Win UK Documentary Jaywick Escapes On DVD

Jaywick Escapes is a candid portrait of life in the enigmatic seaside town of Jaywick - the unknown, decaying ‘edgeland’ of Essex - just a 90-minute drive from London’s Olympic Park yet as far from its ambition and dreams as it could possibly be. Jaywick Escapes is an Somewhere Film production out on DVD 16th December and we have copies to give away.

Officially now England’s most deprived place, Jaywick is the last refuge for many for whom life hasn’t quite worked out - a bargain sea view where you can vanish, at least for a while. Jaywick Escapes sensitively follows a handful of newcomers to the town, revealing their humanity and rejecting more familiar stereotypical portrayals of Britain’s underclass.

Pope & Guthrie started working in Jaywick in 2009, as part of a creative consultancy to identify ways to improve the public spaces in and around this unique town. Drawing on their wide experience of producing collaborative projects within challenging contexts, they engaged local people, gaining the confidence of both the young and old. The result of these relationships is the Jaywick Escapes film, shot across a period of 18 months in 2010/11.

We have 3 copies of Jaywick Escapes on DVD to giveaway and to enter please answer the following question:

Q.What English county connects Jaywick with Joey from TOWIE?

Deadline is 5th January 2013 (23:59pm),If you haven’t done already Like us and stay with us at our Facebook page (if you are already liking us just share this post on twitter and facebook). Must be 15or older to enter.

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1.The competition is not opened to employees, family, friends of The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse, Somehwere Film  employees who have the right to alter, change or offer alternative prize without any notice.2.All The Peoples Movies entries must be done via contact form. deadline Sunday 5th January 2013 (23:59pm) 15 years or older to enter 3.Failure to include any information required to enter could result in your entry been void.  4.automated entries are not allowed and will be disqualified, which could result you been banned, DO NOT INCLUDE telephone numbers as for security reason your entry will be deleted.5.If you are friend or like us at facebook for every competition you enter you get double entry, but you must stay friend/like us all the time,or future entries maybe considered one entry if you are liking us share the post on facebook and re-tweet the post.6.The Peoples Movies, Cinehouse takes no responsibility for delayed, lost, stolen prizes 7.Prizes may take from days to a few months for delivery which is out of our control so please do not complain 8.The winning entries will be picked at random and contacted by email for postal details and will be announced via facebook, sometimes we are unable to confirm winners. Uk & Irish entries only.
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DVD Review - Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer

Genre:
Documentary
Distributor:
Independent Distribution
Rating:
18
DVD Release Date:
25th November 2013 (UK)
Director:
Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin
Cast:
Mariya Alyokhina, Ekaterina Samutsevich, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova
Buy: Pussy Riot - A Punk Prayer [DVD]
“They walked into the heart of Russia and took a shit”. So comes the damning opinion of an elderly Russian lady stood outside a Moscow church. She is not alone. Surrounding her are large groups of protesters, holding banners, clutching at rosaries and collectively chastising three women who have long since been imprisoned. Opposite stand another, younger group, worried about the way the rest of the world will now perceive their nation. A protest against the protest all stemming from an original protest on the spot this face-off takes place.

On February 21st 2012 three members of the feminist punk group Pussy Riot donned their now iconic balaclava’s, entered the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and performed around 30 seconds of their number ‘It’s God’s Shit’. Security stepped in along with members of the visiting public, forcing them back into retreat. By now you’d be troubled not to have a vague understanding of what followed; public outrage, heavy-handed state intervention and Nadia, Katia and Masha now locked up inside the Putinist Russia they so vehemently protest against.

Some back-story is needed and Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin’s documentary adequately provides it, rolling through the band’s birth, ideals, and other, less news-grabbing performances. The band was formally conceived the very day Putin returned to office for at least 6 more years following his sole rival’s withdrawal of candidacy. That catalyst spawned a reaction, one unfamiliar to the nation at large. One aspect of the Pussy Riot story that Punk Prayer shines a light on is the landscape into which they launched their brand of protest art. The years of communism under Soviet reign has led to something of a cultural gap in Russia’s consciousness, leaving a country largely oblivious to Pussy Riot’s main calling cards – punk and performance art. You sense the communal outrage comes from confusion; a misunderstanding of their actions and a fear of their motives due to their ways seeming so other worldly to swathes of locals, especially those holding the Church is some high esteem.

Pussy Riot, far from being a trio of chancers armed with three chords and a job-lot of balaclava’s, is a collective infused with art and political ideals. They release call to arms video’s urging other to join their cause, write songs against Putin, feminist anthems and choose the locations for their performances carefully. The headlines came after their attack on the union between the Church and the state that forms the Russian Orthodox Church. It was a song written to be heard at large and performed at the home of the nation’s church where they mounted the sacred, male-only alter and landed three members behind bars.

As noted by Nadia’s boyfriend, the Pussy Riot case is curiously the highest profile court case Russia has witnessed for decades and A Punk Prayer provides an intriguing overview of its ins and outs. The greatest achievement is the level of access which we are treated to. The camera’s are there to take in the prosecution, defence and statements of the court case as well holding interviews with family members, fellow ‘rioters’ and providing footage of previous art projects undertaken by the incarcerated trio. The other side is represented by the Church’s supporters, those gathered to protest against the band and the cross carriers who, decked out like members of an aging biker gang, dismiss the women as ‘witches’ and ‘demons’ who would have been burned in times past.

This all leads to a greater understanding of the argument from both sides without ever really moving the genre forward or unveiling any great revelations. A rather balanced synopsis of a case that caught the world’s attention. Where the film could be accused of not going far enough is to examine aspects that are touched upon but never investigated. The prosecution lawyers who laugh at the claims of Putin’s personal involvement in the case are never questioned why the rumours persist and there is no real effort to look further into the shadowy regime that the band hold in such disdain. There is a moment too when Nadia’s father is grilled by rival supporters, genuinely fearing for his safety yet, despite multiple interviews with him this isn’t a subject breached throughout.

A flawed but fascinating take on a case likely to run and run providing an excellent entry point into the culture clashes at the heart of Russia.

★★★½☆

Matthew Walsh

Film Review: How To Survive A Plague

Genre:
Documentary
Release Date:
8th November 2013 (UK, Cinema)
DVD (tbc)
Rating:
PG
Director:
David France

How to Survive a Plague is a film that was only released in UK cinemas last weekend, but which won a number of awards during last year’s film festival circuit; including the Boston Society of Film Critics best documentary, as well as winning in the same category at the Gotham Awards. It was also nominated for an Academy Award.

