This Britain collection contains over 140 films produced between the 1920s and 1980s that have been uncovered and digitised by the East Anglian Film Archive. The films span numerous decades and themes, including drama, comedy, animation, documentary and travelogues.
Short films included in this screening:
Dance Little Lady (1953) Laurie and Stuart Day (19 mins 58s)
Dancing is popular the word over, as Laurie and Stuart Day show in their exploration of various styles of dance from around the world. Featuring the national dances of Thailand, Bali, Fiji, Hawaii and the West Indies, the footage was recorded during the Days’ round the world trip during 1952 and 1953.
England May Be Home (1957) Margaret Hodgkin, Richard Hodgkin (17 mins 56s)
Moving to another country can be a lonely experience. This drama-documentary explores the Italian community working in industrial Bedford in the 1950s. It centres on Gino, who, after his father dies, must set up a new home for his family in England.
A Game for Three (1976) – Mollie Butler (17 mins 40s)
In this game of suburban ‘piggy in the middle’, a wife ponders her position as the ‘piggy’ as her husband has an affair with the au pair. But who decides the rules of the game, and how can the game be brought to an end?
Make-Up (1978) Joanna Fryer (2 mins 40s)
Long before Bridget Jones, female filmmakers have explored the fantasies and realities of the dating game. In this comical animation, a woman carefully applies her make-up while day-dreaming about the variety of handsome suitors who might arrive at her door. Can the reality ever live up to her fantasies?
Freak (1988) Sharon Gadsdon (4 mins 30s)
Sandi Thom isn’t the only one who has wished she was a punk rocker. In this film, a schoolgirl’s dreams of becoming a punk rocker are shown through time-lapse photography showing how make-up and clothes can create an entirely new and rebellious identity.
