Auxiliary Fire Service Practice, Ilford (1942)

Woking gears up for war in this remarkable film about the Home Guard and its contribution to the town.

Surrounded by water and manned to defend the coastline, sea forts were remote outposts of Britain’s home front.

‘ACK ACK’ is a profile of the soldiers who manned anti-aircraft positions on the home front during the Second World War.

Ordinary men from all trades and professions lead double lives to hone their soldiering skills in Britain during the Second World War.

Leatherhead applauds and thanks its Civil Defence Service volunteers for their sterling efforts, in this fascinating film made during the last months of the Second World War.

Dad's Army, Clandon-style, are at it again in this fascinating film about life in Surrey's Home Guard.

Ilford's past, present and a 'Kodachromed' future are all here in this epic amateur portrait of the town, made in the mid-50s.

Extraordinary shorts and exhausted runners feature in this short newsreel showing highlights of a 40-mile relay race round Ilford.

Ilford's Fairlop Plain provides the battlefield for ploughing matches between local hands and Essex outsiders.

You'd never know there was a war on in sleepy Cobham until you see the soldiers - otherwise life goes on at a slow pace in this beautifully bucolic corner of Kent.

Carnival fever hits Ilford and crowds come out to support a local hospital fundraiser.

Marital bliss is put to the test in this ancient Essex 'calendar custom'.

Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.

George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.

The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.

The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces. 

Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.

Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.