Films history buffs are invited to a documentary premiere in Kennington exploring the world of British film laboratories – where blockbusters were made before the industry’s transition to digital technologies.
The Cinema Museum will screen The Golden Age of British Film Laboratories, which explores the people and techniques that underpinned the world of film processing, on Wednesday, November 1.
Directed by film historians Andrew Dawson and Sean P Holmes, it will give viewers a behind-the-curtain insight into Deluxe Film Laboratories in Denham, Buckinghamshire, where motion pictures were processed for 78 years until its closure in 2014.
It features interviews with industry professionals, retired lab workers, and rare archival footage of the intricate procedures that unfolded inside the walls of film laboratories.
Director Andrew Dawson said: “The documentary is a tribute to the dedicated individuals who worked behind the scenes in film laboratories, preserving the magic of cinema. It’s a testament to their craftsmanship and passion.”
He and fellow director Sean Holmes spent time at Deluxe, better known to many as Rank Film Laboratories, in the months leading up to its closure, to conduct their research.
It was one of several labs that played a pivotal role in the movie industry before the decline of traditional film processing and the rise of digital technologies.
Their findings and interviews over those months have been translated to the big screen in their new documentary film.
Mike Dick, Chair of the British Entertainment History Project, said: “The British Entertainment History Project is pleased to support this film which celebrates the important contribution made by thousands of film laboratory workers to the rich history of the British film industry. Their story should never be forgotten.”
The screening is made possible with the support of Brunel University, and all proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward the British Entertainment History Project, preserving the heritage of the entertainment industry.
Established in 1986, The Cinema Museum in Kennington is housed in a former workhouse that Charlie Chaplin’s spent time in as a child, and boasts a diverse array of cinema artifacts, posters, chairs, uniforms and books.
Doors open at 1pm, for a 2pm start, on Wednesday, November 1. Tickets are £10 and can be purchased in advance on the Cinema Museum’s website or by calling 020 7840 2200.