The documentary – directed by David France, and written by France, T. Woody Richman and Tyler Walker – provides an overview of the AIDS epidemic in New York City during the 80s, as both the casualties and the heinous reputation of its sufferers grew to extreme heights. As NYC Mayor of the time Ed Koch did little to act on the sweeping infection, activist groups such as ACT-UP (Aids Coalition to Unleash Power) and TAG (Treatment Action Group), led a powerful campaign in order to gain access to medication that was currently being denied to AIDS victims. Their movement also sought to alter perceptions of New York’s LGBT community, whose identity was, and still is, inherently linked to the spread of the virus.

France’s How to Survive a Plague is a work that should be applauded for bringing to our attention a struggle that was so intensively ignored during its time – a period not too long ago, where sick people were turned away from hospitals due to the stigma attached to their illness, and politicians and presidents recoiled in fear and disgust. Praise should also be given to the activist groups featured here, for the ceaseless filming and documenting of their meetings and campaigns; without which this production would not have been possible, and the struggle of this marginalised group would have remained unknown to its audiences. What France’s film ultimately achieves is in showing how meaningful change can occur when people are willing to stand up to their oppressors - there is a revolutionary spirit on display here which often feels lost in the current Twitter-age.

How to Survive a Plague is an affecting snapshot of a period of history, which remains relevant due to the comparable problems posed to others in similar situations today – albeit most likely on a different continent. A must see for non-fiction fans.

★★★★☆

Sophie Stephenson

Raindance Film Festival 2013 Review - Medora

Rating:
N/A
Release Date:
29 & 30th September 2013(Raindance)
Director:
Andrew Cohn, Davy Rothbart
There’s a common perception that films centred on American based sports are destined not to do well here in Britain where we prefer football to be played with feet and baseball is, well, just not cricket. There are of course exceptions, such as golden era Kevin Costner’s baseball ghosts drama Field of Dreams and last year’s Moneyball, but even acclaimed documentary Hoop Dreams failed to receive similar adoration on the European side of the Atlantic. It’s perhaps a good job then that new documentary Medora uses basketball only as a base upon which to rest it’s telling tale of modern America and the plight of its numerous small towns.
The aforementioned Hoop Dreams is a good reference point, focussing as the film does, on a group of poverty-stricken basketball players using their on-court time as a way of escaping an otherwise challenging existence. Sadly for this plucky bunch of ball players this is where the similarity ends. For they are not destined for NBA stardom with all that that brings, their results are very much at the other end of the spectrum, the San Marino of high school basketball teams in fact, winless in the previous season, record defeats and racking up another unenviable losing streak. The camera’s are there to catch each morale-sapping defeat as well as by the side of the young individuals who make up the team as they take us on a tour of their home lives and in so doing, the life of a forgotten American town.

We travel through deserted streets once teeming with locals and visitors alike, closed factories and power plants that used to provide employment for entire communities, boarded up shops and restaurants forced into closure, and the near-empty trailer parks known only as area’s to avoid on account of ‘meth heads’.

We’re invited into the lives of these teenagers, witnesses to their own personal trials in that all important graduation year – we even get to go to Homecoming. Along the way it’s not hard to warm to these characters, dealt an unfairly difficult hand in life and rooted in a town that offers little in way of escape. Their options are slim and we see each of them casually tread the path of their future, one that’s always defined by their past. Dylan has never met his father and wants to work to ensure other children won’t face a similarly hard adolescence; Rusty’s parents were never around either owing to alcoholism or ignorance, forcing him to drop-out of school before his 15th birthday. There’s Robby too, blessed with a family unit but struggling academically.

Following the team, their coach and this community we see a part of America often overlooked in films. There is no sprawling shopping centre or high rise buildings, no iconic cinematic Americana to speak of at all. What there is however, is a sense of community pride, one instilled in their tiny school and invested in the hopes of the basketball team. It’s what prevents the school being consolidated into a giant county-engulfing one and what keeps these teenage boys turning up week in week out to pull on their kits and face another humiliating defeat at the hands of a school 10 times their size.

There’s a prevailing sense of inevitability coursing through the film about the fate of such towns, tucked away from the highways and skyscrapers. There’s footage of an Obama address acknowledging the hard times faced while remaining hopeful for the times ahead. With Medora, directors Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart have echoed those sentiments, establishing the difficulties but forcing through elements of hope, embodied in no little part by the members of the basketball team.

★★★★☆

Matthew Walsh

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon - TIFF 2013 Review

Rating:
15
Release Date:
7,8,14th September 2013 (TIFF)
Director:
Mike Myers
Cast:
Shep Gordon,Alice Cooper, Michael Douglas,Tom Arnold, Anne Murray, Sylvester Stallone
Mike Myers’ directorial debut is proof not only that he’s a skilled director and impressive documenter, but the subject of his film is probably one of the coolest men to ever live. Shep Gordon, manager extraordinaire, is a power house of productivity, a messiah of good times, and an all-round nice guy. He’s managed Alice Cooper since the beginning of his career, practically invented the concept of the celebrity chef, and has managed to intertwine his existence with the mint of Hollywood and rock royalty by being one of the world’s greatest hosts. So says Supermensch; The Legend of Shep Gordon.

The key to Myers’ film is that he has a genuine respect for Gordon, like the rest of the stars who pop up through this charming - often hilarious - exploration of Gordon’s career. Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, Myers himself, Alice Cooper, Willie Nelson, to name a few, all jump at the opportunity to give candid tales of Gordon’s frankly mindboggling life. From his humble, drug fuelled beginnings hanging out with the likes of Hendrix and Joplin, onwards through his fast-paced career in music and film. His legendary appetite for good times and women are here exceeded only by his love for seemingly everyone he meets.

Myers is an incredibly gifted filmmaker, fusing his zany wit and comic timing with Gordon’s own barmy life. His editing is sharp and gripping; snippets from movies and a great soundtrack make Supermensch nothing short of fascinating viewing. Perhaps Myers gets a bit caught up in his own love for the father-figure, at points making his documentary a kind of advertisement, but a keen sense of ‘the man’ Gordon as opposed to just ‘the legend’ maintains a suitably grounded and heartfelt film. The Alice Cooper chapter goes on a bit but Gordon’s input into Cooper’s vaudevillian act is vast and thus arguably important. Sure, near-ridiculous amount of good praise for Gordon gets silly at points, but only a cynical kind of tabloid gossip-craving would render this an actual fault. Take a page out of Gordon’s book and cheer the hell up.

No matter where your interests lie, Gordon’s life is at worst intriguing and at best mad. This is a highly impressive debut and a thrilling story of a loving friend, hedonist, innovator, and showman. The fifteen year old me wants another Austin Powers, whilst now I can’t help but hope Myers has another go in the director’s chair.

