With film and television offering a direct window into the staggering impact of youthful creativity on our society, Rip It Up invites UK audiences of all ages to reflect on their own lived experiences, identities, and distinct cultural interests as young people growing up against an evolving social fabric.
From mod rebellion and the birth of the teenager, to hedonistic self-expression in music and fashion scenes, to climate activism and the issues facing the next generation, Rip It Up also charts the emotional rollercoaster that simply is being a teenager – all of which have been portrayed on screen in a multitude of ways.
Over the past 75 years, the narrative has shifted from one of class-conscious post-war subcultures to a more fluid, digitally connected, and globally aware contemporary expression, but that generational desire for change and belonging has endured; and youth rebellion continues to play an important regenerative role in society; perhaps more important than ever.
Included in the season is the UK & Ireland cinema release of Ish (31 July 2026): BFI Distribution brings Imran Perretta’s feature film debut to UK & Irish cinemas. Ish follows 12-year-old best friends, Ish and Maram, who wrestle to hold on to their friendship in the wake of a police stop and search. As the ripples take hold, the boys try to make sense of the men they are becoming – and how ‘letting go’ can be the hardest part of growing up.
Find a screening of Ish near you
Other Rip it Up season film titles screening at cinemas across the UK:
● COMING OF AGE: Growing up in Britain and telling your own unique story: from self-expression to teenage angst and the joy of finding your people, including East Is East (1999), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Rocks (2021) and the new release from BFI, Ish (2026), out now in cinemas.
● PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND PROTEST: Rage against the machine with stories of protest, fighting injustice and standing up for your rights, from Quadrophenia (1979) and Babylon (1980), Pride (2014) and This is England (2006), which is 20 years old in 2026.
● CLUBS, DRUGS, PUBS AND PARTIES: Raves, drugs and the hedonistic lifestyle of being young: Young Soul Rebels (1991), a 30th anniversary re-release of Trainspotting (1996) and Human Traffic (1999).
Alongside these major film titles, a strong emphasis is placed on youth-led programming and event curation, incorporating discussions, short films by young filmmakers, and interactive workshops, empowering young voices and creative talent at the intersections of film and music, fashion, spoken word, craft and more.
Touring Programmes and UK-Wide Screenings
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Set and filmed in the South Asian and Middle Eastern community in Luton, Ish follows 12-year-old best friends, Ish (Farhan Hasnat) and Maram (Yahya Kitana) who are navigating childhood against a backdrop of political tension and personal loss. After a police stop and search, where Maram is searched and Ish manages to run away, they wrestle to hold onto their friendship.
Find a screeningWritten and directed by acclaimed artist Imran Perretta and co-written by Enda Walsh (Hunger), Ish was shot in black and white by cinematographer Jermaine Canute Edwards (My Father’s Shadow). The film is less contemporary urban drama and more a classical coming-of-age story in the tradition of The Apu Trilogy, Kes and Ratcatcher.
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Thirty years after its original release, Hettie Macdonald’s much-loved debut feature is returning to the big screen.
Reclaim The Frame is partnering with BFI Film Audience Network and Film4 to celebrate Beautiful Thing with a UK-wide programme of anniversary screenings and special events running throughout September and October.
A love story that has endured for thirty years, Beautiful Thing is a working-class story told with colour, warmth and humour. Jamie and Ste’s first love sits at its heart, within a vivid portrait of family and community, with Sandra and Leah every bit as richly drawn, and the music of Mama Cass beating through it all.
This anniversary is a chance to discover it for the first time, or rediscover it where it belongs: in a cinema, with an audience.
