Sunday, April 24, 2011

Saturday 23rd April at Old Market Gallery in Rotherham


We came to run a workshop at the Old Market Gallery in Chris's home town of Rotherham as part of their pop up weekend exhibition with A Small Cinema. Suffice to say, this was a big deal for Chris who was running this workshop with Mark and Jo, with many old friends and their families coming along to have a go on the film and say hello. There's a few pictures here of some of our younger participants -Charlie (2), Nicole and Amy (both 9 months) - adding their small contributions of handiwork to the vast trail of film we've amassed over the past six months.
It was very exciting to see the investment and enthusiasm put in by Old Market Gallery's curator Peter Martin and all the local volunteers to inject Rotherham with a vibrant and vast contemporary art space in a town centre that has suffered in recent years due to the decampment of it major shops to Meadowhall shopping centre, and 
 earned the controversial patronage of Jamie Oliver. Particularly great was the exhibition detailing  the histories of Rotherham's now defunct cinemas leading to engaging inteviews documented, as always, for our soundtrack that will accompany our final film. 
'Thatcher should be trialled for war crimes against her own people' was a particularly stand out line from the day, in reference to the problems facing South Yorkshire in the 1980's with the loss of the coal and steel industries.
We had a great time and met new and old friends who all offered us their unique perspectives and histories as well as creating a truly great ten minute film. Thanks so much to everyone who came down and made this event a very special day for us.


Peter Martin's film 'The Angry Silence' which was made especially for the Old Market Gallery
 about the old cinemas in Rotherham can be viewed below:

                                 
                                          The Angry Silence from Small Cinema on Vimeo.

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