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Inside Film

The camera flips inward to film the creative process. Watch rarities, exclusives, documentaries and special features from the artists and obsessives who make the films.

The lines you quote, scenes you love, films you prize: they start with an idea and, through toil and teamwork, become something real. Inside Film is where actors, directors and others explain their work.

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My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock

Documentary 2022 120 mins Director: Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins re-examines the vast filmography and legacy of one of the 20th century’s greatest filmmakers, through a new lens: the auteur’s own voice.

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David Lynch: The Art Life David Lynch: The Art Life

Documentary 2016 88 mins Director: Rick Barnes, Olivia Neergaard-Holm and 1 more

An exquisitely textured and reflective documentary about Lynch as a visual artist.

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Memory: The Origins of Alien Memory: The Origins of Alien

Documentary 2019 93 mins Director: Alexandre O. Philippe

The untold origin story behind Ridley Scott’s Alien, one of Hollywood’s most beloved and iconic shockers.

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Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story

Documentary 2017 89 mins Director: Alexandra Dean

Fascinating documentary about the glamorous Hollywood star who was also a genius inventor of military technology.

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Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Documentary 2019 95 mins Director: Midge Costin

Faders on stun: Hollywood sound editor Midge Costin’s immersive, educational and hugely enjoyable documentary exploring the power of sound in cinema.

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The Story of Looking The Story of Looking

Documentary 2021 87 mins Director: Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins’ personal meditation on the power of looking.

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An Accidental Studio An Accidental Studio

Documentary 2019 93 mins Director: Bill Jones, Ben Timlett and Kim Leggatt

Charting the rise of one of Britain's most distinctive film companies, HandMade Films, producer of classics such as Life of Brian, The Long Good Friday and Withnail and I.

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3 Days in Quiberon 3 Days in Quiberon

Biopic 2018 116 mins Director: Emily Atef

This intimate, unconventional biopic of one of the great stars of European cinema - Romy Schneider (La Piscine, The Trial) - follows the reclusive actress as she battles a journalist - and her demons - during an intensive, three-day interview.

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Their Finest Their Finest

Comedy 2017 117 mins Director: Lone Scherfig

Gemma Arterton sparkles in this witty drama set in the world of propaganda filmmaking during WWII, from director Lone Scherfig (The Riot Club, An Education).

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Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach

Documentary 2016 94 mins Director: Louise Osmond

Louise Osmond's funny, provocative and revealing account of the life and career of one of Britain’s most celebrated and controversial filmmakers.

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Life Itself Life Itself

Documentary 2014 121 mins Director: Steve James

An aptly affectionate tribute to the late film critic Roger Ebert, whose warmth and empathetic style won him a devoted global following.

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Altman Altman

Documentary 2014 96 mins Director: Ron Mann

An illuminating documentary about American cinema’s maverick genius Robert Altman, featuring unseen home movies and extensive interviews.

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78/52 78/52

Documentary 2017 92 mins Director: Alexandre O. Philippe

This superb, in-depth documentary devotes 90 minutes to analysing one of cinema’s most famous sequences – the shower scene in Psycho.

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Hitchcock/Truffaut Hitchcock/Truffaut

Documentary 2015 80 mins Director: Kent Jones

Kent Jones’ excellent documentary about a historic encounter between two cinema greats.

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Life, Animated Life, Animated

Documentary 2016 92 mins Director: Roger Ross Williams

A fascinating and moving documentary about how an autistic boy learned to communicate through Disney films.

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Bergman: A Year in a Life Bergman: A Year in a Life

Documentary 2018 117 mins Director: Jane Magnusson

A fascinating and unflinching study of the brilliance of Ingmar Bergman’s extraordinary career, crafted around one of his most prolific and creatively fruitful years.

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Searching for Ingmar Bergman Searching for Ingmar Bergman

Documentary 2018 99 mins Director: Margarethe von Trotta

Internationally renowned director Margarethe von Trotta examines the filmmaker's life and work with his closest collaborators as well as a new generation of filmmakers.

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Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words Ingrid Bergman: In Her Own Words

Documentary 2015 114 mins Director: Stig Björkman

An illuminating portrait of the pioneering actress, crafted from her unique personal archive of home-movie footage, letters and diary extracts.

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La La Land La La Land

Comedy 2016 128 mins Director: Damien Chazelle

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone channel old-school Hollywood glamour in this bright and playful romantic musical from director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash).

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My Journey through French Cinema My Journey through French Cinema

Documentary 2016 193 mins Director: Bertrand Tavernier

Director Bertrand Tavernier guides us on a fascinating voyage through French film history, from the 1930s through to the '70s.

