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Story of the BFI National Archive at Aston Clinton 1939 – 1987 (Thurs 29th Sept, 7pm-9pm)
29 September, 2022 at 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm
£7.00The British Film Institute National Archive is one of the largest archive of its kind in the world. It began as the National Film Library in 1935. Four years later it was located in Aston Clinton and moved to Berkhamsted in 1987. As such it is very much part of our Chiltern Heritage.
This Festival talk is by Aston Clinton resident Angelo Lucatello. Film Conservation Specialist at the BFI National Archive.
Angelo worked at the archive in Aston Clinton from starting on a Government run (YOP) Youth Opportunity Programme in 1982. His talk covers a brief history of the archive, its people, restorations, processes and eventually its move to its new home in Berkhamsted.
“Cycling through the January snow on my way to Aston Clinton from my home in Aylesbury… It was 1982, the year of record unemployment – 3.5 million! I had only recently left school and was on my way to an interview at the National Film Archive, part of the British Film Institute, in Aston Clinton – I dreamt of watching films & documentaries all day. After successfully navigating my way through the interview, I asked “When do I start?” and the response was “Are you doing anything today?” So I stayed. Forty years on and I’m still working at the BFI, now in Berkhamsted. I’ll be looking back at those years at Aston Clinton, until 1987, in a special event for the Chilterns Heritage Festival on Thursday 29 September at the Baptist Church in Aston Clinton. I’ll talk about the Archive’s history in Aston Clinton, its staff and activities including film identification, restorations and visits by famous directors – basically there was a lot more involved than watching films all day!”
All events will comply with government guidelines on Covid-19, applicable at the time. If any Covid-19 outbreaks occur, or new restrictions are imposed, the event will be cancelled and a full refund given.