Art of Action is our Autumn and Winter season of events exploring action on screen through the ages.
We are proud to be part of a BFI UK-wide season, Art of Action, offering an action-packed journey through cinema from the jaw-dropping stunts of silent cinema pioneers via the daredevil ethos of Hong Kong filmmaking to today’s intricate dynamic visual choreography.
Enjoy screenings of classic and niche awe-inspiring action on screen, with some events organised by local young film curators, the 'Young Electrics', and also Keanu-rama – a celebration of Keanu Reeves’s thrillers, such as Point Break (pictured on the front cover of our new October-November printed programme)!
More events will be announced in the coming weeks, including The Train, Miracle Fishing (Doc Club Special), Art of Action 'Zine and Badge-making workshop, Saturday Kids Film Club, Art of Action film quiz and a host of student-led events!
Without stunts, the cinematic world would be a far less interesting place, mostly consisting of people talking, walking around and sitting down. And yet the people who do them, the daring stunt performers who throw themselves off things, drive at dangerous speeds, set themselves on fire and generally risk life and limb, just for our entertainment, are rarely celebrated. Art of Action is a chance to correct this!
Keep up to date with all the news via our enewsletter (sign up below).
Some of the events coming up in the season include:
Let's Talk Film: Stunts on Film
Wednesday 6 November, 7.30pm
We high-kick start the season with renowned lecturer at the department of Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick and editor of 'Action Spectacle: A Sight and Sound Reader', Jose Arroyo, joining us in the flesh for a Q&A and tutorial at our Let's Talk Film event on Wed 6 November at 7.30pm. Jose will share his insights into the world of stunts, and takes us on a journey through the best-known film stunts, past and present!
Expect lively debate, interesting clips and onstage interview plus Q&A with Jose and the audience.
Book now for Stunts on Film >>
Art of Action 'Zine workshop
Saturday 16 November, 2.30pm
Join local artist Tiger-lily Martinez for an afternoon of 'zine and badge making, inspired by female action heroines and stuntwomen.
Keanu-rama night: Speed
Saturday 16 November, 7.30pm
Celebrate the wonder of Keanu Reeves with a full-length screening of the high-octane '90s action thriller, Speed, and other Keanu-related fun, curated by Young Electrics film programming students!
The Train
Sunday 17 November, 3pm
In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.
Doc Club - Miracle Fishing
Sunday 17 November, 7.30pm
The story of a father's kidnapping as told through the 1994 video diaries of his son, the film's Director Miles Hargrove.
Book now for Miracle Fishing >>
Point Break
Friday 22 November, 7.30pm
From Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow, experience Point Break, the ultimate 90’s cult classic, like never before as it returns to the UK in stunning 4K.
Seven Samurai - 4K restoration
Sunday 24 November, 3pm
One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, Seven Samurai tells the story of a 16-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits.
Stuntwomen on Film: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Saturday 30 November, 7.30pm
A hilarious and big-hearted adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman who is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led. With Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis in stand-out roles.
Book now for Stuntwomen night >>
The Art of Action season looks at the cinematic artistry, skill and craft involved in creating iconic sequences and films as well as engaging with the historic roots and cross-cultural influences of action cinema. The overarching focus is on the physicality of actors and stunt performers whose extraordinary on-screen exploits built on the boundary-pushing legacy of their pioneering predecessors.
Screening as part of Art of Action, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network.
Keep up to date with all the events at the Electric Palace as they unfold via our enewsletter: