Joe Swanberg traces the genealogy of his film Alexander the Last, showing at the London film festival from 24 October

Continuing our series in which directors with features at the London film festival place their work within the context of cinema. Today: Andrew Bujalski, director of Beeswax

Mother Teresa, Sarah Palin and Oprah's Dr Phil – Suzi Yoonessi traces the ancestry of her Alaska-set feature, showing at the London film festival from 25 October

In a new series celebrating films debuting at the London film festival, we ask directors to trace the heritage of their work. Today, Giles Borg looks up the ancestors of 1234, his debut film about the trials and tribulations of a young band