The subject of death in film has long fascinated directors and artists: film offers a way to explore and face the inescapable fact of our own death within the safe confines of cinematic fantasy.

This event brings together an eclectic selection of cinematic classics offering iconic, philosophical and comedic perspectives on death, plus a specially curated programme of rolling shorts showing some of the best artist films on this topic.

BOOKING INFORMATION

All three feature films are now fully booked. We will not be releasing any more tickets or running a waiting list on the day. The programme of artists’ film and video is drop in, no booking required.

FEATURE FILMS

A handful of classic feature films offering iconic, philosophical and comedic perspectives on death.

13.00 Waking Life (Richard Linklater, 2001, 101 mins)

“Sanity is a madness put to good uses; waking life is a dream controlled.”

George Santayana, Interpretations of Poetry and Religion

What is a dream? An escape from reality or reality itself? In this hauntingly beautiful animated film a nameless young man drifts through a continuous series of dreams. Along the way he encounters a range of philosophers, intellectuals and crackpots and explores what it is to be awake, and by extension what it is to be alive.

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk2DeTet98o

15.30 Harold and Maude (Hal Ashby, 1971, 92 mins)

A young man obsessed with a death and a 79-year-old high on life find love in Hal Ashby’s black comedy. Deadpan rich boy Harold keeps staging his own suicide in a vain attempt to gain the attention of his detached mother. One day he encounters lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral, and finds his life changed forever. Featuring a remarkable soundtrack by Cat Stevens, this warm and quirky film is a cult classic.  

Trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mz3TkxJhPc

18.00 The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman, 1957,105 mins)

Returning from the Crusades, a medieval knight finds his country ravaged by plague and its people in terror of the coming apocalypse. During a game of chess with Death he seeks answers about life, death and the existence of God. Ingmar Bergman’s best-known film is a cinematic masterpiece and an allegorical study of faith, belief and the meaning, if any, of human existence.

Death, say the sociologists, is a thing we perform. Wise to this, artists of all ilks have made works that comment on death as it happens on the stage of real life. This programme shows some of the best artist films on this topic. Curated by Wild Gift (Rosie Cooper and David Lillington).

Total programme running time 100 mins.

Find out more about the Dying on Screen programme of short films.

The programme begins at the following times: 11.00, 12.40, 14.20 and 16.00.