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Explore archive films
See shorts and features, showing the best from the BFI, national and regional archives - including 120 years of Britain on film
What we're watching
The Twelve Days of ChristmasThe Twelve Days of Christmas
Animation & Artists Moving Image19764 mins Location: South Shields
A classic Christmas carol brought joyously to life in this engaging and colourful Sheila Graber animation, with help from her school class.
Winter WonderlandWinter Wonderland
Amateur film19573 minsSilent Location: Halesowen
It's not really a 'Winter Wonderland' for the drivers of Halesowen who faced the treacherously icy roads of Christmas 1957.
Remington Four-Most Shaver Christmas CommercialRemington Four-Most Shaver Christmas Commercial
Advert19551 mins
Chock-full of 60s advert nostalgia, here is the ideal Christmas gift for every lantern-jawed Dad - the Remington Four-Most electric shaver
Christmas in BelfastChristmas in Belfast
Government sponsored film19772 mins Location: Belfast
Christmas in Belfast at the height of 'The Troubles'. Not the most wonderful time of year.
Sledging at Cromer LighthouseSledging at Cromer Lighthouse
Home movie19302 minsSilent Location: Cromer
With Beacon Hill, the highest point in Norfolk, just three kilometres away the steep hillside down to the beach at Cromer offered excellent sledging in the 1930s.
Winter in ScotlandWinter in Scotland
School programme and Educational film19609 minsSilent
Wrap up warm for a frosty portrait of a wintry 1960s Scotland in this chilly episode from the Seasons in Scotland educational series, with snowmen and snowball fights galore!
You and Your HealthYou and Your Health
Documentary197922 mins
The Community Health Council of Wales blows its own trumpet in myriad ways, including animation, to draw attention to their NHS advisory service.
Organ Donor Card: Organ BoxOrgan Donor Card: Organ Box
19931 mins
An urgently filmed appeal for organ donation.
The British Way of HealthThe British Way of Health
Documentary197327 mins Location: London
A portrayal of the NHS which shows off the “marvellous” system to audiences around the world.
Back to the CommunityBack to the Community
Documentary198629 mins Location: Bolton
Local authorities trial the Thatcher government’s new ‘care in the community’ initiative.
Tracing the Spread of InfectionTracing the Spread of Infection
Documentary194923 mins
Doctors undertake forensic-style detective work to identify the origins of outbreaks, in the fascinating film from the early days of the NHS.
The Strange Case of Penny AllisonThe Strange Case of Penny Allison
Government sponsored film200218 mins
Imelda Staunton and Hugh Laurie as you've not quite seen them before: in a comedy training video for Britain’s National Blood Service.
Stop Motion
Reality and fantasy collide to extraordinary effect when you bring the inanimate to life, one frame at a time.
Short Tribute From Blues To YouShort Tribute From Blues To You
Amateur film19892 minsSilent Location: Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Model music men - an unusual appreciation of some legendary figures of rock.
SupertedSuperted
Animation & Artists Moving Image19759 mins
Don’t tell the Spotty man but Superted has a new friend. A stop motion predecessor of the superhero teddy idea
South Sea SweetheartsSouth Sea Sweethearts
Advert19386 mins
Say aloha to a Technicolor cinema ad for Horlicks from the master of the Puppetoon, George Pal
UkiUki
Animation & Artists Moving Image20186 mins
A short stop-frame animation following a lonely Inuit who struggles to survive after an oil tanker leaks oil off the coast of Alaska, killing all the wildlife in the area.
Animated PuttyAnimated Putty
Animation & Artists Moving Image19114 minsSilent
Long, long before Wallace met Gromit filmmakers performed malleable magic to bring clay to life
Damaged GoodsDamaged Goods
Animation & Artists Moving Image20089 mins
A tragic story is played out by porcelain figurines residing in a bric-a-brac shop.
Featured collections
Christmas Crackers
It's time to join the ghosts of Christmases past as we celebrate a century of festive film.
Black Britain on Film
Striking, illuminating and sometimes surprising images of black culture, community and characters, spanning over a century of British film and TV.
Stop Motion
Reality and fantasy collide to extraordinary effect when you bring the inanimate to life, one frame at a time.