The LFS Film Archive
We are pleased to announce we have completed the first steps into digitising the LFS Film Archive.
With the support of BFI Unlocking Film Heritage, the first five LFS archive films have been remastered and preserved for prosperity at the National Film and Television Archive and are now available to view for free on BFI Player with eleven more titles to follow shortly. We are working hard to make the film archive more accessible to a wider audience, and plan to have more LFS treasures available to view for our 60th Anniversary and beyond.
What is the Film Archive?
The LFS Film Archive is a collection of around 5000 films almost dating back to the School’s founding in 1956.
Spanning from 1960 to the present day, the LFS Film Archive contains live action films of ’Before They Were Famous‘ actors and directors. The collection also holds a wealth of documentaries covering a broad range subjects; alternative lifestyles, health, the arts, current trends, and contains the richness of diverse communities existing in London throughout the decades, often filmed with an outsider’s eye. The archive is gradually being made accessible to a wider public.
Where can I find the newly digitised films?
The first five digitised LFS films are now on the BFI player. You can find them under ’Other Grooves’ and they show alternative lifestyles in Britain.
Punk Kebab: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-the-punk-kebab-documentary-1977/
The Destructors: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-the-destructors-1983/
Can I Have a Dragon Please: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-can-i-have-a-dragon-please-1983/
British Graffiti: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-british-graffiti-1992/
Rave: http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-rave-1997/
If you are on social and want to mention the above, please use #LFSInsights & #BFIplayer
ABOUT BFI’S UNLOCKING FILM HERITAGE
The BFI is running a fund called UNLOCKING FILM HERITAGE to make film heritage available for everyone in the UK, dating back to 1895 and comprise of documentaries, amateur films, news films, films originally designed as public records, political films, sponsored and industrial films, advertisements, feature films, short fiction, animation, artists’ moving image and TV programmes.
The BFI is kindly supporting us in this endeavour for seventeen LFS films. Unlocking Film Heritage is a central priority of the BFI Film Forever strategic plan. This major BFI commitment will ensure the UK’s screen heritage is safeguarded for future generations and made available to discover and enjoy on BFI Player and in venues across the UK.
With the focus on appreciation of film heritage and increasing audience choice, the people of the UK, filmmakers, educationalists, researchers and other users will be exposed to the amazing qualities of their rich screen heritage, regardless of where they live or where that heritage is held. This begins with Britain on Film as part of the wider preservation and digitisation programme to unlock 10,000 titles selected from the BFI National Archive, Regional and National Archives and rights holders from across the UK.