Special events
- Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow – 2 September (35mm + introduction)
- Genesis Cinema, London – 30 September (35mm + Q&A with director Hettie Macdonald)
- Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry – 22 October (35mm + introduction)
Screenings across the UK
- Hebden Bridge Picture House, Hebden Bridge – 2 September
- Pictureville Cinema, National Science and Media Museum, Bradford – 4, 6, 9 & 10 September (35mm)
- Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff – 5 September
- Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds – 6 September (35mm)
- Garden Cinema, London – 9 September
- Filmhouse, Edinburgh – 14 September
- Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle – 20-24 September
- Phoenix, Leicester – 2 October
- Vue Manchester Printworks – 9 October
- Vue Nottingham – 9 October
- Vue Bristol Longwell Green – 9 October
- Plymouth Arts Cinema – 15 October
- Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham – 17 October
- Showroom Cinema, Sheffield – 19-20 October
- Warwick Arts Centre Coventry – 22 October
- Home Cinema, Manchester – 26 October
- Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast – 28 October
The campaign forms part of BFI Film Audience Network’s Rip It Up season, made possible thanks to Good Cause National Lottery funding via the BFI, with additional support from Film4.
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‘Chronically Online: A Personal History of the UK Internet’ is the Creative Nonfiction Film Weekend’s one-night-only touring programme of digital delights on the big screen, showcasing the stories Britain tells about itself through the internet.
Touring Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, and Lewes, this programme of vlogs, memes, and uncategorisable curiosities will never be the same twice — as unpredictable as a social media scroll. We’ve gathered a group of chronically online curators in each city to lead us down their own favourite rabbit holes, shaping the programme around their own sense of local identity.
Upcoming tour dates
- September 24 | MANCHESTER @ CULTPLEX | in collaboration with Fumetti Funnies
- September 29 | SHEFFIELD @ SHOWROOM | in collaboration with Showroom’s young film programmers
- October 21 | LEWES @ LEWES DEPOT | in collaboration with the Kino Collective young film programmers
- October 23| LEEDS @ ARCHIVE | in collaboration with Rat Depot
Find a screening near you!
Scotland
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Rip It Up: Young Programmers
Rip It Up: Young Programmers is a youth-led season celebrating UK youth culture and identity. A cohort of 12 young people aged 16-18 will work together to curate a special programme of films that speak to them, and design wraparound creative and engaging activity. Led entirely by the young people’s creative and curatorial interests, the programme seeks to develop young audiences and embed youth voice into Filmhouse’s programming. Through learning about professional programming and curation the activity will deepen their engagement with film, widen access to cinema, and nurture the sector’s future workforce.
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Sea Change Young Programmers
As part of the Rip it Up season, Screen Argyll will develop a young programmer’s group for the Sea Change Film Festival. The group will meet for six weekly sessions on Tiree, developing their skills to select two titles for the festival, which will tour to neighbouring islands. While focussing on the films of Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice, Blinded by the Light), the project will also introduce the group to British independent cinema through Rocks, Scrapper and other coming of age films. The Sea Change Young Film Programmers project is designed to empower young people in remote island communities through active participation in screen culture.
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Visit the website to find out what titles are screening as part of Rip It Up.
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Music & Resistance: Then, Now, Forever.
A film season exploring music as a force of resistance and healing across 50+ years of British youth culture. The programme draws a line from sound systems of Thatcher-era Brixton to the rave and electronic music scenes that defined subsequent generations, towards contemporary voices exploring queerness, Afro-diasporic identity and radical futures. Screenings will include Babylon (1980), The Life Cycle of Rainbows (2021) and Everybody in Place (2018) and will be supported by a DJ workshop and sound workshops.
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The Isle of Mod Skye Festival: A Quadrophenia 40th Anniversary Experience
“Isle of Mod Skye Festival” is an immersive, day-long event-cinema celebration of the 40th anniversary of Quadrophenia. Moving beyond a standard screening, this project transforms Portree into a vibrant hub of Mod culture with a Mod Scooter Run, live music and themed food provided by local businesses.
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Rip it Up: Music, Fashion and Youth Culture on Film
Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) presents Rip it Up, a season of films highlighting the intersection of music, fashion and youth counterculture, curated by GFT’s Young Ambassadors. Opening with the iconic Quadrophenia (1979) the season moves on to explore distinctly Scottish stories of youth creativity and rebellion spanning three decades, from the Mods influenced styling of 1960s Glasgow gangs to the heady underground rave scene of the 1990s. Featuring newly commissioned programme notes from the Young Ambassadors and expert talks from guest speakers, Rip it Up is a celebration of the unbridled energy of youth culture in Scotland and the wider UK.
