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Local authorities trial the Thatcher government’s new ‘care in the community’ initiative.
Documentary 1986 29 mins
A fascinating insight into life for learning disabled people in 1980s Britain, as the long-debated ‘care in the community’ initiative is implemented under the Thatcher government. The case studies here, in Bolton and Aylesbury, are framed in a largely positive light, as local authorities struggle with the legacy of inhumane Victorian institutions. The enjoyment some patients find in their new sense of independence is genuinely moving, yet it’s clear deinstitutionalisation was a slow and fraught process. More troubling are the references to patients as ‘clients’, foreshadowing controversies the policy became increasingly mired in.
This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1948 9 mins
Long before the ‘Charley Says’ campaign of the 1970s and ‘80s, another cartoon Charley was used to demystify the newly created NHS.
Instructional film/TV programme 1951 55 mins
Kathleen Byron - of Black Narcissus fame - stars in one of the most ambitious recruitment films ever made.
Public Information Filler 1985 1 mins
A sense of 1980s stylistic sheen filters through this sci-fi-tinged anti-smoking advert.
Training film/TV programme 2002 18 mins
Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie as you've not quite seen them before: in a comedy training video for Britain’s National Blood Service.
Government sponsored film 1948 59 mins
Britain’s first Polio epidemic in 1947 demanded a coordinated response, and this film was a key part of readying postwar doctors for a new fight
Charity appeal 2020 2 mins
Beautiful NHS fundraiser, setting Michael Rosen’s poem to powerful archive images.
Non-Fiction 1952 12 mins Silent Location: Bolton
Any old iron? The people of the North West contribute to the nationwide collection of scrap metal.
Advert 1948 4 mins Location: Nelson
A tribute to Lancashire, land of industry, leisure, sublime landscape - and laundry detergent
Training film/TV programme 1973 19 mins Location: Bolton
Innovative teaching techniques for new South Asian pupils learning English in secondary schools
Documentary 1939 14 mins Location: Sheffield
A rare glimpse into the leisure pursuits of ordinary people in pre-war Britain.
Amateur film 1970 15 mins Silent Location: Bolton
Art on the move - behind the scenes at Bolton Museum.
Drama 1949 10 mins Location: Bolton
WWII offered new career opportunities for women, but not all men were happy about it…
Short documentary 2021 5 mins
Lydia West (It’s A Sin) introduces debbie tucker green’s ethereal, warm and human debut feature.
Drama 1965 5 mins
The powerful, multifaceted spirt and energies of the revolutionary 1960s are channelled in dynamic, monochrome microcosm.
Short documentary 2021 5 mins
Susan Wokoma introduces Alice Lowe’s slasher comedy Prevenge, reflecting on Lowe’s journey making and starring in the film while pregnant, and her rich palette of classic influences.
Performance 1990 27 mins
The Bow Gamelan Ensemble stage spectacular avant-garde musical shows.
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1973 15 mins
An elderly man takes a hypnotic journey through his memories in the moments before his death.
Documentary 1969 12 mins
The supreme intent and personal biography of a Black Panther contrasts with the alienating propaganda of late-night television.
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