it reflects how bodies, relationships, and systems interconnect. 

The Moral Value of Our Cells is a personal and reflective short film that examines potential invisibilised ways our health is shaped. It explores the role of toxicity and the harmful impacts of the Anthropocene—the era of human-made environmental damage - in HPV-driven cancers, particularly cervical cancer. It also considers how linking cancer solely to viruses might shift our focus away from other factors influencing our health. As I share my journey, I challenge the culture of blame and delve into broader, more nuanced ways of understanding sexual and reproductive health.

Dr Laia Ventura Garcia UKRI Guarantee Fellow
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