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Rip It Up – The Pyramid Weekender / Lost Boys: Bittersweet of Youth
This Autumn, The Pyramid will host two mini-seasons celebrating youth identity, rebellion and community on screen. Hosted within their 1960s Brutalist building in Glasgow’s city centre, they will celebrate the stories of working-class people in Scotland and beyond who have been at the forefront of significant cultural movements, from post-war to the present day.
Rip It Up: The Pyramid Weekender (26–27 September): A weekend event that will fuse Scottish films with a celebration of music, DIY subcultures and local history. Films – including Beats, Teenage Superstars, Trainspotting, and the recently released California Schemin’ – will be accompanied by tailored activities including a Glasgow Music City Walk guided tour, talks by special guests, a record and book fair, photography exhibition, and live music performances.
Lost Boys: Bittersweet of Youth (September/October): A global film programme curated by The Pyramid’s Community Film Panel. Titles like La Haine, Made in Hong Kong and Ish will explore the realities of working-class teenage alienation, anger, frustration, poverty and systemic pressure, from Paris to Greenock.
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Transmission: Youth Across Generations
Transmission: Youth Across Generations is a four-week, city-wide programme exploring how youth culture has shaped identity, belonging and collective memory in Britain from the 1980s to today. Combining film screenings with discussions, live music and creative participation, it invites audiences to share memories and perspectives across generations. Delivered across established cultural venues in Edinburgh, Cinetopia will work with community partners to engage young people and intergenerational groups in co-curating events, fostering dialogue, creativity and shared cultural experiences.
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Visit the website to find out what titles are screening as part of Rip It Up such as the 4K restoration of Trainspotting.
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The 2026 BFI FAN UK-wide season – Rip It Up – explores and celebrates the changing face of youth rebellion, culture and expression – from joy to heartbreak – on screen in the UK.
From rock ‘n’ roll and Mod culture to Northern Soul, Britpop and rave, this season explores six decades of British youth culture through iconic films and unforgettable music. Discover how successive generations found identity, community and rebellion through the soundtracks that defined their lives.
Absolute Beginners (1986) Wednesday 16th September, 7pm
Set in 1958 London, this stylish coming-of-age drama follows two young people navigating love, ambition and social change in a rapidly modernising Britain. Featuring an acclaimed soundtrack led by David Bowie, the film captures the energy of a generation discovering its voice through jazz, skiffle and early rock ‘n’ roll.
Quadrophenia (1979) Wednesday 23rd September, 7pm
A defining portrait of youth identity, Quadrophenia follows Mod teenager Jimmy as he searches for belonging amid the clashes of 1960s British youth culture. Powered by the music of The Who, the soundtrack perfectly captures the excitement, passion and frustration of life lived to a soundtrack.
Pride (2014) Wednesday 7pm October, 7pm
Based on a true story, Pride tells the uplifting tale of a group of LGBTQ+ activists who forge an unlikely alliance with striking Welsh miners during the 1984-85 miners’ strike. Featuring a soundtrack of era-defining pop, disco and dance tracks, the film highlights the power of music to unite communities and inspire change.
Trainspotting (1996) Wednesday 14th October, 7pm
Danny Boyle’s iconic black comedy drama follows a group of young friends in Edinburgh as they navigate friendship, addiction and the challenges of adulthood. Undoubtedly, one of cinema’s most celebrated soundtracks, it blends Britpop, punk and dance music into a defining soundtrack of 1990s Britain.
