This film is part of Free
28b Camden Street
A powerful documentary which sees a community of artists under threat as their London studios face demolition.
Overview
In this moving documentary, a community of sculptors (and a potter) face crisis as their London NW1 studios are threatened with demolition. New community amenities are being created, but at the expense of vulnerable - and talented - individuals whose world is being turned upside down. Peter Laszlo Peri, today the best-remembered of these artists, is the central figure of a lyrical, thought-provoking film.
Derrick Knight & Partners was one of the most interesting documentary companies of the 1960s, producing a mixture of sponsored, broadcast and independent films in a freshly contemporary style. 28b Camden Street was a no-budget labour of love, shot over two years using spare film stock. Knight's protégé David Gladwell (perhaps best known for his remarkable film Requiem for a Village, also available on BFI Player) directs the film with a characteristically contemplative feel for landscape and its relationship with people. At the very end of production the BBC stepped in with some completion money and showed the film on BBC2.
Related
Mining Review 25th Year No. 9 Mining Review 25th Year No. 9
1972 10 mins Location: Mayfair
A painterly profile of County Durham's brilliant miner-artist Tom McGuinness.
Figures in a Landscape Figures in a Landscape
Documentary 1953 17 mins Silent Location: St Ives
A poetic portrait of sculptor Barbara Hepworth and the otherworldly Cornish landscapes which inspired her.
Dancers Dancers
1978 29 mins
Impressionistic portrait of life as a dancer in London’s Ballet Rambert.
Giacometti Giacometti
Documentary 1967 14 mins
Spend a few intense minutes with Giacometti in his Paris studio and see him at work on his striking sculptures.
Portrait of David Hockney Portrait of David Hockney
Documentary 1972 13 mins
Filmed at the time Hockney was painting Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy, this compelling study concentrates on the textures and light which surround the artist in his home and studio.
Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt Ten Years in an Open Necked Shirt
Documentary 1984 61 mins
Discover the 'name behind the hairstyle', in this essential portrait of the bard of Salford, aka John Cooper Clarke.
Good Night Good Night
Advert 1898 1 mins Silent Location: St Pancras
An unusual farewell in this charming early film
Horse-drawn Traffic in Euston Rd Horse-drawn Traffic in Euston Rd
1899 1 mins Silent Location: St Pancras
A close brush with the precursor to the number 73 bus in Victorian London.
Paradox City Paradox City
Documentary 1932 23 mins Silent Location: St Pancras
A call to action contrasting the grand homes of the wealthy with "the appalling shelter of thousands of decent citizens" in London slums.
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of children’s palliative care.