BFI Film on Film 2025 Roundup
The second edition of the BFI Film on Film Festival took place between June 12-15. I had these dates blocked on my calendar since last December. The first edition in 2023 was a lot of fun, and I didn’t want to miss this one.
From the festival’s introduction notes:
At the 2023 festival, we offered the first public screenings of nitrate in over a decade. Our commitment continues with five precious nitrate prints, among them an original 1929 print of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí’s Surrealist masterpiece Un Chien Andalou, which will be the oldest print ever projected to UK audiences.
Watching such original release prints carries an unmistakable emotional charge, putting us in touching distance of a film’s first release. We know we are looking upon the very same object as its initial audience, and find ourselves wondering when in the intervening decades a particular scratch was picked up – because every print is a unique object, with its own life story.
James Bell
Senior Curator of Fiction, BFI National Archive
Programme Director, Film on Film Festival
A few weeks before the festival started, I was accepted to participate in a one week artist residency in London organised by the Arab British Centre and Safar Film Festival, of which, some of the dates overlapped with the festival. I originally thought to myself I would be able to do both, but in the end, I had to miss quite a few screenings at the BFI to focus on the residency. Even during the few films I watched on the first three days, my mind was pre-occupied. It was only on the last day that I felt completely present because by then I had completed the residency and showed my work.
This roundup won’t be as long as the one I did in 2023, I’m just sharing a few of my highlights since I didn’t get to experience the festival properly. But I’d like to recommend Intervals’ much longer and insightful round up on Substack of their experience at this edition, weaving in thoughts about the general rep cinema going experience in London, and also about MUBI’s dealings with Sequoia Capital which was in the news that week, and the backlash against it.
Below are my favourites out of the 10 screenings I attended that week (I’ve listed all the films I watched at the end of this post, plus the ones I wish I watched).
All the screenings had well written and informative introductions. I was also happy to see Dominic Simmons back on stage adorably explaining safety measures for the nitrate screenings.
On Approval (Clive Brook, 1944, 35mm)
Set in the late Victorian era, it begins with a mockumentary style prologue about the living conditions in England during WWII contrasted against a more carefree and innocent times circa 1930s and 1890s.
That prologue alone can be a funny short film on its on, but the film is hilarious and visually inventive about class, aristocrats, relationships - a battle of the sexes and a reversal of roles where the women are rich, the men are broke, and a trial cohabitation before getting married.
The script is snarky and witty, wonderfully delivered by the actors, especially Beatrice Lillie and Clive Brook.
(Beatrice Lillie) Maria Wislack : There's a man in my room!
(Clive Brook) George, 10th Duke of Bristol: Why?
A Day in the Country (Jean Renoir, 1946, 35mm nitrate)
I have been wanting to watch this film for many years. Whilst it’s available to watch online, I’ve been holding off to see it on the big screen. I never thought I’d see it on a 35mm nitrate print.
Shot in 1936 but released in 1946, this too is set in the late 1800s and about relationships and what could have been.
The film embodies something that feels carefree, innocent and sensuous. There is love, laughter, beauty, but also a passage of time, heartache and regret. It is beautiful.
Last Summer (Frank Perry, 1969, 35mm)
This film was described as a rare opportunity to watch when the line up was announced, and one of the films that sold out quite early. It was presented in association with Lost Reels, an independent organisation dedicated to showing lost, unavailable and out-of-circulation films.
“Unavailable on home video and for many years accessible only from a solitary 16mm print held in Australia, this 35mm print from the BFI National Archive does show very considerable wear, and has faded with a blue cast, but it offers a vanishingly rare opportunity to see one of the essential, yet missing, American films of its era.” — James Bell
The print itself wasn’t that bad, the bright summer blues and yellows looked beautiful on the screen.
What starts off as a film about teenage sexual awakening during a summer holiday on Fire Island, turns into a dark film about cruelty, power and loss of innocence. We were all stunned in silence when the film ended.
Twin Peaks – original US pilot episode (David Lynch, 1989, 35mm)
+ Q&A with Kyle MacLachlan
My top highlight was watching this on the same 35mm print that was used for the original BBC TV broadcast in October 1990, which was later donated to the BFI National Archive.
The print looked perfect, and watching Twin Peaks on the big screen felt very special. Although it was made for TV, it didn’t look or feel like what we were used to watching on television at the time.
There is so much grief and secrets in the world of Twin Peaks, and the experience of watching it during different stages of your life adds new meaning to it.
When Julee Cruise appeared on the screen singing Falling, I was overcome with sadness and tears rolled down my face. It made me think of the ones who are no longer with us - from the world of Twin Peaks but also the loss of loved ones in my life.
The screening was followed by a conversation with Kyle Maclachlan which made the night feel even more special. He was so lovely and thoughtful and spoke beautifully about the experience and about David Lynch. “We were all very young”.
I’m glad BFI recorded the talk and uploaded it on their YouTube channel.
All the films I watched:
Little Ida (Laila Mikkelsen, 1981)
Night Watch (Brian G. Hutton, 1973)
Last Summer (Frank Perry, 1969)
Un Chien Andalou (Luis Buñuel, 1929)
A Day in the Country (Jean Renoir, 1946)
Slightly Scarlet (Allan Dwan, 1956)
On Approval (Clive Brook, 1944)
Strongroom (Vernon Sewell, 1962)
Hard to Handle (Mervyn LeRoy, 1933)
Twin Peaks - Pilot (David Lynch, 1989)
Wish I skipped:
Night Watch (Brian G. Hutton, 1973)
Slightly Scarlet (Allan Dwan, 1956)
Wish I watched these instead:
The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (Ernst Lubitsch, 1927) (Note: I somehow foolishly missed reading about this in the line up when I was planning my schedule)
Blanche Fury (Marc Allégret, 1947)