Screening and Q&A at Harbour Lights for Grierson Award-winning documentary
On September 3 Harbour Lights Picturehouse in Southampton welcomed audiences for a special screening of Mother Vera, the feature documentary by filmmaker Cécile Embleton and fine art photographer Alys Tomlinson.
The film, which won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival and Best Film at Festival Dei Popoli, was followed by a live Q&A session with co-director Embleton and Dr Joseph Owen from the University of Southampton’s English department.
Reflecting on the evening, Embleton said: “The screening of Mother Vera in Southampton was a huge success. It was great to see the cinema two-thirds full and wonderful to have a conversation with Joseph Owen after the film. The audience responded well and had some interesting questions. One audience member had been waiting five years to see the film, so he was delighted that he'd had the opportunity to see it in his home city.”
Owen added: "This event was a great example of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities engaging with contemporary cinema in a public space. Excellent colleagues, particularly in Film and English departments, have a rich history of working with film artists in local venues such as the Harbour Lights Picturehouse. Southampton researchers have plenty of knowledge and expertise to offer in these settings, and the University is fast becoming a national leader for curating historical retrospectives and providing critical forums for discussing new, independent releases. Thanks to Cécile for an excellent and insightful discussion of her work."
The screening and discussion highlights the role of the University’s academic community in fostering dialogue around independent film and the arts.