Saturday 9 June 2007

Anarchy in the UK @ the BFI

Free Live Music: Punk DJ Set. Finish off the day’s events with a relaxing drink in Benugo’s bar and enjoy the very best that Punk Rock has to offer. 9th June '07 - BFI Southbank - 2030hrs - Free

Anarchy in the UK @ the BFI

Free Screening: The ‘Directors Cut’ of Chaos! ‘Ex Pistols Secret History: The Dave Goodman Story, with an introduction from Phil Strongman. A documentary about the history of one of the most influential and notorious punk bands ever, the Sex Pistols. The Pistols’ first producer, Dave Goodman, gives his views on the band and their impact. The documentary features what is arguably the ‘definitive’ Malcolm McLaren interview as well as appearances from Punk icons like Don Letts, Viviene Westwood and Glen Matlock. (Dir. Phil Strongmam- Cert. 15- 96 minutes) 9th June '07 - The Studio @ BFI Southbank - 1930hrs - Free

Anarchy in the UK @ the BFI

Free Discussion/Forum: London Vs. The Faraway Towns. Take a look at most punk histories and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the King’s Road, the 100 Club, Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols were the only significant elements of the punk movement. Combined with the material in the Mediatheque, this discussion will investigate the affect Punk had on the provincial towns and cities of Britain as well as the capital. Mark Simpson will lead the discussion, with contributions also coming from the writer Alex Ogg (recent Punk history No More Heroes) as well as prominent figure of the 1970s Punk scene Phil Strongman, and punk fan and academic Russell Bestley. 9th June '07 - The Studio @ BFI Southbank - 1800hrs - Free

Anarchy in the UK @ the BFI

Free Live Music: Acoustic Punk. A selection of classic punk tracks alongside more contemporary material with a punk influence. Hear songs from a mixture of bands as divers as the Clash and the Buzzcocks to Blink 182 and The Libertines. Acts that will be performing include Paul England (ex-lead guitarist and backing vocalist from Peterborough based MySpace.Com sensations State of Freedom)... 9th June '07 - BFI Southbank - 1600hrs - Free

Anarchy in the UK @ the BFI

Free Screening: Punk Home Movies: The Captain Zip Video Trip with an introduction from Captain Zip himself. Phil Munnoch, also known as Captain Zip, is a veteran amateur filmmaker. His unique films captured the grass roots Punk scene of London’s King’s Road between 1978 and 1981. Two of these films are silent and will be accompanied by punk vinyl from Zip’s own collection- almost as if he was screening them for you in his front room.
Following the screening there will be a Free panel discussion that asks the question Is Punk Dead?
Conventional Punk histories will tell you Punk died in 1978, when the Sex Pistols’ disastrous tour of America came to an end and Johnny Rotten left the band. The final safety pin in the coffin came a year later when Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose. However, Punk’s influence was felt throughout Britain for many years after and some suggest that its influence can still be felt today. This discussion will investigate Punk’s impact on British Society since 1976 and try to pinpoint when, if at all, Punk died. Contributions will be made by a mixed group of academics (Dr. Lucy Robinson- University of Sussex), filmmakers (Captain Zip) and music journalists (Mark Sinker). 9th June '07 - The Studio @ BFI Southbank - 15:30hrs - Free
Free Fanzine Workshop: The Do-It-Yourself Aesthetic and Riot Grrrl. For the majority of Punk fans, fanzines were the only way to get involved in the local Punk scene. Written by fans - for fans, these hand-written, illustrated and photocopied publications demonstrated the ethos behind the Punk movement: To Get up and Do It Yourself! This workshop will allow participants to contribute a page to the BFI’s Film Fanzine, which will then be housed in the BFI National Archive, becoming a unique piece of social history that depicts film culture in 2007. Participants will also receive a copy of their page to take away with them. 9th June '07 - The Project Space @ BFI Southbank - 1330hrs - Free

Friday 1 June 2007

Anarchy in the UK @ the BFI

Free Exhibition: Hitsville UK: Punk in the Faraway Town, The Graphic Language of Punk 1976-1984 Russell Bestley
‘This exhibition is both a celebration of the wide range of graphic approaches adopted by punk sleeve designers, and an attempt to redress the balance of recent punk ‘histories’ which focus purely on a short-lived series of events based around the King’s Road and Oxford Street. It is based on the mapping and grouping of a wide range of punk-related seven inch single sleeves across the period 1976 to 1984, and seeks to tell a wider, more inclusive story of the punk years.’
(Russell Bestley, Hitsville UK: Punk in the Faraway Towns, catalogue, p.3) June '07 - BFI Southbank - Free

Punk Hits the Mediatheque

Thirty years ago Punk Rock conqured the nation. Far beyond the King's Road, Punk became part of life on every high street. It was the anarchic voice of Britain's rebellious youth and a thorn in the side of those busy enjoying the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations. The Mediatheque revives the spirit of punk with a collection that tells the story of the music, its fans and its effect on the UK. These films and television programmes are not just about the familiar scene in London. Away from the Capital the scene was vital and exciting too, and lasted a lot longer. So sit back and enjoy the sounds of Manchester, Belfast, Derry, London and Huddersfield... The Anarchy in the UK season runs in the Mediatheque from the 1st June 2007 and is FREE. Just turn up, make yourself at home and enjoy... The Mediatheque is open Tues 13:00 - 20:00, Wed - Sun 11:00 - 20:00

Tuesday 22 May 2007

BFI Southbank

Have you visited the BFI Southbank yet? There's no denying it: this is more than a showcase for moving image culture. It's a destination to make time for, and a great place to be. Come here to relax, network, browse, shop, eat, drink and be merry...you'll find the films are rather good too.
As well as housing the old National Film Theatre screens, the new BFI Southbank has so much more to offer when it comes to contemporary film culture.
Whether you want to shop in the Filmstore, relax with a coffee in watch the world go by, or investigate the world where art and the moving image meet in our new Gallery space.
The highlight of the new building though is without question the Mediatheque. Designed by leading British Architects, the Mediatheque will change the way you think about archives, offering unparalleled access to hundreds of film and television titles drawn from the BFI National Archive.