Arcadia (noun): An image or idea of life in the countryside that is believed to be perfect.

Inspired by Paul Wright’s provocative, flickering montage film Arcadia, which Bristol Beacon are presenting with a live score at St George’s on Fri 11 Nov, this season explores our shifting and contradictory relationship to the land. Journey with us through the changing face of the British countryside – moving from images of idyllic pastures to pagan rituals, industrialised landscapes and raves in rural fields.

As one of the three features we’ll show on 35mm film, we start the season with John Akomfrah’s entrancing, experimental take on the Odyssey -The Nine Muses - where the filmmaker combines glorious shots of Alaskan winter-scapes and British archival film to comment on themes of migration and belonging.

Delve into pressing questions of access and ownership of land through a trio of artist short films in Right of Way – a programme which explores how natural spaces can be homes to protest, trespassing, activism and raves.

Take a trip down an ancient road in Maen Mawr, a live-scored audiovisual journey presented by experimental duo SŌN, then lean further into the eerie in Derek Jarman’s haunting vision of a land in turmoil in The Last of England, with its evocative score by Simon Fisher Turner, and a memorable early performance from Tilda Swinton.

Finally, join us on Sun 20 Nov and follow a family trio spanning three generations as they make the 6,000-mile journey round Britain’s coastline, exploring the lives and culture of the rural fringes in Andrew Kötting’s witty and playful road movie Gallivant.

This season has been curated by Steph Read, a UWE MA Curating student on placement at Watershed and mentored by Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove and the Watershed team.

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