Human Traffic (1999) Wednesday 21st October, 7pm
A cult classic of late-90s youth culture, Human Traffic follows five friends escaping the pressures of everyday life through a weekend of clubbing and connection. Driven by house, techno and club anthems, the soundtrack captures the euphoria and community spirit of Britain’s dance music scene
Supported by BFI Film Audience Network and The National Lottery
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Northern Ireland
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Rip It Up
From Beatlemania and Mods vs Rockers in the ’60s, to the birth of punk and rise of Northern Soul in the ’70s, through to ’90s rave culture, this season will offer new and old audiences a reminder of why music has been the dominant youth culture in the UK for the last 75 years. The season will include selections from our LUMI programmers, a punk zine workshop, intros and Q&As, plus collaborative events with Belfast Record Fair, the Naughton Gallery and UsFolk illustration agency, and Belfast Pride.
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Rip It Up Belfast: Youth Culture on Screen
Rip It Up Belfast: Youth Culture on Screen is a youth-led film programme at Pigment Space exploring identity, rebellion and creative expression through cinema. Across five events, the project will screen key youth-focused films including Attack the Block, Cherrybomb and This Is England, each paired with live activity such as graffiti workshops, zine-making and music. Developed in collaboration with a local Ormeau Road youth group, the programme places young people at the centre of curation and delivery. The project aims to engage audiences aged 16–25, creating an accessible and socially driven cinema experience rooted in Belfast’s contemporary youth culture.
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Loud and Young and Free
Nerve Cinema’s Rip It Up season pulls together four screenings and a new piece of archive work rooted in four decades of Derry’s own youth culture history. From the ABC Cinema packed out for A Hard Day’s Night in 1964, to punk rock at The Casbah, to rave nights at Earth as the peace process took hold — there’s a vibrant living youth cultural history here worth putting on screen.
Derry’s youth culture has never lacked for energy, attitude, or stories worth telling. From punk to dance halls, to rock bands forming during the bleakest years of the Troubles — the city’s young people have consistently found ways to express, rebel, and belong.
Loud and Young and Free: Four Decades of Derry Youth Culture sets out to anchor the BFI FAN season in the specific cultural memory of this city, putting young people at the heart of the programme as researchers, curators, audience and filmmakers.
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Visit the website to find out what titles are screening as part of Rip It Up.
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Join Harland and Wolff Staff Club to celebrate 2012’s Good Vibrations in this immersive screening – open to anyone aged 15+
The Strand has worked with Ashfield Girls’ High School media students to bring Good Vibrations back to Belfast for a special immersive screening. As part of the BFI Film Audience Network’s nationwide ‘Rip It Up’ season funded by The National Lottery.
Set in 1970s Belfast, Good Vibrations tells the story of Terri Hooley, the legendary record shop owner and music promoter, who helped put Belfast punk on the map. Against the backdrop of the Troubles, Hooley’s passion for music brings together a generation of young people, and creates a space where music, friendship and rebellion can cut across the divisions around them.
For this special screening, the Ashfield students have been exploring themes of youth culture, identity, music and social change through a series of creative workshops. Lisa Barros D’Sa, the Belfast-born filmmaker behind Good Vibrations, held a workshop about her career, experiences as a woman working in the film industry, and the opportunities available within the screen sector. The students have helped shape the immersive screening, creating posters, décor and activities inspired by the film and its music.
To capture the spirit of Good Vibrations, the screening takes place in the retro surroundings of the Harland and Wolff Staff Club – a venue that echoes the pubs, social clubs and music venues that are now lost, which featured in the film.What to look forward to:
• Special introduction and guests – details to be announced
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• 70s/music theme – throw on your favourite band t-shirt or go full 70s
• Student-designed posters to take home as keepsakes
• Cinema shop with popcorn and treats available
• Badge-making station – materials provided, but feel free to bring your own!
• Photo booth – capture your own sense of style
• Decor designed with the students – including bunting, disco ball, music and special lighting
Northern England
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Visit the website to find out what titles are screening as part of Rip It Up.
Find out more
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Visit the website to find out what titles are screening as part of Rip It Up.
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Rip It Up Young Programmers Group
Storyhouse will recruit a group of Young Programmers aged 16–25 to develop a season of films and events inspired by Rip It Up. Through a series of guided workshops in June, participants will curate a programme reflecting contemporary youth culture, which will be presented at the venue from August to early September.
