This film is currently unavailable
Jubilee
While Britain celebrates... A caustic reminder of conditions for London's East End underclass in George V's jubilee year.
Overview
The slums and unemployment lines of London's East End contrast sharply with Silver jubilee celebrations for George V in this lively and angry short film. Shot by amateur filmmakers without sound, it uses simple, effective juxtaposition techniques to portray the jubilee celebrations as bread and circuses - distracting public attention from social deprivation and reactionary policies (including rearmament).
Filmmakers like the Green brothers (both teachers, incidentally) were the ancestors of today's web-video activists taking their cameras to the streets. A shot of newsreel cameramen filming jubilee celebrations positions their own film as an expose of mainstream media as a tool of the status quo. After making the film, the brothers took it to the socialist film grouping the Workers Film and Photo League (which included some professional filmmakers) who recut it and added extra footage before making it available, for showing at political meetings, in the form seen here.
Related
Funeral at the Front Funeral at the Front
Non-Fiction 1915 1 mins Silent
Sombre and moving World War I newsreel story.
Armistice Armistice
Musical 1929 16 mins
Take your seat for an Armistice concert by military bands playing a medley of songs commonly sung during WWI.
Remembrance Day in Dunham Massey Remembrance Day in Dunham Massey
Amateur film 1979 3 mins Silent Location: Dunham Massey Hall
Remembrance Sunday commemorations in Cheshire.
Rotherham Services Procession Rotherham Services Procession
Non-Fiction 1942 9 mins Silent Location: Rotherham
This is an absorbing film of a Remembrance Day service and procession in Rotherham, unusual in being held in wartime, and made more poignant for being so.
Armistice Day Poppies Armistice Day Poppies
Non-Fiction 1928 0 mins Silent
Newsreel tribute to the WWI fallen on the 10th anniversary of the war's end.
Preston and District Roll of Honour, 6th, 7th, 5th Series Preston and District Roll of Honour, 6th, 7th, 5th Series
Roll of Honour film 1915 14 mins Silent
A rare surviving WWI memorial film, featuring poignant images of men killed or injured serving in the armed forces.
A Boy's Life in the East End A Boy's Life in the East End
Amateur film 1930 11 mins Silent Location: Stepney
In this intimate depiction of 1930s youth culture, of See how life plays out through the eyes of the young boys of Stepney, East London.
Sidney Street Siege Sidney Street Siege
Non-Fiction 1911 6 mins Silent Location: Stepney
For real: the famous gunfight in Stepney caught on camera as it happened.
1935 Silver Jubilee 1935 Silver Jubilee
Non-Fiction 1935 11 mins Silent Location: Stepney
A dazzling portrait of Stepney in high spirits, celebrating the 25-year reign of King George V.
Knees Up, Mother Brown Knees Up, Mother Brown
Documentary 1964 12 mins Location: London
70 is definitely the new 20 in this heart-warming 1960s documentary portrait of the Darby and Joan Club for elderly Cockneys
Tunde's Film Tunde's Film
Documentary drama 1974 40 mins Location: Stepney
Tired of being hassled by the police and with no job opportunities, a group of teenage East End lads plan to rob a bank.
L.C.C. Nursery School L.C.C. Nursery School
Amateur film 1938 7 mins Silent Location: Stepney
Work hard, play hard, rest hard - this London County Council nursery in the East End strikes the right balance.
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.