Screen Archive South East is a public sector moving image archive serving the South East of England. The archive's collections of magic lantern slides, films, videos and associated materials capture the many varied aspects of life, work and creativity from the early days of screen history to the present day and serve as a rich and invaluable historical resource.
This film is part of Free
Country Rhapsody
A masterpiece of poetic imagery where wind, water, animals and men working the land provide a nostalgic vision of a vanished rural scene
From the collection of:
Overview
This delightful film from Frank Perrin Barnitt, shows the cycle of the seasons in a most poetic and wistful way. Trees bend in wild skies as water cascades down rivers. Newborn animals like lambs, calves and piglets, explore the world around them. Horses haul ploughs and orchards come into blossom. The sun-ripened wheat is harvested and threshed while men gather in and stack the hay. The apple crop is picked as tractors and horses help to prepare the land for the next year.
Frank Perrin Barnitt was a Tunbridge Wells solicitor who was also a highly skilled photographer and amateur film maker. Many of his films feature the natural world and range from poetical films about the land, traditional farming and rural handicrafts to natural history films on a microscopic level. In each of these films, Barnitt displays a high degree of technical skill as well as directorial ability as well as an ongoing enthusiasm for narrative film making. After retiring in 1945, Barnitt moved to Oulton Broad in Suffolk.
Related
Watch for free
Local Trader's Gazette Local Trader's Gazette
Advert 1930 9 mins Silent Location: East Sussex
This amazing discovery shows how cinema advertising used to look in Bygone Britain - a truly nostalgic gem of a film for lovers of Britain's past
Watch for free
Britain, Kingdom of the Seas Britain, Kingdom of the Seas
1981 29 mins Location: Devon
Conservationists stand guard as the National Trust and National Trust for Scotland keep a vigilant watch on the UK’s coastline
Watch for free
Last Chord: The Life Story of a Merchant Seaman Last Chord: The Life Story of a Merchant Seaman
Amateur film 1947 12 mins Location: Kent
There's high drama in this short film from Sonny Hanson and R P Cue - which features a maritime tragedy and men of the Dungeness lifeboat service
Watch for free
Family Holidays Family Holidays
Amateur film 1935 13 mins Silent Location: Kent
Three summer holidays feature in Ernest Freelove's film - with beach frolics, miniature trains and Grandma's 1930s style mobility scooter
Watch for free
Ramsgate to Richmond Ramsgate to Richmond
Amateur film 1967 12 mins Silent Location: Ramsgate
Join the jolly crew aboard this cabin cruiser as it journeys from Ramsgate to Richmond in John Clague's fascinating maritime epic
Watch for free
Filmic Review: no. 1 Filmic Review: no. 1
Amateur film 1934 14 mins Silent Location: London
A Barnes Brothers spectacular which takes in London's pageants, Margate's crowds, Birchington's carnival and Land's End's rocky coastline
Watch for free
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
Watch for free
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Watch for free
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Watch for free
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Watch for free
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Watch for free
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.