Film fans of West Dorset have a special annual film feast, The Bridport Film Society season. The film showings take place every fortnight on a Tuesday evening at 7.45pm at the Bridport Arts Centre, screened on state-of-the-art digital cinema equipment.
The members of this society, one of the oldest film clubs in the country, founded in 1925, take great care in selecting the films each year. The films are often Oscar winners or nominees directed by multi-award winning directors. The season 2022/2023 is no exception. Twelve films from France, India, Spain, Japan. Eleven different countries in all.
Almost impossible to choose between them but here are three selections. The season kicks off September 27th with:
Summer of Soul (..or, when the Revolution Could not be Televised) (2021).
Winner of 2021 Oscar and Bafta for Best documentary feature film.
The film includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension, and more.
‘Buried for 50 years, the spectacular filmed footage of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival reveals a musical moment — and a Black revolution — in full flower.’ Variety. Owen Glieberman.
Shoplifters (2018).
Winner of over fifty film awards. A wonderfully tender film of great originality.
‘For all its calm gentleness, the film, which is based on a news story, is devastatingly clear-sighted about modern Japan, its dysfunctions and hypocrisies.’ The Guardian. Peter Bradshaw.
Everything Went Fine (2021)
French director Francois Ozon brings his wry humour to the subject of assisted dying.
‘André Dussollier and Sophie Marceau are outstanding as a father and daughter whose tricky relationship is upended when he asks for her help to die’ The Guardian. Peter Bradshaw.
Season tickets go on sale on September 1st. Twelve great films for £35. A bargain!
