The BFI Film Audience Network launches Rip It Up, a nationwide season from May to October, examining how British film and television have depicted youth culture over 75 years. The season includes screenings, archive materials, talks, and youth-led programming, tracing shifts from postwar rebellion to contemporary identity issues.
Season Inspired by Festival of Britain Anniversary
Timon Singh, producer at the BFI Film Audience Network, linked the season to the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. “What we thought we’d do with Rip It Up was celebrate how UK youth culture has changed over those 75 years,” Singh said. “The changing face of rebellion, culture, expression, the joy, the heartbreak, everything that goes into being young.”
Key Films Spanning Decades
The season features classics such as John Schlesinger’s Billy Liar (in a new 4K restoration), Quadrophenia, Babylon, Human Traffic, and Young Soul Rebels. These films capture frustrations and creativity across different eras, from mods and rockers to reggae sound-system culture and nightlife scenes.
Youth Programmers Shape the Season
At BFI Southbank, programmers aged 19 to 29 curated a takeover event exploring trans youth culture, Black British fashion, female fandom, YouTube, and digital identities. Singh emphasized: “I felt strongly that if you’re doing something on UK youth culture, you get young programmers involved.”
Intergenerational Appeal of Bend It Like Beckham
Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham remains a touchstone. “People focus on youth rebellion as a whole and youth expression, but there’s so much nuance,” Chadha said. “It’s not just one thing. It’s lots of different things that you’re continually negotiating.” The film now attracts parents who first saw it and introduce it to their children, creating intergenerational dialogue.
Contemporary Films Address Current Realities
Imran Perretta’s debut feature Ish follows two 12-year-old friends after a police stop-and-search encounter, exploring race, masculinity, and adolescence. Queen’s Film Theatre in Belfast selected Lindsay Anderson’s If … (1968). Programmer Neil Cadieux noted: “It often gets criticised for being a political film without a political point. But that’s kind of what I love about it.” He added that the film’s hierarchies resonate in Northern Ireland.
Regional Perspectives and Welsh-Language Culture
Filmmaker Gwenno Llwyd Till created an installation celebrating Welsh-language music culture, featuring records and memorabilia from artists like Catatonia and Super Furry Animals. “The most important thing was having my language represented in an institution like the BFI,” she said.
Youth Culture as Constant Reinvention
The season moves from Billy Liar’s postwar dreams to the energy of Quadrophenia and Human Traffic, and contemporary films like Rocks and Ish. It suggests every generation finds its own way of making noise, with cinema recording how those voices have shaped Britain. The BFI’s Rip It Up season runs until October across the UK.
