The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free

National Garden Festival Gateshead
Experience the spectacle of landscape gardening on a grand scale in Gateshead.
From the collection of:

Overview
From urban decay to dahlia displays and the drama of Dunston Staiths, Gateshead has its eye on future regeneration driven by horticultural heaven. One of the 3 million flanêurs at the event that year trips through the city’s National Garden Festival with his cine camera. This landscape of spectacle and theatricality, traversed by a caterpillar monorail, was built on the derelict land of a once industrial Tyne riverside, scarred by gas and coke works, and railway sidings.
The many exhibits, including models of European landmarks such as the Tower of Pisa, can’t compete with the remarkable industrial architecture of Dunston Staiths, a quarter of a mile long and the largest wooden structure in Europe, perhaps the world. Built in 1890 by the North Eastern Railway Company, it was once a noisy, dirty and busy environment, with the comings and goings of visiting seamen on the steamers, locomotives shunting coal wagons and gangs of men called ‘teemers’ directing coal into the ships. The National Garden Festivals were an idea pushed by Michael Heseltine in 1980, intended to kick-start local economies as part of the Thatcher government’s urban policy for the inner cities.
Related

Gateshead Games Gateshead Games
Amateur film 1974 8 mins Silent Location: Gateshead
Witness a world record-beating race on home ground by Gateshead’s local sporting hero, Brendan Foster.

Eartha Kitt Interview Eartha Kitt Interview
Magazine and Review show 1971 3 mins Location: Gateshead
Interview with the blacklisted American entertainer and activist Eartha Kitt who purred her way to success.

County of Northumberland County of Northumberland
Amateur film 1963 19 mins Silent Location: Holy Island
The toe-dipping delights and tranquillity of the Northumbrian Riviera and beyond.

The Film of the Film of the Film The Film of the Film of the Film
Amateur film 1977 3 mins Location: Gateshead
A double, double take on the art of making amateur movies in a 50th anniversary celebration for the Newcastle and District ACA.

Metro: The Way Ahead Metro: The Way Ahead
Promotional 1984 27 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
The fast track to an ambitious new Metro system that ends commuter misery on Tyneside in the 80s.

City Report City Report
Amateur film 1985 21 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
A roving cine club camera charts the changing face of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and its environs in the 1980s.

New Perspectives: Tangerine New Perspectives: Tangerine
Short documentary 2025 3 mins
Harry Wallace, a student at Northumbria university, explains why Sean Baker's LA-set comedy-drama, about a transgender sex worker on the hunt for her cheating -ex, is worth your time.

Daniel Craig in Conversation with Mark Kermode Daniel Craig in Conversation with Mark Kermode
Inside Film 2025 44 mins
Daniel Craig talks to Mark Kermode about his acting career, from his early role in Love is the Devil through to the Luca Guadagnino directed Queer.

New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.

New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.

Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.

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.