THE Blue Lace nightclub dancefloor, family fun at the Mela and the ‘Bradford Godfather’ all feature in a film bringing together more than 100 years of archive footage of local life.
Bradford on Film – which will be screened on Wednesday, October 16 at the Pictureville Cinema, is a glimpse of life in the city as far back as 1896.
The screening offers a rare chance to see more than a century of local moving image history preserved and revealed in a film curated by Yorkshire Film Archive.
The film, which will have a special screening at the National Science and Media Museum’s Pictureville Cinema, tells the story of the Bradford district through the 20th century.
The Bradford on Film journey begins in 1896 with a bustling Town Hall Square, during the earliest days of film-making, and takes us right through to the colourful Festival Mela in 1998.
The film highlights days out to Shipley Glen, Haworth and Saltaire, rare images of the city festooned in bunting for the Silver Jubilee of George V in 1935, the Home Guard in the 1940s, working life in the city’s mills, VE Day celebrations and scenes from Blue Lace, fondly remembered by 1980s clubbers.
Also featured is the Bradford Godfather – as Mohamed Fazal Hussain was known to early Asian communities in the city.
Mr Hussain was one of the first Pakistanis to settle in Bradford and was said to be always on hand with advice and practical help, long before any infrastructure was in place for Asian families.
The Bradford on Film screening is a chance to witness local life through the decades, with many of the films made by local people. The film also shines a spotlight on local film-makers like Eric Hall and Fred Dewhirst, and reveals the film legacies of influential businessman and councillor Bob Sharp, as well as professional film company CH Wood Ltd.
Footage from amateur film-makers and home-movie enthusiasts sits alongside that of regional television programmes, showcasing the changing face of the district.
The screening weaves together the story of Bradford, the world’s first UNESCO City of Film, from landmark historical events to the finer details of everyday life.
The screening will be led by Yorkshire Film Archive’s Archive Manager Graham Relton, who will guide audiences through the footage.
“As the city looks ahead to its Year of Culture, this special screening takes a look back at over 130 years of life in the district, captured on film,” said Graham.
“It offers a window onto the past and a celebration of all things Bradford.”
l For film times and to book tickets visit scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/bradford-on-film
For more about Pictureville Cinema visit scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema/about-pictureville-cinema
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