Bristol Archives Marks 100 Years with Public Film Screening

Film excerpts from one of the United Kingdom’s most venerable archives are scheduled for their inaugural public presentation to commemorate its 100th anniversary. Approximately 100 minutes of footage have been chosen from the Bristol Archives, established in 1924. Cinematic recordings depicting the city’s daily activities and leisure will be projected onto a screen at Bristol Beacon this Sunday, with musical accompaniment provided by 100 members of the Bristol Youth Orchestra. Tony Dyer, leader of Bristol City Council, commented that it was “a befitting way to mark such a monumental milestone for the Bristol Archives”. “Bristol has a vibrant and storied history that deserves to be told,” he said.”The last 100 years have seen our city witness tremendous change; growing and evolving from a bustling maritime city into the diverse, progressive and exciting Bristol we all know and love today.” Filmmakers David Parker and Bob Pitt collaborated with Bristol Archives to choose the footage from the collection housed at B Bond Warehouse for the event titled Bristol – 100 years in music and film. Mr Parker stated, “Stunning film of Bristol docks in their pre-war heydays, wonderful film of daily life in the 1930s, Bristol citizens at war, and evocative film of the rebuilding of the city blitzed and shattered by that war, are just some of the highlights that will be projected in Bristol’s foremost concert venue.” The Bristol Youth Orchestra is set to perform compositions by Holst, Vaughan Williams, and Florence Price. Concurrently, Bristol-based pianist Sandie Middleton will debut a new piece during a segment illustrating Bristol’s devastation by bombs during the Second World War. Tim Harrison, director of Bristol Youth Orchestra, commented: “To perform at Bristol Beacon is a dream come true for many of the young musicians and co-ordinating live music to film is a huge challenge.”We are currently in rehearsal working to make this a spectacular audio-visual event for a Bristol audience.” For updates, BBC Bristol can be followed on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story suggestions can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. This material is copyrighted by BBC in 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites and provides information regarding its policy on external linking.