The rare, the restored and the merely ravishing: an eclectic and enchanting assortment of colour shorts preserved by the BFI National Archive.
This presentation draws on a 2016 London Film Festival screening centred around the BFI’s stunning restoration of This is Colour (1942), a captivating study of the colour spectrum shot by Technicolor legend Jack Cardiff.
It is accompanied by a diverse selection of films, made using various colour systems: silent and sound, and ranging from sumptuously scenic travelogues to inventive advertising and abstract experiments.
As well as offering a chance to luxuriate in some beautiful but rarely-seen films, the presentation will share thoughts and experiences on the joys – and challenges – of programming across genres and time periods, with just one aim in mind: to celebrate cinematic colour on the big screen.
This screening will be presented by Patrick Russell, Senior Curator of Non-Fiction at the BFI National Archive; with some films accompanied by pianist John Sweeney. Read Patrick’s feature on the restoration of This is Colour.
