Little known outside of South Africa, the Johannesburg Free Filmmakers Cooperative was a loose association of filmmakers in the 1980s, among them artist William Kentridge. The very act of filmmaking as a vital outlet for self-expression caused Kentridge to recognise that ‘you yourself will be the film and the film will always be you.’ This three-day programme of screenings launches with Free Filmmakers’ experimental 1986 documentary and is followed by a selection of 25 contemporary artists’ shorts rarely or never before seen in UK. The Saturday and Sunday screenings will each culminate with artists in conversation, reflecting on the changing role of the moving image in art and how the medium expresses new subjectivities. The series demonstrates the substantial legacy of South African artists on screen.

Curated by Zoe Whitley, Adjunct Research Curator, Tate, supported by Guaranty Trust Bank plc, and Abrie Fourie, Independent Curator

Events in this series

The Film Will Always Be You
Friday 10 July, 19.00–21.00

The Film Will Always Be You: Points and Counterpoints
Saturday 11 July, 16.00–18.00

The Film Will Always Be You: Performing Selves
Saturday 11 July, 19.00–21.00

The Film Will Always Be You: New Subjectivities
Sunday 12 July, 17.00–19.00