Alongside the film screenings, the group will shape a programme of complementary events, such as live music performances, panel discussions or other audience activities.
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Rip It Up
Friends of Stretford Hall are planning three screenings at the community venue, each with a distinct youth-focused wraparound element. Audiences can take part in creative activities including a zine‑making station, discussions, a post‑film DJ set, and a filmmaking workshop. With affordable tickets for under‑25s, the programme is designed to be welcoming, low‑cost and accessible.
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Rip It Up
HOME’s Rip It Up season celebrates youth expression by bringing together a cross-generational team of curators to share their perspectives on cinematic youth culture – developed with HOME’s Young Film Collective, Filmmaker-in-Residence, and partners from across Manchester’s cultural communities.
Two programming workshops will support HOME’s Young Film Collective – a group of 15 cinema enthusiasts aged 18–25 – to curate two public screenings, with opportunities to develop accompanying events and activities. HOME will also host Summer Young Creatives, a week-long project for young people aged 14–18, where participants will explore films from the Rip It Up season and, with support from documentary filmmakers, create a short film reflecting their own experiences of youth culture.
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Pride at The Dukes – Visions in Vogue and Vinyl
Curated by emerging film programmers and an LGBTQIA+ youth group, The Dukes’ programme explores youth culture through a queer lens. Screenings and wrap-around events will foster intergenerational dialogue, while workshops led by Out in the Bay and collaborations with Queer by Gum aim to broaden participation and deepen engagement with LGBTQIA+ themes from the films.
The programme culminates in a club night with Queer Boots, featuring a curated soundtrack and projections of queer short films exploring music and club culture within LGBTQIA+ communities.
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Ish (15) + Director Q&A (3 August)
Acclaimed artist Imran Perretta – last seen in HOME’s gallery for A Riot in Three Acts – makes an assured feature film debut with Ish: a powerful coming-of-age story sensitively attuned to the vagaries of youth, masculinity, friendship and family.
The 18:15 screening on Mon 3 Aug will be followed by a Q&A with director Imran Perretta and producer Dhiraj Mahey.
New Voices (6-17 August)
This summer HOME reflects on the fascinating moments when filmmakers announce themselves as fresh, new storytelling voices, and how stories of youth can so often be the perfect vehicle for a distinctive early-career feature film.
New Voices is inspired by the arrival of Ish – Imran Perretta’s luminous depiction of boyhood, brotherhood and coming of age in Luton – on our screens from Fri 31 Jul, and has been curated by Dan Thorburn, HOME Filmmaker in Residence.
- The Selfish Giant (15) + Salt Water Town (6 August)
- How To Have Sex (15) (8 August)
- Young Soul Rebels (15) (17 August)
A Hard Day’s Night (U) + Samira Ahmed in conversation (18 August)
How did a low-budget black and white film made to cash in on a pop phenomenon become a landmark of cinema?
At a special screening and in conversation event, Samira Ahmed, author of a new BFI Film Classics book on A Hard Day’s Night, will explore how the Beatles went art house – and changed pop music and cinema forever. Samira’s new book, A Hard Day’s Night, will be available to purchase at the screening.
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BFI FAN’s major new season, Rip It Up, celebrates 75 years of UK youth culture on screen, inviting audiences of all ages to reflect on their own experiences, identities and cultural influences while growing up in a changing world.
Who better to tell the story of youth culture than the young people of today? Curated by a team of Storyhouse Young Programmers aged 16 to 18, this season brings together six impactful and inspiring films that explore the changing face of youth through subcultures that have challenged class expectations, traditional family values and ideas of identity, spanning working-class Britain to life in the digital age.
Approaching youth culture through the lens of fashion, rebellion and self-expression, the season takes audiences on a journey through football pitches, dance studios, boarding schools and vibrant city streets, where characters navigate questions of identity, friendship, family, ambition and belonging.