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon is entirely watchable, vivid, and compulsive filmmaking punctuated by a host of celebrity guests, a great soundtrack, and some psychedelic editing. Myers’ debut film is an impressive exploration of a life well-lived: heart-warming, hilarious, but above all highly recommendable.

★★★★½

Scott Clark

The Great Rock'N' Roll Swindle Scottish Style, UK Trailer For The Great Hip Hop Hoax

Dubbed 'The Imposter of music docs,' the film tells the real life story about how - back in 2003/4, Californian hip-hop duo 'Silibil N'Brains' secured a record deal and were set to be massive – however, what no-one really knew was that they were actually a pair of students from Dundee, Scotland, with fake American accents and made up identities.

The Great Hip Hop Hoax was one of the surprise hit film's of last month's Edinburgh Film Festival, it also received some great feedback SxSw and now it's ready for it's cinema/VOD release this September.To promote the film's release Vertigo Films have sent us over the film's UK trailer....



When it comes to mockumentary films the pedastool has been set high with the classic This Is Spinal Tap there's been no one who came close to matching or bettering that film. The Great Hip Hop Hoax might be that film to at least match proving if you want that dream, you'll do anything to succeed and 6th September you'll get that chance to see if the 2 boys from Dundee, the rapping Proclaimers will become the cities most famous sons after Desperate Dan.

The Great Hip Hop Hoax stars Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd.

EIFF 2013 - Leviathan Review

Rating: PG
Release Date (UK):
27th June 2013 (EIFF)
Director:
Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Verena Paravel
Cast:
Declan Conneely, Johnny Gatcombe, Adrian Guillette

One of the most intriguing films of this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival is the experimental documentary piece Leviathan; an abstract look at the relationship between man and nature. It won’t be for everyone, in fact it will probably appeal to a smaller part of the audience who have the patience to endure its 87 minutes of non-linear strangely intense imagery.

                This isn’t the sort of film that offers up its direction with any ease, it’s a slog, a hard slog conveyed by the labours of everyone involved. Filmed on numerous cameras spread over a North Atlantic commercial fishing boat, Leviathan never attempts the perspective that would perhaps make the film easy- and thus inevitably dull- it is no accident that there is a lack of interviews and even general dialogue between the boat workers to ease the audiences viewing. Leviathan is bold on this front, unapologetic for a technique too pretentious for the casual viewer, but it’s this bold use of image and sound, the raw and honest quality of the film, that holds attention at some of the more startling images. The camera angles are carefully selected to give those points of view that are never really considered: the ship’s deck amongst the fish and swill, the merciless process of decapitating fish, an extreme close-up of the net chains as they are pulled too and fro in a storm. Among the catalogue of sequences are some real treasures that seem to offer a true fly-on-the-wall look at one of man’s oldest industries  yet on the other hand there are some too out-there for enjoyment, ensuring long stretches of the film crawl along ensuring attention dithers.

                By the end Leviathan seems unperturbed with relaying any true meaning or opinion on the fishing industry, other than to explore the gargantuan operation that it is and expose the isolated nature of its process. At points the film shows truly wonderful camera work be it the night-time filming of man vs. waves or the flipping of sea and sky,  and at others it starts to unravel itself through sticking to its guns as a varied selection of image and sound recorded on an actual fishing boat. By the end you cant help but wonder what it would have been like with an orchestral accompaniment.

An interesting look at the epic harsh relationship between modern man and the sea, Leviathan uses innovative camera work and a lack of non-diegetic sound to relay an isolated and chaotic atmosphere; however by the end it proves just as arduous a journey for the viewer.

★★★☆☆

Scott Clark

Eureka Entertainment Buys Rights To The John Hurt Narrated More Than Honey Documentary

Today Eureka Entertainment announces its plans to release the award-winning film More Than Honey in cinemas 23 August. The film asks why bee colonies continue to collapse worldwide and the UK release will feature a brand new narration from legendary actor JOHN HURT.

Beautifully filmed and directed by Oscar nominated Markus Imhoof (The Boat is Full, Les petites Illusions), winner of numerous Best Documentary Awards across international film festivals and stunning cinematography by Jörg Jeshel and Attila Boa, More Than Honey brings sharply into focus our current bee crisis where numerous colonies of bees have been decimated throughout the world with 50% to 90% of bees having disappeared over the past 15 years. With one in three mouthfuls of the food we eat and 80% of plant species dependent on pollination, the honey bee is as indispensable to the economy as it is to man’s survival.

The decline of bees could have an enormous impact on the environment, which is dependent on the insects for pollination. If there is no pollinating insect life, fruits, vegetables, and field crops would be obsolete, leaving the future of much of the world's food supply in question. Or are parasites, new viruses or travelling stress to blame? Seeking answers, the film embarks on a world journey to discover the answers. More Than Honey is the provocative yet touching tale of what may happen if our bees become extinct.

Ian Sadler, Sales Director for Eureka Entertainment commented: “Globally, bee populations are declining significantly and this is an issue for both commercial and non-commercial bee-keepers. Ultimately, if bee populations continue to decline, the impact on just about everything we eat will be enormous. Powerful, beautiful and tragic, More than Honey demonstrates the global nature of the problem, and in doing so captures everything from the awe inspiring emergence of the queen, to the death of a colony.”

More Than Honey will be released theatrically in key cities around the UK and Eire on 23 August 2013.

Tropicalia Review

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 5th July 2013 (Cinema), 8th July 2013 (DVD)
Director: Marcelo Machado
Cast: Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso
Buy: Tropicalia [Blu-ray] / [DVD]

Marcelo Machado shines his light on the revolutionary spirit of Brazil's late 1960's Tropicalism movement in his vibrant documentary, Tropicalia. Tropicalism used musical and visual arts, fusing traditional Brazilian influences with western fashions to create an avant-garde style which was used to confront the country's cultural and political status quo.

Machado has clearly been strongly influenced by the movement which would, by all accounts, go on the inspire such musicians as David Byrne and Beck. His film is a lovingly crafted patchwork of contemporary footage and talking-head interviews. It's a neat balance of styles which imparts a decent sense of history, while immersing the viewer in the visuals and the noises of what was clearly a tempestuous and creative period.

Giants of the movement: Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Tom Ze all share their recollections of what made the period so vital. A bouncing soundtrack from the likes of Os Mutantes provides an intoxicating accompaniment, imparting a discernible sense of time and place.

What's lacking, if anything, is a concise and informative grounding in Brazilian cultural and political history. To a certain degree Tropicalia assumes that you bring that working knowledge with you. All this flag waving and fist pumping is interesting, indeed rousing, but it's sometimes hard to know where this all fits in contextualy. We're repeatedly told that the Tropicalism movement is one of the utmost importance to Brazil; we're rarely told why.

