The Media, Arts and Humanities Research Institute

To kick of its national tour of Picturehouse cinemas, Joanna Callaghan's moving and inventive documentary Goodbye Breasts! (2025) has a special screening at Duke’s at Komedia Brighton on the evening of Tuesday 14 April. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Joanna and Professor Richard Simcock, Chief Medical Officer at Macmillan Cancer Support and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

Buy tickets and watch the trailer HERE.

Running at 70 minutes, Goodbye Breasts! offers a strikingly original exploration of recovery after breast cancer treatment through a blend of humour, creativity and honesty. A two-time hereditary cancer patient, Joanna transforms her own post-surgery experience into an imaginative and life-affirming story about resilience, identity and healing. Following a double mastectomy, the documentary traces Joanna’s unconventional recovery journey—from building a giant inflatable breast and choreographing post-surgery dance routines to hosting a celebratory “Goodbye Breasts!” farewell party. Combining candid self-shot footage, animation and archival material, the film creates a narrative that is both deeply personal and widely relatable.

The film has already received recognition at major international festivals, including the Audience Award at Cinecity Brighton Film Festival, as well as honours at the International Red Cross Festival of Health Films and the Iris Global Health Film Festival. The Brighton event offers audiences the chance to engage with a documentary that opens important conversations around body acceptance, healing and community, while celebrating the transformative role of creativity in recovery.

“Goodbye Breasts! is about embracing change and finding joy in new beginnings,” says Joanna Callaghan. “I wanted to share the highs and lows of recovery in a way that would resonate with others going through similar experiences, and to show that even in difficult moments there is still room for humour and creativity.”

About the filmmaker
Joanna Callaghan is a filmmaker and Professor of Filmmaking at the University of Sussex. Known for her boundary-pushing storytelling and distinctive approach to personal subjects, her work explores themes of resilience, transformation and the creative human spirit. Goodbye Breasts! marks an important new chapter in her artistic practice.