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Misshapes, Mistakes, Misfits: The Sound of Growing Up in the Steel City
The musical heritage of Sheffield is one of its greatest exports, with some of the biggest artists in the world hailing from the city. This strand of the festival will celebrate our place as a centre of musical expression and youth counterculture in the UK.
The title – taken from the Pulp song – speaks to the alternative, rebellious spirit associated with the city and its musical legacy; as a pioneering hub of electronic music, witty Brit pop lyricism, and 00s indie sleaze. We’ll be highlighting the work of these major artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Pulp alongside special events which celebrate the work being made by Sheffield youth today, and further influential musical history from across the country.
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Thu 10 Sep – Music Video Preservation Society
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Sat 12 Sep – Meet Me in the Bathroom [+Intro]
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Sat 12 Sep – Scummy Man [+ Q&A]
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Sat 12 Sep – Offbeat DJ Set [30th Birthday]
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Tue 15 Sep – BFI National Archive presents Living for Kicks
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Wed 16 Sep – SFF: 50 Years of Punk [Preview + Q&A]
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Fri 18 Sep – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore [+Q&A] – This event has now sold out.
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Sat 19 Sep – Slam City [+ Slambarz Event]
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From Sat 19 Sep – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore
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Mon 28 Sep – DocNights: Heaven 17 – The Last Temptation
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Wales
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Rip It Up at Chapter (The Spirit of ’51, Power to the People!, Hei Mr Urdd!)
Rip It Up at Chapter covers three major areas – The Spirit of ’51, charting the 75 year history of youth culture in the UK with films to activate people’s memories and reflections; Power to the People! – a programme of films chosen and championed by young people with film notes and discussions from their perspectives; and Hei, Mr Urdd! – a selection of films from the Welsh broadcast archive celebrating Welsh youth culture, with Welsh language discussion.
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Video Hud
Video Hud: Welsh Youth Culture is a programme that started at CellB exploring Welsh subcultures from the 1990s Cool Cymru movement to today’s emerging DIY creative scenes. Building on a BFI Southbank pilot curated by young programmers Gwenno and Cian, the project combines archive film (Video Hud) with new youth-made work including Glasbren. Through screenings, discussions, live music and participatory activity, the programme (led by the Video Hud team: Yannick, Jake, Gwenno & Cian) platforms authentic Welsh youth voices often underrepresented on screen, connecting past and present expressions of rebellion, identity and creativity while engaging new audiences across North Wales. CellB are TURNING UP THE VOLUME!
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The Riverfront will celebrate what it means to be young in Newport with screenings of Ish (2026), Human Traffic (1999), Pride (2014) and Rocks (2021) that will appeal to Newport’s youth culture and music scene. Alongside the films will be music videos from local bands amplifying the voices of Newport creatives from a diverse range of backgrounds.
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Chwala fo!
Chwala fo! is a youth led project working with three different youth organisations in Pwllheli to programme and host three bespoke screenings that explore youth culture throughout Wales and the UK. Curated by young people, with bespoke artwork and merchandise created with professional artists and a unique playlist and DJ set to accompany each film – all the activity will be document through moving image and still photography!
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Rebels
Films, creative activities and shared memories focussed on youth culture, rebellion and revolt. Screenings will include a reminiscence Q&A discussion, a creative workshop for young people designing football shirts, a vintage scooter stopover and a Jamaican food night in partnership with Sheba Soul Ensemble.
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Llangoed Village Hall Community Cinema on the island of Anglesey will be showing Quadrophenia on Saturday 22nd August.
The scooter scene is still strong in North Wales they have invited the local scooter clubs to join them. Expect lots of vintage scooters on show plus an ‘after party’ with music from DJ Tamla Mal who will be playing music from the film as well as period soul and blues music.
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Rip it Up: FLY! Over the Rip-ples
Young members of the Sheba Soul team will curate and lead the delivery of three events at the Dragon Theatre (Barmouth), Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Pontio (Bangor) with creative wraparound activities alongside screenings of This is England and Young Soul Rebels. Audiences can expect dancing, debates and a fish & chip supper!
