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Pictureville celebrates northern women in cinema with Northern Soul season, curated by Clio Barnard

• From 30 January – 9 February, the newly reopened National Science and Media Museum’s Pictureville Cinema will be hosting a season dedicated to northern women in film.

• The programme has been specially curated by West Yorkshire raised writer-director Clio Barnard for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

• Northern Soul kicks off Bradford: A City of Film, a programme of independent film across the Bradford district, launching in Yorkshire’s largest independent cinema.

The National Science and Media Museum’s Pictureville Cinema will be hosting a season of films specially curated by critically acclaimed, West Yorkshire raised, writer-director Clio Barnard. From 30 January – 9 February, Northern Soul will celebrate northern women in film as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

Northern Soul showcases the diversity of perspective, experience and imagination of female voices in the north over six decades, from 60s British New Wave titles through to more recent releases from across the region. Taking place in Yorkshire’s largest independent cinema, the inaugural season for Bradford: A City of Film shines a spotlight on the city’s UNESCO City of Film status whilst championing cinematic trailblazers on both sides of the lens.

The season opens with Tony Richardson’s film adaptation of A Taste of Honey (1961), original screenplay by Shelagh Delaney, on Thursday 30 January. The screening includes a post screening conversation with programme curator Clio Barnard, who described Rita Tushingham’s performance as protagonist Jo as ‘absolutely mesmerising’. The season continues to tell stories of working-class girlhood with Rita Tushingham also starring in a 35mm print screening of Under the Skin (1997) screening on Saturday 1 February with an introduction from Dr Karen Thornton.

Other highlights from across the season include Gurinder Chadha’s frank yet touching comedy Bhaji on the Beach (1993), introduced by actress Shaheen Khan, Carol Morley’s Typist Artist Pirate King (2022), and Northern Soul (2014) which includes a post-screening discussion with director Elaine Constantine and artist and filmmaker Jeanie Finlay. For stories even closer to home for Bradford, Northern Soul also includes a 35mm print screening of Andrea Arnold’s 2011 adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel Wuthering Heights, introduced by BFI critic Kate Stables.

For film times and to book tickets, visit our website.

ENDS

For more information and images please contact Alice Browne, Senior Press Officer alice.browne@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

A media pack of images can be downloaded here.

Northern Soul is part of Bradford: A City of Film, a programme of independent film across the Bradford District. Co-Produced by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and National Science and Media Museum with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery.

SCREENING DETAILS

A Taste of Honey (12A)

Thusday 30 January, 19:30

Post-screening discussion with Clio Barnard, curator of this Northern Soul season, and Annabel Grundy.

Bhaji on the Beach (15)

Friday 31 January, 19:30

Introduction from actress Shaheen Khan.

Under the Skin [35mm] (18)

Saturday 1 February, 18:30

Introduction from Dr Karen Thornton.

Wuthering Heights [35mm] (15)

Wednesday 5 February, 19:15

Introduction from writer and BFI critic Kate Stables.

Northern Soul (15)

Saturday 8 February, 19:30

Post-screening discussion with Elain Constantine, in conversation with artist and filmmaker Jeanie Finlay.

Typist Artist Pirate King (12A)

Sunday 9 February, 13:15

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MEDIA MUSEUM

The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire, opened in 1983, and has since become one of the most visited UK museums outside London. It draws on more than three million objects from its national collection to explore the science and culture of image and sound technologies, and their impact on our lives.

The museum creates special exhibitions, interactive galleries and activities for families and adults, and is home to Pictureville, Yorkshire’s biggest independent cinema with three screens including Europe’s first IMAX and the only public Cinerama venue in the world.

The National Science and Media Museum reopened on 8 January 2025, following a £6m once in a generation transformation. The museum is open seven days a week, from 10:00 – 17:00. For more information and to book tickets, please visit our website.

ABOUT BRADFORD 2025

Bradford became the fourth UK City of Culture in January 2025. The district was selected by the UK Government in May 2022 from a record-breaking 20 bids, following Derry~Londonderry (2013), Hull (2017) and Coventry (2021) to take on one of the most prestigious and transformative titles in UK culture.

Bradford 2025 takes place throughout Bradford District, which covers 141 square miles across West Yorkshire. It features performances, exhibitions, events and activities inspired by the extraordinary variety of this landscape, from the city’s historic centre to the breathtaking countryside that surrounds it. It pays homage to Bradford’s potent heritage as everything from a former industrial powerhouse to the world’s first UNESCO City of Film. Most of all, it celebrates the people of Bradford, from local artists and creative organisations to the diverse communities who call Bradford home.

Bradford 2025 is created for, with and by the people of Bradford, and it has young people at its heart. With more than a quarter of its population aged under 20, Bradford is one of the UK’s youngest cities. Bradford 2025 is proudly reflecting this youth across all aspects of its programme, from education, skills and training projects to new artistic commissions centred on the lives, concerns and ambitions of young people today.

Bradford 2025 is set to spotlight Bradford’s dynamic contemporary arts and culture, from dance and theatre to film, music and even food. At the same time, it will cement Bradford’s reputation as one of the most welcoming places in the UK for artists, producers and creative entrepreneurs, with international exchanges, development programmes and new cultural investment benefiting the entire district.

The impact of UK City of Culture will continue long after the end of 2025. The district’s designation has already brought significant investment to the region, and Bradford 2025 is set to serve as a catalyst for development, regeneration and change—reshaping Bradford for the benefit of future generations.