But it's a pretty rum sort who doesn't feel exhilarated by the infectious spontaneity and creativity of Tropicalism. Plonk yourself down to watch this and you'all feel like you've wandered into a beach side cabana bar only to find a Beatles cover band is playing tonight. In which case I imagine you'd grab a caipirinha and thoroughly enjoy yourself.

★★★☆☆

Chris Banks

EIFF 2013 - Before You Know It Review

Despite all the big arrivals at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (we've had The Bling Ring, Monsters University, The East etc.), this year's standout features have all been relatively low key documentaries. Whilst these documentaries may not have the star-power or budgets of this Hollywood fare, the impact and heart of the stories they tell could not be paralleled in any fictional work. Before You Know It is just one of these staggeringly powerful documentaries that will leave viewers thinking well after watching the film.

PJ Raval's Before You Know It looks at the lives of three separate gay seniors living in the USA. Each man has lived a very different life and faced their own challenges, yet all are connected through the strength and guts they fearlessly share.

The film opens with widowed Dennis Creamer, who was long married and lives in the conservative South. Before You Know It details Dennis' move to a gay-friendly Oregon nursing-home and the senior's alternative persona, Dee. The least confident of the three men, Dennis's story is a melancholic one as he discusses his thoughts about suicide, detachment from his relatives and his lonely lifestyle. However, there is also a huge element of warmth and likeability to Dennis - seeing him boast the guts to walk down busy streets in drag (even boarding a Pride float in Dee drag) or embark solo on a youth-heavy gay cruise capture how truly brave this former-veteran is. Raval is an unimposing figure, with Dennis and the film's other subjects always appearing at ease and comforted under the lens.

The second of the seniors is Ty Martin an African-American gay activist for SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) living in traditionally homophobic Harlem. We learn how AIDS/HIV killed many of Ty's friends and follow him through the passing of New York's same-sex marriage bill. Ty's story is slightly more upbeat than Dennis's as it showcases changing attitudes to GLBT citizens in Harlem, where we see the activist set a sidewalk stand to promote SAGE and even see him act as best man in his best friend's same-sex wedding.

The third of these inspiring elders is Robert Mainor, proprietor of trashy Galveston gay bar Robert LaFitte's. Robert claims he was "always out" and provides a lot the humour in Before You Know It, especially in sequences showing the camp senior going hunting for Hawaiian shirts at garage sales or bantering with the dragged up staff performing in his bar. Robert's tale is also a sad one - Paval documents how he lost his partners and takes a lesser role in the bar as a result of continual health problems. However, Robert's tale does remain inspiring - seeing how his bar unites the Texas gay community is heart-warming, as is seeing the love between the staff, clients and Robert.

Before You Know It is reminds us that these seniors have and still continue to pave the way for new generations of LGBT youths and the courage they display shows no bounds. These are touching stories packed with warmth, sadness, fun, and most importantly, strength.

★★★★☆

Andrew McArthur

Director: P J Raval
Release: 29-30th June 2013 (EIFF)

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God DVD Review

In the wake of the Jimmy Saville revelations and Operation Yewtree, you’d be forgiven for thinking that old television personalities from the 70’s had a monopoly on committing shocking sex crimes. There is however an institution even older than the BBC with an equally chequered history when it comes to abuse, the Catholic Church. This record of abuse is the focus of Alex Gibney documentary Mea Maxim Culpa: Silence in the House of God which asks whether the set-up of Catholicism had an implicit part to play in the silence surrounding the multiple cases.

The cases themselves turn out to be numerous and spread worldwide but Gibney’s doc is centred in Boston and on the case of Father Laurence Murphy, the head priest at St. Johns school for the deaf. Murphy was a popular figure among the children there, a hearing adult fluent in sign language and able to communicate and establish a rapour with them – the first abuse of power we witness in this hard-hitting documentary. Via signed talking heads with former pupils of St. Johns we learn how this trust was quickly used by Murphy to establish a horrific ritual of sexual abuse and assertion of control across St. Johns. Narration informs us of the frequent and disturbing practices the priest embarked on throughout his time at the school.

Added to the horror of the revelations we hear are shadowy reconstructions of events, utilising religious iconography and imagery to heighten the terror – so prevalent they are in outright horror films.

Setting the film apart from the countless news articles used as source material, Gibney goes further to examine the complicit role of the church itself in hiding such scandals and therefore forcing those guilty to re-offend. Cases appear across America and the rest of the world and Mea Maxima Culpa goes right to the heart, turning their attention and their cameras towards the Vatican.

Established as its own state under the Mussolini reign, Vatican City is free from traditional Italian law and is instead governed under their established Canal law. This self-serving set of rules enables the church to deal with matters in house, often leading to a lot of sweeping under the carpet and hiding away from public scrutiny.

This sense of unravelling of the truth, under chapter-like headings such as ‘the whistleblower’ and ‘the reckoning’ and the use of sharp editing add a suspense to the film leading it to play out almost like a heist or thriller film and ensures it becomes more than the made for TV special it could be in danger of appearing. The sense of anger of pupils, victims and indeed those within the church who bravely stood up to voice their concerns prevails throughout and, while some are able to seek solace, the continued silence coming from the Vatican is deafening and the most frustrating element of all.

★★★☆☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: 15
DVD Release Date: 24th June 2013 (UK)
Director: Alex Gibney
Cast: Jamey Sheridan, Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke

London's Open City Docs Festival Launches This Month, Win Preview Tickets To Screening

Open City Docs Fest is devoted to exploring the world we live in through the vision of documentary film, and today reveals its programme for 2013.

Highlights of this year’s festival include:

·         A Grand Jury chaired by Jeremy Irons

·         The international premiere of Baltimore doc The 12 O’Clock Boys at the Opening Gala

·         The director’s cut of acclaimed film The Act Of Killing, alongside a masterclass with its director

·         The hotly anticipated Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer doc

·         A screening of the Cannes-accoladed film Sofia’s Last Ambulance

Spanning four-days (20-23 June 2013), this year’s Open City Docs programme of 100+ films includes world premieres, exceptional masterclasses and a grand jury of award-winning directors, producers and authors. The festival takes place at numerous venues across London including the Open City Docs’ special cinema tent, The Bloomsbury Theatre, The Hackney Picturehouse, and venues around University College London campus.

Open City Docs Fest nurtures the next generation of filmmaker by running workshops and screenings throughout the year across London, and is highly accessible - tickets start from just £6. Bold programming includes a discussion on the rise of interactive docs, a focus on where drama meets documentary and films from every corner of the globe.