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Rip it Up: Young, Black & Bold [Black Youth Futures, Film & Culture]
Young, Black & Bold is a bold, youth-led film and culture programme based in Cardiff, centring Black British stories of rebellion, identity and joy. Through screenings of Rocks, Pressure and Babylon, alongside a Black Youth Film Programmers scheme, the project nurtures emerging creatives aged 19–25 across South Wales. From live music, food and markets to spoken word and design competitions, the programme builds a vibrant platform for expression and skills development. Culminating to a final event in October, showcasing films and other artistry in celebration of Black History Month, WAFF will create space for young Black Welsh voices to shape the future of film culture in Wales.
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From their base at the Merlin Theatre in Pembrokeshire College, they will screen two films from the Rip it Up menu: Quadrophenia (1979) and Pride (2014), with guest speakers to be announced. They will offer discounts or free entry for students.
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As part of their youth outreach project in the upper Swansea valley, The Welfare in Ystradgynlais will offer ticket incentives, food/refreshments for a screening of Ish (2026) and director of Twin Town (1997), Kevin Allen will join them for a special Q&A – with free hot dogs for under 25s!
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Midlands
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We Are The Rebellion
We Are The Rebellion is a celebration and showcase of the West Midlands strong tradition of local activism reflecting on film and archive sharing midlands and global majority lived experiences, identities, and cultural interests within the UK with curated films that capture that journey with enhanced screenings.
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Pop Life
Pop Life is a season of films and events exploring the unique triangle that links Youth Culture, Film and Music throughout the decades. The season of films will highlight some of the varying cultural musical movements and the films that came out of it or inspired by it, all punctuated by regular event presentations of films with introductions, plus eventised screenings throughout. These events will include Bandaoke, Film and Music Quizzes, DJ Nights and album playbacks.
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Getting Messy
Designed and delivered by Broadway’s Box Office Assistant, Ali Whitton, and Digital Content Creator, Emma Gray, along with Cinema Programme Coordinator, Kate Wood. Inspired by the current cultural obsession with all things Y2K, the programme’s line-up focuses on cult classics from the ‘90s/’00s – films which reflect the era in which they were made but are also still relevant and have something to say about youth culture in Britain today. Film screenings will be accompanied by wraparound activities.
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Here I Am
Here I Am is a Birmingham-rooted film season about the defiance, joy and vulnerability of growing up as a city kid in Britain. Guest curated by Birmingham-born actor and long-time MAC cinema attendee Enva Lewis, it brings together working-class, queer, British Asian and inner-city coming-of-age stories across four decades of British cinema. Through selected Q&As, Pay As You Choose pricing, paid youth-led reviews, DJ/bar activity and a collage/zine workshop, the season will test how MAC can make cinema feel more visible, social, affordable and welcoming to young Birmingham audiences.
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Junglistan : UK Youth Culture Through A South Asian Lens
This film programme is for all the desi folks who were too desi for white Britain and too gori-fied for the desis. It’s for anyone who wants to soak up the nostalgia of growing up, pulled in different directions, or for today’s youth, who have more freedom to embrace all their facets. We want to call it ‘Junglistan’, in homage to the word for wild/untameable in many South Asian languages. It will span 6 months and explore British South Asian (desi) youth culture across films and complimentary wraparound events. The films have a particular focus on the dualities of second-generation, working-class youth.
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Rip It Up – Go Your Own Way
Screenings include Bend it Like Beckham, Quadrophenia and Trainspotting, plus many more.
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Enjoy a season of Rip It Up screenings including Trainspotting (30th anniversary), a special screening of Beautiful Thing presented by Reclaim The Frame and more!
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South West England
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Visit the website to find out what titles are screening as part of Rip It Up.
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FOR THE FANS: Finding Your People is a youth-led film programme exploring fandom as one of today’s most significant forms of youth culture.
Across four feature film screenings and two creative workshops, young audiences aged 16-25 will explore how communities are built around music, fashion, cinema, gaming and identity. Inspired by the spirit of Rip It Up, the programme celebrates creativity, self-expression and belonging, asking one simple question:
What does being a fan mean, and why does it matter?