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A Story of Children and Film A Story of Children and Film

Documentary 2013 101 mins Director: Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins' personal and poetic exploration of the cinema of childhood, as told through 53 great films from 25 countries.

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Singin' in the Rain Singin' in the Rain

Comedy 1951 103 mins Director: Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen

Hollywood’s troubled transition from silent to talking pictures at the end of the 1920s provided the inspiration for this greatest of movie musicals.

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The Lovers & the Despot The Lovers & the Despot

Documentary 2016 98 mins Director: Ross Adam and Rob Cannan

Discover one of cinema’s strangest stories: a film director and his star are kidnapped by Kim Jong-il to make movies in the world’s weirdest state.

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Mansfield 66/67 Mansfield 66/67

Documentary 2017 86 mins Director: P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes

Jayne Mansfield: Goddess? Genius? Satanist? This wild documentary from the makers of Room 237 examines the blonde bombshell's relationship with Anton LaVey.

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Fragments of Paradise Fragments of Paradise

Biopic 2023 98 mins Director: KD Davison

Intimate portrait of the life and career of the pioneering filmmaker, poet and critic, Jonas Mekas, assembled from thousands of hours of his personal film footage and letters.

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What Is This Film Called Love? What Is This Film Called Love?

Documentary 2012 81 mins Director: Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins’ cine-essay, inspired by Sergei Eisenstein’s 1930s Mexican odyssey, is a poetic meditation on memory, landscape and walking.

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A Century of French Cinema A Century of French Cinema

Documentary 1995 50 mins Director: Anne-Marie Miéville and Jean-Luc Godard

Six regions, six films appraised for cultural and historical meaning. Produced by Jean-Luc Godard.

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Redoubtable Redoubtable

Biopic 2017 108 mins Director: Michel Hazanavicius

From the Oscar-winning director of The Artist, a brilliantly realised portrait of France’s maestro director Jean-Luc Godard spiralling into philosophical and romantic crisis.

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Thursday's Child Thursday's Child

Drama 1943 79 mins Director: Rodney Ackland

Sally Ann Howes plays the 12-year-old spotted by a casting director, setting her on the way to stardom.

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Joshua Tree, 1951 A Portrait of James Dean Joshua Tree, 1951 A Portrait of James Dean

Biopic 2012 94 mins Director: Matthew Mishory

A sensuous and sexy snapshot from the life of James Dean, capturing moments from the years before his career took off.

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Night of the Filmmakers Night of the Filmmakers

Documentary 1995 51 mins Director: Edgar Reitz

From the director of Heimat, a mini-epic about the history of German cinema.

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A Bit of Scarlet A Bit of Scarlet

Documentary 1996 71 mins Director: Andrea Weiss

Billed as 'a kind of post-modern queer soap opera for Britain', Andrea Weiss' documentary tells a sharp story.

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He Dreams of Giants He Dreams of Giants

Documentary 2020 83 mins Director: Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe

Terry Gilliam battles with obsession and self-doubt in this poignant, insightful documentary on the making of his long-anticipated screen adaptation of Don Quixote.

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A Fuller Life A Fuller Life

Documentary 2013 80 mins Director: Samantha Fuller

James Franco leads the eulogies in this profile of the larger-than-life filmmaker Samuel Fuller, who also had eventful stints as a journalist and serviceman.

Currently unavailable

Elstree 1976 Elstree 1976

Documentary 2015 101 mins Director: Jon Spira

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, ten actors landed small roles in a mysterious project called Star Wars. This is the story of how their lives changed forever.

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Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

Biopic 2017 106 mins Director: Paul McGuigan

Annette Bening and Jamie Bell bring to life the true story of the love affair between Gloria Grahame and young, Liverpudlian actor Peter Turner.

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Behind the Camera
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Behind the Camera

A rich archive giving an unparalleled insight into the creative process. Enjoy this diverse range of wisdom and perspective on the art and craft of cinema.

Century of Cinema
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Century of Cinema

Personal and profound look into lives immersed in film. These documentaries about films and culture show the medium's role in love and war, nostalgia and national identity.

Cinema of Childhood
Rentals collection

Cinema of Childhood

Cinema of Childhood is a season of films curated by Mark Cousins to accompany his documentary A Story of Children and Film. Most of the films are featured in the documentary and they comprise 11 of the best films about childhood ever made, from eight countries, spanning seven decades.

More related films in our Subscription collection, Filmmaking in Focus.