Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover revealed

Bristol UNESCO City of Film and its partners have announced nine free film events aimed at celebrating “unique aspects of Bristol’s culture and identity”.

Organised as one of the activities under the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project, the Summer Film Takeover ranges from bicycle-powered screenings and family-friendly animation workshops to night-time projections onto city walls, block parties and immersive film installations.

“We’ll be marking milestones including the 75th anniversary of Windrush, 100 years of 16mm film and 50 years of hip hop influence on Bristol’s culture, all through different screen experiences,” says Natalie Moore, Bristol UNESCO City of Film Manager.

Here’s the programme in full:

The Bamboo Club in St. Pauls. On May 26, 1973, you could have seen Bob Marley and the Wailers playing here.

Windrush 75: Stories Through Film (Thur 22 – Sat 24 June)
Locations: Vintage Mobile Cinema Bus, Broadmead West BS1 3DS
& Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Queens Road BS8 1RL
A chance to celebrate the contribution of Bristol’s African-Caribbean community to the city through films that mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush. The Vintage Mobile Cinema Bus at Broadmead offers a specially curated programme of films from June 22-24. Plus, on the evening of 22 June, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery hosts for the premiere screening of award-winning filmmaker Clive Smith’s Bristol’s Arfikan-Caribbean Legends of Martial Arts.

A Wall is a Screen (Hamburg). Pic: Nadine Mayer

A Wall is a Screen: Secrets of the Old City (Fri 30th Jun)
Location: Bristol’s Old City, starting on Corn Street BS1 1HT
Encounters and Hamburg-based collective A Wall is a Screen promise a film night like no other. The first of two guided evening walking tours (the second is on 16 September) exploring hidden architectural gems of Bristol’s Old City streets and featuring a curated selection of short films projected onto nearby buildings to watch along the way.

Bristol Cycle Cinema (Sat 22 – Sun 23 July)
Location: College Green BS1 5TR
Local expanded cinema curators Compass Presents will be programming a weekend of free outdoor cinema on College Green, with something to suit all ages. In addition to back-to-back cult classics, audiences will be invited to hop on one of 40 static bikes that will generate electricity to contribute to powering the screen.

Summer of Soul Expanded Screening & Afterparty (Sat 29 July)
Location: The Galleries Car Park Basement, Broadmead BS1 3DT
An ‘expanded cinema’ screening of Sundance award winner Summer of Soul, followed by an underground funk ‘n’ soul party. Presented by Compass Presents as part of the seventh edition of Cinema Rediscovered, the UK’s leading festival of classic cinema.

100 Years of 16mm (Sun 30 July)
Location: The Crypt of St John, St John on the Wall, Broad Street BS1 2EZ
A celebration of the analogue sensory splendour of 16mm in its centenary year. Workshops in splicing, dicing and projecting your own 16mm film will roll alongside a programme of short films. Plus, ‘live score performance activations’ from a very special guest. Presented by Compass Presents as part of the seventh edition of Cinema Rediscovered, the UK’s leading festival of classic cinema.

The 4 Pillars: 50 Years of Hip Hop (Sat 12 Aug)
Location: Sparks Bristol, 74-78 Broadmead BS1 3DS
Film, music and more… Freestyle CIC and Bris-Story present a day of free screenings and activities to celebrate Hip Hop’s 50th birthday, exploring its four pillars – breakdancing, graffiti, DJing and rap – and how it has helped influence Bristol’s culture.

Aardman@Sparks (Fri 18 – Sun 20 Aug)
Location: Sparks Bristol, 74-78 Broadmead BS1 3DS
A weekend of free Aardman workshops and film screenings, taking place in Bristol’s new sustainability hub. Expect fun for all the family.

Illusions of Movement (Fri 15 – Sat 16 Sept)
Location: Waddelow Hall, Broadmead Baptist Church, 1 Whippington Court, Broadmead BS1 3HY
An innovative film installation. Experience how humans explore animation and film to bring imagination and storytelling to life. Created by Limbic Cinema, this immersive projection uses multi-screen visuals, light and sound to celebrate the power of moving image.

A Wall is a Screen: Secrets of the Old City (Sat 16 Sept)
Location: Bristol’s Old City, starting on Corn Street BS1 1HT
Another chance to catch this unique ‘film night’ meets ‘guided city tour’. Spend the evening touring lesser-known corners of the Old City’s streets, watching a curated selection of short films projected onto Bristol buildings as you go. Presented by Encounters Festival and Hamburg-based collective A Wall is a Screen.

All events are free, but some may be ticketed on a first come, first served basis. Go here for further information.