New Town Utopia
classified 15Please note: This was screened in Aug 2018
A documentary about utopian dreams and concrete realities… the challenging, funny, and sometimes tragic story of the British 'New Town' of Basildon, Essex.
After World War 2, New Towns were designed as social utopias to create (in the words of the post-war government) "a new type of citizen, a healthy, self-respecting, dignified person with a sense of beauty, culture and civic pride". Now, some 70 years on, what has become of this dream? Basildon has deteriorated, degenerated and desaturated, becoming a widely mocked microcosm of British social history.
Featuring Jim Broadbent as the voice of Lewis Silkin MP, this audiovisual journey guided by the artists, musicians and poets of Basildon takes us through memory, place and performance. Facing austerity, adversity and personal battles these are people driven by creative spirit to help their community through art, poetry, music.. and some rather angry puppets.