Working with the London’s Screen Archives, I curated a programme, ‘Women in Film’, relating to London women’s representation on screen over the 20th Century. The programme includes footage from a Suffragette march in 1910, to the election of local MP Judith Church for the borough of Dagenham in 1994, and covers the various portrayals of women in London throughout the 20th century. From glamorized ‘objects’ of the male gaze, to sportswomen, working women, mothers, politicians and activists. I’ve been able to include material from the BFI Archive, with newsreels from the 1920s, as well as clips from Joan Littlewood’s Pleasure Reels from 1963, filmed by Walter Lassally as part of her ‘Fun Palace’ concept with Cedric Price.
The film programme was shown to audiences across London as part of Women’s History Month, from Barking to Hounslow, and was a wonderful opportunity hear the reactions and memories these film archives evoked.
