Get involved with our exciting new project which shines a light on archival films from the past depicting the lives of Black people in London.
Through research, digitisation and community events we are unearthing films in our screen archives, cataloguing new material and re-interpreting collections.
This year we will be bringing these archive films back to communities through film screenings, workshops and events across London. See below for more information of what is coming up.
The project aims to create a space where we can discuss the importance celebrating and preserving the Black experience in London and highlight the crucial role screen archives play in preserving stories from the past.
We are currently working with partners including The New Black Film Collective, Black Cultural Archives, June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive, Hackney Archives and Southwark Archives with the support of the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to begin addressing the current lack of Black stories in London’s screen archives.
COMMUNITY FILM DIGITISATION
All lives and stories are important to preserve for the next generation.
As part of the project funding we can help individuals and groups from the Black community digitise their film material. Whether on video or celluloid formats, most film is at risk from deterioration and would benefit from digitisation.
We will work closely with individuals or groups to digitise film material in the most equitable way, explaining and involving you in the process every step of the way. We will produce a digital copy for you to keep and discuss whether you would like to share your films with one of our partner archives for future preservation. We can also work with you to support the creation or continuation of your own film archive with the right archival conditions.
If you have you have any home movies or other films that you would like digitised and preserved please contact us on screenheritage@filmlondon.org.uk or 0207 613 7674, or sign up to our newsletter and watch this space for upcoming events.
UPCOMING EVENTS
20 November | 4 pm – 7 pm @ John Harvard Library, Southwark: Home Movie Viewing Event
27 November | 4 pm @ Stratford Library: Blink Twice
29 November | 3 pm @ Stratford Library: Newham Archives Tour
29 November | 4 pm @ Stratford Library: Goodbye Julia
5 December | 7 pm – 9 pm @ Bernie Grant Arts Centre: Drylongso
London’s Screen Archives Conference 2024
28 November | 9.30 am – 5 pm @ London Museum Docklands
We’re delighted to announce the 2024 London’s Screen Archives conference will take place at London Museum Docklands this November, with artist filmmaker John Akomfrah delivering a keynote fireside chat with Film London CEO Adrian Wootton.
The conference will be centred around ‘Undocumented’, an LSA project which seeks to address the gaps in representation in our film archives in London, delivered in partnership with The New Black Film Collective and supported by the BFI, awarding National Lottery Funding.
Curated for those in the archive sector, museums and heritage, artists, filmmakers and students interested in heritage, the programme will include panels and presentations on the themes of Black home movies, community engagement, decolonising archives, and creative use of archive material. See programme below, more speakers to be announced soon.
Tickets include a vegetarian/vegan lunch and refreshments throughout the day. LSA members receive a 50% discount and students receive a 75% discount on the general admission price. LSA Champion Members are eligible for free tickets, please contact screenheritage@filmlondon.org.uk for more information on how to claim your free ticket. We want to make this event as accessible to all as possible so if you need any financial assistance to attend this event please contact screenheritage@filmlondon.org.uk.
Communities on Camera
6 December | 4 pm @ St Michaels and All Angels Church, N16 7ED
Did you know that video footage only lasts about 30 years unless it’s stored properly? This means anything shot on video from 1994 or earlier is already at risk of deteriorating!
You are invited to bring your own home movies and join us in a discussion about how to preserve these vital records for future generations. London’s Screen Archives (LSA) will be present throughout the day, offering insights into the significance of celluloid and vintage video film formats. They’ll provide video players and small gauge viewers, so you can watch your home movies, even if you don’t have access to the equipment at home. We’ll also be screening films from LSA’s collections that explore Black heritage in London, highlighting the rich and diverse narratives that have shaped our communities.
By safeguarding these films—whether footage of significant events or mundane clips of daily life—we are preserving the evidence of how we’ve built our homes, nurtured our communities, and loved radically.
Drop in at any point throughout 4pm-7pm.
