Screening of The Optimists of Nine Elms

Last Friday we held a rare screening of  ‘The Optimists of Nine Elms’, a beautiful and largely forgotten film which encapsulates family life in Nine Elms in the early 70s – 10 years before the Power Station was decommissioned. The screening took place in Battersea Power station to a sell-out audience and we were honoured to have the Director, Anthony Simmons, now 92, give a fascinating Q&A about the inspiration behind the film and what it was like working with Peter Sellers!

Several people in the audience remembered the film from childhood and the night really brought into focus the massive changes that have and still are taking place in this historic part of London. It was great to see the local community coming together to celebrate the area’s history and enjoy the film.

The screening was part of Wandsworth Fringe Festival and a wider Heritage Project supported by Heritage Lottery Fund- Nine Elms Past and Present – in which young filmmakers are being trained to create 1000 Londoners documentaries about the memories and experiences of older people in the area.

Two short documentaries, ‘Ted’ and ‘Gabriel’ – made by the young filmmakers, were screened before the main feature. ‘Gabriel’ will be coming out on 1000londoners.com next week to kick off a Nine Elms season.

 

IMG_5238

IMG_5213

IMG_5239

 

 

Posted by:   /  14th May, 2015

×