This year, the festival will open with The 12 O’Clock Boys, a fast-paced and dangerous coming-of-age story from Baltimore. It focuses on Pug, a 13 year-old boy, whose sole ambition is to join the infamous 12 O’Clock Boys biker gang. While the bikers invade the Baltimore inner-city streets, the police are forbidden to chase them, for fear of endangering the public. The screening will be followed by live music from DVA and an opening night party.

The Act Of Killing is sure to become one of the festival’s biggest talking points and has already been dubbed 2013’s most controversial film. It’s a deeply troubling film with the potential to change how audiences think and feel about cinema, focusing on the gangsters who slaughtered communists in a 1965 massacre in Indonesia, documenting their killings through bizarre narrative cinema. The screening is part of Open City Docs’ Theatre Of The Oppressor strand of films - a fresh perspective on a major trend in international documentary this year. The festival welcomes the director to London for an exclusive masterclass on cinema, trauma and memory.

Open City Docs is screening the much-anticipated Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer at The Bloomsbury Theatre at this year’s festival, bringing the sheer devastating power of their art to life and illuminating the ongoing political struggles in the domains of gender and social equality.

The festival will end with Sofia’s Last Ambulance by Bulgarian director, Ilian Metev. This documentary won the France 4 Visionary Award at Cannes in 2012, and whose unlikely heroes save lives against all the odds, while chain-smoking and filling their days with their own brand of humour. Using an unorthodox creative form and avoiding all trace of sensationalism, this film asks how long they can continue to come to the sick and injured’s rescue, through the voices, sounds and lights of one of Sofia’s last ambulances.

Michael Stewart, Open City Docs Fest director, said: “This year we’re asking questions. Questions of filmmakers, questions of artists and also questions of ourselves - part of a provocative programme of films that we are confident will help shape the news agenda in 2013, inspire a new generation of filmmakers and entertain broad audiences from right across London and beyond.

“We want to celebrate the documentarian who changes things. Not only changing their world, but changing our understanding of the wider world. Open City Docs’ unique set of masterclasses, workshops and special events will go some way to equipping audiences with the tools to create their own films.

He added: “The whole team here at Open City Docs and across UCL have worked incredibly hard over the past year to put together our best festival programme yet - we are looking forward to welcoming everyone here at the end of June.”

Amongst the Open City Docs Fest jurors this year are award-winning directors, producers and authors. Jeremy Irons will be joined by Pulitzer bre Prize-winning author Anne Applebaum; BAFTA Award-winning director and producer Molly Dineen;Sundance Award-winning director Kim Longinotto;  Katerina Cizek, the Emmy-winning director of digital documentaryHighrise; and the producer of Into the Abyss, Andre Singer and director Brian Hill (Secret History of Our Streets).

Open City Docs Fest films are organised into thematic strands, that offer unique perspectives on real lives often never seen on screen that challenge the nature of what documentary can be.  Strands include:

Science Frictions; films investigate the impact of medical science on our daily lives. Featuring:

Legally Wasted by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Dan Reed explores the many-headed Hydra that is the market for ‘legal highs’ in the UK. It will be shown conjunction with a director Q&A with a leading criminologist.

Challenging Behaviour is a UK premiere and asks fundamental questions of how we bring up children with autism.

I Am Breathing is an intimate look at human life and legacy as a dying Yorkshire man records a message to his son. It is another UK premiere, screening on Motor Neurone Disease Global Awareness Day.

Hybrid Forms; examines films that transcend the nature of documentary, fiction and art. It features films such as:

To The Wolf, a dark yet beautiful portrait of Greek mountain farmers and their dysfunctional lives, overshadowed by the Greek economic crisis

Wonder House, an international premiere looking at what first makes a scientist explore the world

Elena, a UK premiere of a Brazilian film about a young girl’s cathartic search for her sister, and with it, her identity

Moving Lives focuses on intimate meetings with extraordinary characters, featuring films such as:

Grass, an international premiere of a Turkish film about family, identity and struggle.

A Dream In The Making, a UK premiere of a Polish film set in Warsaw, following a young man with big dreams of becoming a stuntman

Matthew’s Laws, a UK premiere asking profound questions of how society should make room for people with autism - this will be accompanied by a director Q&A, chaired by Jonathan Wolff from UCL’s Philosophy dept

Power Struggles explores anxieties over access to energy, its sustainability and solutions for the future, with films like:

Black Out which depicts Guinean children’s search for light at airports and petrol stations so that they can continue studying after dark

Powerless, an international premiere about an Indian Robin Hood-figure who taps into the Indian electricity lines and diverting electricity from the rich to those who can’t afford it

Solar Mamas, a film showing a Bedouin woman’s journey to becoming a solar engineer against the wishes of her husband and her community

City Stories covers cinematic negotiations of the urban environment are covered by the strand:

Andreas Dalsgaard’s film The Human Scale which attempts to reconcile the design of modern mega-cities with human intimacy. This film screening will be followed by a panel discussion with representatives from Publica and Gehl Architects.

Grasp the Nettle, a world première of a UK group’s efforts to establish an alternative society outside of consumerism, eventually occupying Parliament Square.

Tchoupitoulas which follows the Zanders brothers’ night-time adventure in the heart of the vibrant city of New Orleans.

World Visions showcases new narrative perspectives on global journalism, such as:

Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer, on one of the biggest global news stories of 2012 - the trial of three members of Pussy Riot, a feminist collective who protested the Russian church and state.

Iceland, Year Zero which focuses on the aftermath of the collapse of the three main banks in Iceland of 2008, which plunged a nation into bankruptcy

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear, a fascinating portal into post-Soviet Georgian society through intimate interviews with teenagers by Tinatin Gurchiani who won Best Director at Sundance.

The Theatre Of The Oppressor strand takes as its theme the new trend in cinema focusing on perpetrators as protagonists. The strand features films such as:

The Act of Killing, a disturbing powerful work on the nature of catharsis, through recreating the narrative of mercenary killings during the massacre of communists in Indonesia in 1965. The screening will be followed by a directors’ Q&A, and the director will also be hosting a masterclass on the filmmaking process and its ethics.

No Man’s Land interviews a mercenary in his sixties, revealing the cruelties and paradoxes of power.

Duch: Master of the Forges of Hell, a film by masterful Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panth focusing around an interview of the man who ran the notorious S-21 Khmer Rouge Prison where at least 12, 280 people lost their lives.

Music Docs; are films at the intersection of sound, art and storytelling.

Nocturne a UK premiere of Tony Palmer’s documentary on Benjamin Britten, examining the artist’s role.

Turning steps into the world of Antony And The Johnsons on a live tour, a series of intimate portraits.

In addition to the exciting and extensive screening programme, there will be the opportunity to participate in interactive workshops and masterclasses with acclaimed directors.

