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ABOUT SAMATHA VALE
Cups & Courage was born from lived experience.
Samantha Vale is one of 56,000 women every year in the UK that are diagnosed with breast cancer.
After an extensive recovery journey including multiple recurrences, she realised that while her journey was unique, many of the challenges she faced - around the healthcare system, body image, identity and choice - were shared by others. The more she shared and listened to others, the more she saw the power of connection: when we share our stories, we remind each other we’re not alone.
In 2025 Cups and Courage was born. Aligned intentions around creating something for the people from the people.
Sam, together with Wildewood films has built a space where those conversations can live. Filmed in person, around a kitchen table, each episode captures the nuance of expression - the pauses, the laughter, the courage that surfaces when people feel safe to share.
Cups & Courage is more than a podcast. It’s a movement to reshape how we talk about breasts, bodies, and the courage to choose our own path.
“We all find our ways of coping, healing and living with our personal experiences. Courage for me is choosing. Whatever the choice is. Choosing what feels right for you. Every choice carries courage - and every story deserves to be heard.”
ABOUT PAUL TURNER
Paul Turner is a filmmaker, producer, and co-founder of Cups & Courage CIC. With over 25 years’ experience creating emotive, story-led films for brands, artists, charities, and organisations, Paul brings a calm, collaborative, craft-driven approach to every project.
When Samantha Vale approached him about making a series of films around breast cancer, their early conversations revealed something bigger: the need for a platform where people could share their stories in their own words, without pressure, polish, or filters. That idea became Cups & Courage — a podcast and CIC dedicated to real, lived experiences.
Paul leads the visual direction and production across the podcast and wider projects, ensuring every story is told with clarity, respect, and cinematic intention.
ABOUT ALEX FREIDIN-GOSS
Alex Freidin-Goss is a documentary filmmaker, producer, and director of photography specialising in documentary and human interest storytelling.
Born in the US and raised between Paris and the South of France, Alex developed an early passion for film and music. After moving to the UK and graduating from film school, he began working across documentaries, live concerts, and commercial production.
Alex has filmed live performances and behind-the-scenes content for international musical artists across multiple genres, including an ongoing partnership with composer Ludovico Einaudi, capturing his performances and creative process for global audiences.
Alex’s work has been broadcast worldwide.
On Cups & Courage, Alex designs the lighting, framing, and filming setups that capture contributors' stories with visual sensitivity and emotional clarity, making it firmly a video-first project.