'Hastings Own' season
Bonfire Boyes + Q&A
Vivid new feature documentary revealing the inner workings of The Hastings Borough Bonfire Society. Includes a live Q&A with the film's director.
Director: Dmitri Galitzine
Cast includes: The fine folk of hastings!
45 min + Q&A / 2025 / UK
Bonfire Boyes is a vivid new documentary which reveals the inner workings of The Sussex Bonfire Societies for the first time in history.
The films delves behind the scenes of the Hasting Borough Bonfire Society, exploring a rich and extraordinary folk culture, shrouded in secrecy and controversy.
From the symbolic burning of effigies to the chaotic torchlit processions, Bonfire Boyes uncovers how this community fight to preserve ancient customs and the values that they represent.
The film captures the spirit and camaraderie that defines these momentous public events, both bureaucratic and anarchic, radical and highly controlled.
The Boyes are willing to go to extreme lengths to keep their tradition alive, ‘to take to the streets with fire, is their expression of freedom and right to protest. But they must learn to compromise in a changing world. And some are more willing than others…
Hastings Own is a new screening strand shining a light on home-grown talent from Hastings and East Sussex. We are pleased to invite Dmitri Galaztine to introduce this screening, followed by Directors Q&A.
Special thanks to the filmmaker for sponsoring this screening to helping to support the Electric Palace Cinema.
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