London: A Bigger Picture Comes to Brent!

Did you know along with paintings, archaeology, photographs and papers Brent Museum and Archives also holds some beautiful old film of the borough? Many people are not aware of these important resources in their local archives and museums but a new project is set to change all of that. London: A Bigger Picture project is a major three-year project from Film London’s London’s Screen Archives, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund with support from the BFI and Creative Skillset. The colossal three-year project is designed to give people from 15 of London’s outer boroughs a chance to see and learn about historic film of their area, and to donate their own amateur films and home movies. Brent is one of the 15 boroughs lucky enough to be involved in this project which has been carefully planned and worked out over a number of years. The project was launched back in July 2014 and volunteers and staff from archives all over London have already learnt valuable skills about looking after and identifying different types of film. Each borough has held a unique launch event to kick-start the project in their area. Brent’s was on 17th April 2015 at the Lexi Cinema. 40 members of the public joined us for this free, fantastic interactive event. A specially curated film reel was shown and staff from the London Screen Archives were on hand to discuss how we preserve these fragile moving images for the future. If you didn’t make it to the launch event there will be many other opportunities over the three years to get involved with the project and see some fantastic old film. The London Screen Archives has created a traveling cinema-in-a-van – the ‘KinoVan’. This van is taking specially curated programmes of home movies, classic newsreels and old public information films themed around different areas of London out and about around London. It has been turning up everywhere including festivals, car parks and schools. We have some plans for where we think the KinoVan might work but if you have a great idea of where archive film could be shown in your local community or at a specific event please contact us using the details at the end of this blog. The overall aim of the project is to make sure over one million Londoners get to see hidden film gems. To find out where the KinoVan is going next click here. As well as letting people know about film in our collection and providing opportunities to view it the Bigger Picture project also aims to collect new film into local archives to be preserved for the future. Donations of private collections are vital for archives to ensure that our broad history is preserved for current and future generations. Whatever you’ve filmed, big events or small, a day out or an evening in, they can all help enrich our archives of local history. So if you’ve got a collection of home movies contact the Heritage Team at Brent Museum and Archives.

For more information on the project please contact Brent Museum and Archives on archives@brent.gov.uk. There may be a slight delay in getting back to you during our closure period but please bear with us as we move into our new home. Alternatively you can contact David Whorlow david.whorlow@filmlondon.org.uk Further information can also be found at: http://filmlondon.org.uk/ http://www.londonsscreenarchives.org.uk/public/index.php# https://thelexicinema.co.uk/