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We are very pleased to announce the inclusion of twenty additional pieces of archive film on our free* online streaming platform, in partnership with the BFI.
Archive film serves as a window onto the past, offering a glimpse into how people lived before us, what their childhoods were like, the technologies of the time and the evolution of our towns. It helps bridge the gap between history and the present, making it a compelling and valuable resource for young audiences, not simply in terms of exploring historical periods, but also for examining topics that remain relevant today.
The BFI National Archive houses one of the world's largest collections of archive film and television, preserving and restoring works so they may be enjoyed by future generations. Following the success of our first curated selection from this treasure trove, we are delighted to collaborate once again with the BFI to provide educators access to a further range of titles from their collection through Into Film+.
The British Isles through the lens of history
Archive film offers a highly accessible way to learn about our country's heritage, so we are delighted to share a selection of pieces that showcase different parts of the United Kingdom and its industries in times gone by. And where better to start than with Night Mail, a cornerstone of British documentary from 1936, which follows a postal train as it travels wistfully from London to Scotland.
Film's ability to explain geography to young audiences is exemplified in the 1950s series of short films produced by the Children's Film Foundation, in which the unique landscapes of Aryshire in Scotland, Totland on the Isle of Wight, and Llandwrog in Wales are presented from the perspective of local children, like film-postcards from the past.
Next, time travel through the UK from a media studies perspective: the promotional film The Lancashire Way not only captures what the county looked like in the 1940s but also offers an insight into the rise of consumer culture. And from Northern Ireland, radio frequencies and TV broadcasting set the stage for family drama Dah Dit Dah.
The evolution of film in Britain
This new selection of short films from the BFI National Archive charts the history of filmmaking innovation. The first-ever film version of Alice in Wonderland from 1903 and Prelude, a spooky 1927 film inspired by an Edgar Allen Poe poem, showcase early experiments with special effects, including jump-cuts and double exposure.
In the 1940s and 50s, Lotte Reiniger's use of cut-out silhouettes demonstrated how an ancient form of storytelling could be repurposed for a 20th century entertainment format. A collection of her Grimm fairy tale adaptations is now available to watch on Into Film+ along with a short documentary in which she demonstrates her process.
The early development of computer animation techniques can be explored through the 1976 comedy short The Mathematician, which offers a satirical commentary on the fate of the planet, and the equally playful Muybridge Revisited, a video mashup of London's 1980s urban landscape and Eadweard Muybridge's 19th century photos.
The early films of British directors
The BFI National Archive also holds samples of early works by British filmmakers who went on to become internationally acclaimed directors, and we are pleased to share some of these pieces of film history on Into Film+. Gurinder Chadha started her career with the short documentary I'm British But… exploring British Asian experiences, a theme that she would return to in her break-through feature Bend it Like Beckham.
Long before his box-office hits Gladiator II, The Martian and Blade Runner, a young Ridley Scott shot his first film, Boy and Bicycle, on 16mm film. And while Alfred Hitchcock was already an established filmmaker by the 1940s, not many people know that he produced a French propaganda film during WWII, Bon Voyage, which shares similarities with his later successes such as Strangers on a Train and Psycho.
How Do I Get Started?
To access Into Film+, all you'll need is an Into Film Account - it's completely free, and only takes a moment to set up. Into Film+ is free to use for all UK state schools that hold a valid Public Video Screening (PVS) Licence from Filmbankmedia.
Filmbankmedia PVS Licences are paid for on behalf of schools by all local authorities in England and by some local authorities in both Wales and Scotland. Into Film NI cover the license cost for some schools in Northern Ireland. For further information on licensing in your locality please see our FAQs.
If you're a state school in England that's funded by the Department for Education, you will automatically have access to Into Film+ Premium, which offers an extended catalogue of 700+ titles. Find out more about Into Film+ Premium in our FAQs.
If you don't have a PVS Licence, or aren't already covered, then a licence can easily be obtained from Filmbankmedia.
Filmbankmedia
Filmbankmedia licenses and distributes film and TV entertainment to many groups and is the licensing authority we work with to ensure schools, libraries and youth groups have the permissions to screen films from our catalogue.
* Screenings for an entertainment or extra-curricular purpose require a PVS (Public Video Screening) Licence from Filmbankmedia. State-funded schools in England are covered by the PVS Licence.
The core Into Film programme is free for UK state schools, colleges and other youth settings, thanks to support from the BFI, awarding National Lottery good cause funding, and through other key funders including Cinema First and Northern Ireland Screen.
