LFMC50: 1966 Better Books

2016 is the 50th anniversary of LUX’s predecessor organisation the London Filmmakers Co-operative (LFMC) which was founded in the basement of Better Books on Charing Cross Road in 1966. Throughout the year LUX will celebrate the LFMC legacy with a series of screenings, performances, talks, commissions and publications. In partnership with the BFI we present a monthly Experimenta strand at the BFI Southbank programmed throughout the year by the original cinema programmers of the LFMC Cinema. The programmers have each been invited to reflect on the critical works, artists and debates of their time at the Co-op.

Other programmers during the year will include: David Curtis, Peter Gidal, Annabel Nicolson, Lis Rhodes with Marina Vishmidt and Emma Hedditch, Deke Dusinberre, James Mackay, Steve Farrer with Anna Thew, Jo Comino, Cordelia Swann, Michael Maziere and Moira Sweeney.
This first programme reflects the state of artists’ moving-image culture in Britain at the moment of the Co-op’s founding in October 1966. Selector David Curtis (rare survivor of the founding membership) will introduce the screening and describe the Coop’s role at Better Books and the Arts Labs, the ‘Spontaneous Underground Festival’ and the founding of its all-important film-workshop. The season will also be accompanied by a foyer exhibition of original posters and materials from the LFMC Cinema.

Programme

The Autumn Feast,  UK 1961. Dir Jeff Keen & Piero Heliczer. 14min
Speak, UK 1962. Dir John Latham. 10min
Love Love Love, UK 1964. Dir Michael Nyman. 5min
Don Levy Programme aka Five Short Film Poems, UK 1967. Dir Don Levy. 9min
Soliloquy, USA-UK 1964. Dir Stephen Dwoskin. 8min
La couleur de la forme, USA 1960. Dir Hy Hirsh. 8min
Yantra, USA 1957. Dir James Whitney. 5min
6/64 Mama und Papa, Austria 1964. Dir Kurt Kren. 5min
Hugh MacDiarmid – A Portrait, UK 1964. Dir Margaret Tait. 7min