Workshops this year include:

Searching for an Escape in 70 mins - Working with filmmaker Chris Martin, invited participants will construct a short in-camera-edited film looking at the themes present in Jaywick Escapes (a film about an Essex seaside town) such as: How do you define home? What do you do to escape? Where do we go from here?

Filming to Change the World - What makes a documentary make a difference? - an interactive session on how documentaries can propel change, whether political or social

and there will be masterclasses such as:

Digital Documentary in the 21st Century, with Katarina Cizek - exploring a new kind of documentary practice born from the possibilities of storytelling through the internet such as interactive collaboration and immersive onlien experiences

Cinema and Memory with Joshua Oppenheimer - the director of The Act of Killing discusses the ethics raised in the film-making process and the interplay of fiction and non-fiction in re-telling community memories.

Fancy winning tickets for a screening of I Am Breathing to be screened on 21st June? Head over to here(link take you to our main site at thepeoplesmovies.com), remember for more information head over to Open City Docs official website and to purchase tickets too. Be different watch a Documentary instead!Before you book your tickets check out the festival's official trailer



 The OPEN CITY DOCS FEST runs from 20-23 June in London. www.opencitydocsfest.com

Watch 20 Minute Behind The Scenes Documentary On Martin Scorsese's After Hours

2012 marked the 70th birthday of probably cinemas most intelligent film autuer, the living film encyclopedia Martin Scorsese. Like any landmark birthday the urge to have an nostalgic look back at that particular  persons work is infectiously curious and how could you resist?

When  you dive through the archives you always come across a film you didn't realise they made or just simply forgotten about. Back in 1980's it's common knowledge Scorsese attempted to direct The Last Temptation of Christ but something prevented him for making it but in 1985 instead he made one of his most underrated films After Hours.

Like many little unknown films it's years later before you really appreciate the quality of what you've just watched. After Hours is a kafka-esque surreal black comedy starring Griffin Dunne a young man who crosses paths with a pretty young girl (Rosanna Arquette) at a coffee shop in what turns into a unforgettable night but when you think nothing can go wrong, things go wrong drastically.

The good folks at No Film School have come across this 20 minute documentary which has a brief look at the film talking to the cast especially Dunne and of course Scorsese. You can here some of the reasons why Last Temptation of Christ never materialized but could you say Scorsese has made an movie like this again? Highly unlikely, there's also about 8 or 9 minutes of deleted scenes to be watched here to in a video that's actually quite funny overall too.

EIFF 2013: Watch The We Steal Secrets:Story Of WikiLeaks Trailer

Secrets can be precious but most of the time there dirty but when you reveal them  would you be classified as traitor even a terrorist? Julian Assange to some is regarded as a defender of free speech and in Alex Gibney's  We Steal Secrets: Story Of Wikileaks you can decide for yourselves check out the UK trailer below.

Julian Assange an Australian hacker come activist  whose website WikiLeaks a site which has revealed those nasty secrets many governments rather you not know or read about which has seen the Aussie owner found himself locked up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The question is how balanced will this documentary be and will it tackle 'whistle blowing' as an honorable thing and Assange is the real life Spooky Mulder who knows the truth is out there and it must be told?

Gibney is no stranger to controversy or attacking the capitalist dream or political scandal with Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room,Client 9: The Rise And Fall Of Eliot Spitzer) and Taxi To The Dark Side among his previous exposes. Who is US army private Bradley Manning? To many his Assange's source that has made Assange numero uno with the American government, despite commiting the so called worst breaches of should he be in jail not Assange? Hopefully this documentary may shed some light on this whole affair or will this leave us pondering?



We Steal Secrets: Story Of WikiLeaks is due a UK release on 12th July or catch the UK premier at this months Edinburgh Film Festival on 25th and 26th June.

Synopsis

Filmed with the startling immediacy of unfolding history, Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney’s WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS details the creation of Julian Assange’s controversial website, which facilitated the largest security breach in US history. Hailed by some as a free-speech hero and others as a traitor and terrorist, the enigmatic Assange’s rise and fall are paralleled with that of PFC Bradley Manning, the brilliant, troubled young soldier who downloaded hundreds of thousands of documents from classified US military and diplomatic servers, revealing the behind-the-scenes workings of the government’s international diplomacy and military strategy.

In seeking to expose abuse in the corridors of power, Assange and Manning were undermined by forces within and without, as well as by their own human failings. WE STEAL SECRETS: THE STORY OF WIKILEAKS is a riveting, multi-layered tale about transparency in the information age and our ever-elusive search for the truth

 Source: First Published at The People's Movies

Chronicle Of A Summer Blu-Ray Review

Made during the summer of 1960 by anthropologist filmmaker Jean Rouch and sociologist Edgar Morin, Chronicle of a Summer set out to record the everyday lives of a diverse array of Parisians through an highly influential approach to documentary filmmaking that made use of an original mixture of intimate interviews, debates, and observation.

The idea for the film arose when Rouch and Morin served as members of the jury for the first International Festival of Ethnographic Film in Florence, 1959. Rouch remembers Morin approaching him with the following question: “You have made all your films abroad; do you know anything about contemporary France?” Morin then proposed that Rouch should move away from his devotion to African rituals and customs and instead turn his gaze onto the Parisians “and do anthropological research about my own tribe.”

The film hinged on a simple theme: ‘How do you live?’ For Morin, this was a question that “should encompass not only the way of life (housing, work) but also ‘How do you manage in life?’ and
'What do you do with your life?’” These questions were tackled through the film’s redefined approach to the documentary form which was, as the opening voice-over announces, “made without actors but lived by men and women who devoted some of their time to a novel experiment of film-truth’,” or, as it is more commonly known, cinéma vérité.

The film’s interviews, debates, and observations reveal many fascinating insights into Parisian society at the onset of the 1960s. We witness factory workers and mechanics who talk about the oppressive nature of daily work and life; with one interviewee evoking the words of Albert Camus as read in his The Myth of Sisyphus. Then there are the debates surrounding the independence wars in Algeria and Congo which situate the film within discussions of racism and decolonisation.

More recently, Chronicle of a Summer has been read by Richard Brody as “one of the greatest, and perhaps the primordial, Holocaust film.” This interpretation of Rouch and Morin’s documentary as a ‘Holocaust film’ can be seen in the story of Marceline. We are first introduced to Marceline at the beginning of the film; first as an interviewee for the filmmakers’ as they make a first attempt at their experimental documentary technique, and then as an interviewer asking random passers-by: “Are you happy?” It isn’t until much later in the film that the numbered tattoo on her arm is revealed.

