Hackney Independent Film Day: Standing Room Only!

The 2005 Film Day proved to be a major attraction on Sunday November 20, with a full house testifying to it’s appeal.

The first short film shown was Their World This Time, a modern documentary on the post-WWII squatting movement. It particularly focused on the spirit of co-operation as people found themselves having to take both public and private property for themselves and their families.

Not a Penny on the Rents from 1968 was a short 20 minute film covering the successful GLC tenants rebellion against 100% rent increases. In black and white, time can never age its central message: unity is strength.

The Nick Broomfield early features were particularly powerful. The first, Who Cares?, looked at slum clearance in Liverpool L8, while the second from 1974 concentrated on a rent strike in Kirby where the majority of tenants had been rehoused. Provoking both plenty of laughter and anger in equal measure, the working class opinions on the media and the class society are as relevant now as they ever were.

Noemi Rodriguez introduced and answered questions on her short feature All That Glitters, a film about the 2012 Olympic bid. This is an on-going work that will certainly bloom as the social consequences of the Mayor’s folly becomes more apparent. Afterwards, a robust discussion provided some insightful views from the audience.

Spectacle Productions has been in existence since the mid-80s. Making independent short films on a variety of grassroots subjects, Mark Saunders has recently been working on a film concerning regeneration on a couple of south London estates. Presenting some clips from this project, he was on hand to answer questions afterwards.

Lastly, the London Particular was a challenging and very well made short film that looked at the gentrification of the Shoreditch area. Both film makers, David Panos and Ben Seymour, offered an introduction at the beginning.

We look forward to seeing you at the next Hackney Independent Film Day – if you have any requests then please get in touch.