The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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A Summer's Day
A skinny dip on the north east coast leads to romance and footsie on the beach.
From the collection of:
Overview
A man risks a nude swim in the oh-so bracing North Sea and makes a big splash with his flirtatious rescuer. This sweet comic short was shot by gifted amateur filmmaker Keith Venn, who spent a life time working for the independent photographic store Bonsers in Bigg Market, Newcastle, which no doubt contributed to his excellent camera skills.
This film is part of a unique and eclectic collection, which dates back to the pioneering early decades of amateur cinematography. Back in 1927, James Cameron gathered together a group of men and women (four of each) interested in making moving pictures. They formed the Newcastle branch of the Amateur Cinematographers Association (ACA), one of only five in Britain at the time, and still operating in the city today. Keith Venn was a later member who was awarded an Institute of Amateur Cinematographers (IAC) Master Movie Maker Fellowship (FACI) in the 1970s. He also directed and wrote the drama 0900 (featured on BFI Player), which won a gold star in Amateur Cine World's 1967 'Ten Best' competition.
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