Immediately after the revelation that Marceline was a Holocaust survivor, the film presents us with its most intense, haunting, beautiful, and powerful scene. Marceline walks along an almost deserted Place de la Concorde, reminiscing about her experience of the Occupation. Far from making this film one about the Holocaust, what this scene demonstrates is a direct link between the legacy of the Second World War and France’s position as a colonial power clinging onto its territories during a time of decolonisation.

As this review as shown, it is often the filmmakers themselves who can provide the best analysis of their film. So I will end this piece on the excellent Chronicle of a Summer with two quotes by Morin. The first quote relates to the films questioning of how much reality and truth is presented in documentary filmmaking: “I thought we would start from a basis of truth and that an even greater truth would develop. Now I realise that if we achieved anything, it was to present the problem of truth.”

The final quote is taken from the films end in which Rouch and Morin pace up and down the Musée de l’Homme before Morin states: “We wanted to make a film about love, but it turns out to be about indifference.”

★★★★½

Shane James

Rating: 12
DVD/BD Release Date: 27th May 2013 (UK)
Director: Edgar Morin, Jean Rouch
Cast: Marceline Loridan Ivens, Landry, Régis Debray

Buy: Chronicle of a Summer (DVD + Blu-ray)

West Of Memphis DVD Review

West of Memphis is the 4th documentary on the subject of the West Memphis 3. It’s the first that is not part of the Paradise Lost series. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh funded it though their WingNut film company. It’s sort of a condensed version of the Paradise Lost series which is good thing cause those are all feature length so it’s quite epic in scope.

In case you have been living under a rock; the West Memphis 3 were 3 teenage boys who wrongly accused of “satanic murder” of three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. There was very little evidence to point the blame to these boys however they were convicted of the crimes. They also were screwed after Jessie Misskelley (one of the 3 convicted boys) was tricked into doing a false confession due to his borderline mental retardation. They eventually spent over 18 years in federal prison. They were basically convicted because they were goth/metal kids that the locals didn’t like. It also was around the time of the satanic cult panic of the early 90s so it was easy to blame it on satanic cults. They eventually got out after pleading guilty but maintaining their innocence.

The film unlike the Paradise Lost goes into quite a bit to detail on the possible suspect Terry Hobbs. Terry was one of the victims’ stepfather and had a history of violence and is a very shady figure and has a very questionable alibi. Paradise Lost 2 is mostly about Mark Byers (one of the fathers of the murder kids) who for a long time was a the key suspect for WM3 supporters but eventually DNA ruled him out. It does however go though the entire case so people who haven’t seen Paradise Lost will get a good grasp of the case.

The documentary is slightly glossier than the Paradise Lost series probably due to Peter Jackson and Sony’s involvement with the film. This is not a bad thing cause it condenses the story to be easier digested for a casual viewer. It’s overall a extremely well made film about one of the worst miscarriages of justice in the recent memory.

★★★★½

Ian Schultz

Rating: 15
DVD Release Date: 20th May 2013
Director:Amy Berg
Cast: Michael Baden, Mark Byers, Henry Rollins, Holly Ballard

Buy:West of Memphis On DVD [2012]

Sundance London 2013: Blood Brother Review

Sweeping up the documentary awards at the American Sundance, Blood Brother is director Steve Hooper’s tale of his best friends journey to India that quickly became more than the gap-year soul searching experience he intended.

Rocky Braat’s move from Pittsburgh was born out of that nagging existential crisis that at times can plague us all. Desperate to fill the void in his life and aware of the possibilities that lay past the barriers of routine American life, he ditched his career as a graphic designer, booked his ticket and embarked on the road well travelled to the world’s spiritual Mecca. What followed was a life-changing experience not often shared by those passing through to grab a slice of ‘finding themselves’ before strapping on their backpack and covering themselves in neon paint to puke their new found selves’ guts out on a beach in Thailand.

The change was as whimsical as it was dramatic. At a loose end, Rocky agreed to take in a local centre for children suffering with HIV expecting to feel sad for an allotted amount of time before departing for an adventure elsewhere around the country. His usual ambivalence to children was instantly shattered by what he saw, children who not only had nothing but also suffered from this most deadly of diseases yet wore the smiles of stage children, brimming with constant enthusiasm and unabashed happiness.

Knowing then where his future lay, he cancelled the rest of his trip to stay with the children and when his visa ran out returned to the US only to sell all of his possessions and raise funds for a return trip. Quickly becoming known as Rocky Anna (meaning brother), his affection for these children was the catalyst for friend Hoover to join him overseas and document his experience.

We’ve become slightly numb to these sights, grown cynical of those white faces on Comic Relief, dipping their toe in poverty before fleeing on first-class plane tickets, our British sense of level-headedness and famed stiff upper lip often getting in the way of fully embracing projects like these. However, there’s a lack of pretence with Rocky who seems as sincere and genuine in his mission as anyone can be, making it difficult to throw some of this cynicism his way. Immersing himself completely in village life he’s able to gain the trust of the adults after they witness the rapport and affection he has forged with their children.

Along the way we see the emotional, physical and mental burden faced by Rocky that makes his an even more worthy cause. His warmth and care for the children is that most overused and derided of words – heart-warming which, apparent on screen, only adds to the sadness when one is taken ill or silently passes away in the middle of the night.

It’s often difficult to watch these kinds of films/images without a certain level of scepticism – do-gooder American saves poor third world problem – but in Blood Brother that slowly gets wiped away. Rocky has worn us down, our cynicism faded, stiff upper lip softened and faith in human kindness partially restored. Who would’ve thought it would take an American slacker to do that?

★★★★☆

Matthew Walsh

Rating: NR
Festival Date:27th/28th April 2013
Director: Steve Hoover
Cast: Rocky Braat, Steve Hoover

Marcelo Marcheda's Topicalaa To Get An Limited UK Cine Release Watch Trailer

Tropicalia, or Tropicalism, is one of Brazil's most significant cultural movements. Born in the late 1960s by a collective of like-minded souls, it used music and visual arts as a voice to confront the cultural and political establishment. And now the scene and its key players are explored in Marcelo Machado's fascinating new film Tropicalia.

This vibrant feature documentary explores this iconic and era-changing time in Brazil's history with material lovingly gleaned from the archives, stunning images, and the testimony of the group's protagonists including Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Tom Ze, Arnaldo and Sergio Dias, from the band Os Mutantes, whose controversial thoughts, music and behaviour resulted in prison and exile for its leaders.

Then of course there is the music, the 'Tropicalistas' created pop songs, mixing traditional Brazilian folk and the north hemisphere's rock which created a sound never heard before and which has since inspired and influenced many high profile musicians including David Byrne, Damon Albarn and Beck.

Director Marcelo Machado grew up listening to the music and was inspired to document this influential, important scene in Tropicalia which comes to UK cinemas on 5 July 2013 followed by a DVD release on 7 July 2013 from Mr Bongo Films.

