An inspiring documentary about a Bristol man who lost his lifestyle to a chronic illness but found liberation through laughter therapy was the highlight of the South West showcase which opened this year’s Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival at the Watershed.

The Best Medicine, directed by Gary Thomas and Martin Morrison, follows the travails of Jonathan Fifield (below), whose explosive rages due to acromegaly, a condition where the pituitary gland causes an excess of growth hormone, were curtailed thanks to his visits to Bristol Laughter Club.

Last night the club were coincidentally celebrating their tenth anniversary at their monthly meeting at the Unitarian Chapel on Brunswick Square in St Paul’s.

Like laughter itself, the hope in the film was infectious.