The Yorkshire Film Archive collects, preserves, and shows film made in, or about Yorkshire. Our collections are non-fiction, dating from the 1890s to the present day, and providing a rich and visually compelling record of all aspects of lives, cultures, landscape, industries, major events and everyday activities, many of which are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
This film is part of Free
Restless Sunday
A young man rambles in his winklepickers in rundown Leeds brooding on the ennui of a 1960s Sunday, and on his disillusionment with religion.
From the collection of:
Overview
This is one of several award winning films made by Bill Davison over a five year period; this one winning the IAC best film of 1967. It shows a young man wandering around derelict areas of Leeds, passing billboards with Christian messages, before eventually returning to his Quarry Hill flat. As he does so he reflects, through an inner monologue, on the boredom of Sundays, before it became a day of shopping, and his sense of the hollowness of the way Christianity presents itself.
Bill Davison started making films in his teens with his father’s 8mm camera, before receiving his own higher spec Bolex 8mm camera on his 21st birthday. Working all his life in local government finance, Bill made a series of award winning films, starting with Restless Sunday, and including The Terross Happening (1968), The Void (1970), Eclipse (1972), Zenith (1973), In God's Name (1974) and Sanctum (1975). The Movie Maker – for whom Bill wrote a regular column – Ten Best were premiered at the National Film Theatre, and shown around the country. Through these Bill got to meet Ned Sherrin, Joan Bakewell, and even James Stewart. Bill even had a monthly column in Movie Maker, 'Bill Davison's Bootlace Cinema'.
Related
Watch for free
Paper Boat Paper Boat
Amateur film 1949 22 mins Silent
Prize-winning amateur film about the fleeting affair between a housewife and a young man on a summer day.
Watch for free
Coming Shortly Coming Shortly
Amateur film 1954 4 mins Silent Location: High Wycombe
Silly silent film fun and thrills abound in this award-winning 1954 amateur short spoofing the world of Hollywood trailers.
Watch for free
Amelia and the Angel Amelia and the Angel
Amateur film 1958 26 mins Location: South Kensington
A young angel scours London for her wings in this tender short by the young Ken Russell.
Watch for free
Ladies Hoo Doo Ladies Hoo Doo
Amateur film 1965 19 mins Location: Harrow
Knitting comes in handy when making a film – a comical take on amateur filmmaking by the ladies of a local Pinner film club
Watch for free
Jocelyn in Wonderland Jocelyn in Wonderland
Amateur film 1961 13 mins Silent
Tired little Jocelyn, in her National Health specs, falls asleep in the garden and wakes up in Wonderland in this amateur re-telling of Lewis Carroll's classic.
Watch for free
Stephen the Magician Stephen the Magician
Home movie 1962 3 mins Silent Location: Castleford
A young magician impresses his sister by making a dog appear from under a bucket, and by demonstrating the magic of film itself.
Watch for free
Hunslet Carnival and Gala (1904) Hunslet Carnival and Gala (1904)
Non-Fiction 1904 5 mins Silent Location: Hunslet
A spectacular street procession in the heart of industrial West Yorkshire.
Watch for free
Hunslet v Leeds (1901) Hunslet v Leeds (1901)
Non-Fiction 1901 4 mins Silent Location: Hunslet
A less-than-serious Leeds team take a four-goals-and-two-tries battering from Hunslet.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
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.
Watch for free
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.
Watch for free
Police Story: Panel Discussion Police Story: Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 24 mins
Panel discussion on Jackie Chan's 1985 action classic Police Story, with Chase Armitage, Sam Mak and Jadey Duffield.
Watch for free
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Watch for free
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.