I AM BREATHING to screen as part of the 2013 Edinburgh Film Festival, kicking off a Global Screening Day

Critically-acclaimed feature documentary I AM BREATHING will raise money and awareness for Global Motor Neurone Disease Awareness Day on 21st June 2013 through a global screening day, launching with the UK Premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival the previous day (20th June 2013). Scottish Documentary Institute (SDI) and the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) will collaborate to promote awareness and raise funds with cinema and community screenings of the film all over the world on 21st June 2013.  Participating so far are the Balkans, Australia, USA, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Russia and New Zealand.

I Am Breathing is the hard-hitting story of Neil Platt – a thirty-three-year-old Yorkshireman who contracted Motor Neurone’s Disease. Paralyzed from the neck down with only months to live, he tells his story to help raise awareness around his devastating disease and dedicates the film to his one-year-old son Oscar.  Collaborating with filmmakers Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon onI Am Breathing, he used his remaining months to communicate about his illness. He also wrote a blog and committed himself to playing a part in making MND history by inspiring a community of people to join the fight.

I Am Breathing is a co-production between SDI Productions and Danish Documentary, with investments by Creative Scotland, Danish Film Institute, Wellcome Trust, MND Association and the former UK Film Council. Broadcasters involved in the production are Channel 4, DR (Denmark) and YLE (Finland).

Directors Morag McKinnon and Emma Davie of I Am Breathing said: “When we started filming with Neil, it was very much from his initiative.  He put out a request in his blog for anyone involved in the media to come and speak to him. We planned initially to make a short film for MND but somehow his ambition, honesty and desire to communicate pushed it to be a much bigger film. I Am Breathing, like the blog is about creating community around this horrendous disease –reminding us of a humanity in the midst of such suffering. This community grows with every screening – just as Neil planned.”

Farah Nazeer, Director of External Affairs for MNDA, said: “We know that raising awareness of MND is incredibly important to our members. I Am Breathing gives us a unique opportunity to reach out and educate people with no previous knowledge of the disease.”

Sonja Henrici, Producer of I Am Breathing said: "We love exploring new partnerships with festivals, organisations, venues and audiences. MNDA has believed in our film from the start, and through them we initiated the Global Screening Day to coincide with the MND/ALS Global Awareness Day. We are excited that Edinburgh, where Neil and Louise met, will be the hub of our Global Screening Day in partnership with Edinburgh International Film Festival. These collaborations are essential for experimenting with such a multi-platform release. We are keen to hear from other people and organisations who want to participate and expand the vision of this release.”

Chris Fujiwara, Artistic Director of EIFF, said, “We’re proud to host the premiere of this shattering film. I Am Breathing is a documentary that says a great deal, with great eloquence and heart, about the ability of humanity to sustain and express itself under the most terrible limitations.”

For more information about how you can play your part in supporting awareness for I AM BREATHING Global Screening Day and to host your own screening of the film, go to www.iambreathingfilm.com/global

www.iambreathingfilm.com

@breathingfilm

BFI To Release The Coi Collection Volume 8 - Your Children And You This April

The latest volume in the BFI’s ongoing series of film collections from the archives of the Central Office of Information, Your Children and You, released on 15 April, takes a look at social attitudes towards parenting and children in the post-war era. Hand-knitted woollies, a short back and sides, strict family roles, kids being encouraged to play outside, cut-glass English accents and endlessly charming boys and girls are all in evidence. And, somewhat surprisingly perhaps, there are no slaps, slippers or canes are to be found anywhere.

From post-war films to promote healthy eating, good schooling and getting your little ones off to sleep – three crucial issues for today’s parents – to a 1980s documentary on Mary Warnock’s work around ethical issues in the early days of IVF, this unique collection charts our ever-evolving attitudes to child-rearing.

On 15 April 2013 the BFI releases Your Children and You, a fascinating DVD collection of Government-sponsored films from 1946-1985 advising parents, teachers, students and carers on pregnancy, birth, parenting, childhood, child development, child psychology and school days.

From 1940s films promoting healthy eating, good schooling and getting your little ones off to sleep - three crucial issues for today's parents - to a 1980s documentary on Mary Warnock's work around ethical issues in the early days of IVF, this unique collection charts our ever-evolving attitudes to child-rearing.

The majority of films here were made during the 1940s, when a spike in the birth rate immediately after World War II meant there was a pressing need to give clear and effective instructions to first-time parents on the dos and don'ts of bringing up baby.

Highlights of the collection include: Your Children and You (1946), an unexpectedly contemporary guide to the practicalities of caring for babies and youngsters; Children Growing Up with Other People (1947), an observational film about childhood and adolescence; The Three A's: A County Modern School (1947), a portrait of the pioneering and idyllic-looking Allertonshire County Modern School in North Yorkshire; Charley Junior's Schooldays (1949), in which Halas and Batchelor colour animation illustrates the workings of the new Education Act; and Children's Thought and Language (1971), which looks at the development of language and reasoning amongst young children.

Also included are four complementary bonus films about childbirth and motherhood from the collection held in the Wellcome Library, giving an insight into the pre-NHS health and welfare landscape before 1948. Three of the films feature newly recorded soundtracks. Bathing and Dressing (1935) is a meticulous demonstration of how to bathe and change a very young baby, Toxaemia of Pregnancy (1958) is an educational film about this serious condition, Maternity: A Film of Queen Charlotte's Hospital (1935) is about antenatal and postnatal care in the 1930s, and Childbirth as an Athletic Feat (1939) demonstrates antenatal exercises suitable for mothers-to-be.

Disc One
• Your Children and You (1946)
• Children Growing Up with Other People (1947)
• Your Children's Meals (1947)
• The Three A's: A County Modern School (1947)
• Charley Junior's Schooldays (1949)
…plus bonus Wellcome Library films:
• Bathing and Dressing, Parts 1 & 2 (1935) (new soundtrack)
• Toxaemia of Pregnancy (1958) (original audio)

Disc Two
• Your Children's Sleep (1948)
• A Family Affair (1950)
• Child Welfare (1962)
• Children's Society: Aunts and Uncles (1960)
• Children's Thought and Language (1971)
• A Woman's Place (Test Tube Babies) (1985)
…plus bonus Wellcome Library films:
• Maternity: A film of Queen Charlotte's Hospital (1932) (new musical accompaniment)
• Childbirth as an Athletic Feat (1939) (new musical accompaniment)

In addition to the four Wellcome Library films, there is an illustrated booklet with essays and film notes by BFI National Archive curators and Wellcome Library experts.

Pre-order/buy:COI Collection: Volume 8 - Your Children and You [DVD]