The programme combines classic British cinema with a contemporary music documentary to celebrate the communities that films, music and popular culture create.
Check back for full programme details once the full season is launched.
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Rebel Moves: Youth, Sport and Self-Expression
Bath Film Festival presents Rebel Moves, a new event exploring youth culture, identity and self-expression through film, movement and community.
Featuring Whip It (17 October), Bend It Like Beckham (23 October) and Polite Society (25 October), the day takes in football pitches, martial arts mayhem and roller derby rebellion through three bold, funny and fiercely independent stories about finding your people and forging your own path.
Find out moreAlongside the films, the programme includes demonstrations, discussion and opportunities to connect with the communities and subcultures represented on screen.
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World Premiere: Billy Liar (26 July)
One of the cornerstones of the 1960 British new wave, Billy Lair, like Whistle Down the Wind (which screens on Sun 26 July 10:30) put Northern working life on screen capturing its dramas and dialects. The original book by Keith Waterhouse had a successful stage adaptation starring Albert Finney.
Schlesinger cast Finney’s understudy Tom Courtney in what would become a defining performance as the day-dreaming disillusioned Yorkshire undertaker’s clerk Billy Fisher. To escape the mundanities of working life, Billy creates the fictionalised world Ambrosia where he is the hero and can escape the emotional complications of his two fiancés!
Whilst the British New Wave films of the late 50s and early 60s celebrated Northern life, Billy Liar – made in 1963 – is very much aware of the imminent arrival of the swinging sixties embodied here by a luminous Julie Christie who plays Billy’s former girlfriend Liz. Her entrance in the film is one of the many high points of this heartbreakingly hilarious classic shown here newly restored to mark John Schlesinger’s centenary.
A 4K restoration c/o STUDIOCANAL and presented as part of Rip it Up, a BFI FAN UK-wide season.
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Swinging Sixties Double Bill
South West Silents presents a special double including Some People (1962), A Hard Day’s Night (1964) and Buster Keaton short Cops (1922). Plus a chance a chance to purchase the new BFI Classics book A Hard Day’s Night with broadcaster Samira Ahmed.
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Young Soul Rebels (Project The Dolls)
A screening of Isaac Julien’s classic queer punk film as part of the BFI’s Rip It Up season.Join Project The Dolls at the Gaffe Comedy Club for a screening of New Queer Cinema pioneer, Isaac Julien’s, landmark Young Soul Rebels.Two DJ friends investigate a murder in the queer community. The film, which discusses the intersectionality between race and sexuality, captures the meshing punk, soul and queer subcultures in 1977 London.“We’re very excited to be screening this awesome melting pot of a film in participation with the BFI’s national Rip it Up season, celebrating rebellious British youth culture.”Find out more
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Saltash Studios presents a bespoke mini-season of film and creative workshops celebrating youth rebellion and counterculture in Cornwall and Devon, with a focus on the region’s rave and free party history. Screening archive, classic and new titles, alongside DJ sets and upcycling workshops, the programme builds on Saltash Studios’ track record bringing cinema back to SE Cornwall after a 60-year gap, reaching new and younger audiences, deepening links with local schools, and growing the region’s appetite for independent and archive film.Fri 2 Oct 2026 7:30 PM – 8:40 PMW: Return to Oz (15)
Take a dance down memory lane and remember the glory days of clubbing on Plymouth’s Union Street. Through a combination of archive stories and local voices, this film explores how this venue almost single-handedly kicked off the South West’s rave scene back in the late 1980s and the first half of the 1990s. A must see for all local ravers (and former ravers). Can you spot yourself in the many colourful crowd scenes?
N.B: This film contains flashing lights that may effect viewers who are sensitive to light.———————————————————–Find out moreFri 2 Oct 2026 7:30 PM – 8:40 PM
Hippies & Hooligans – Yesterday’s Westcountry Youth
A nostalgic and humorous look back at the fashion, energy and local antics of past generations in the South West through archive film footage. Showing the changing youth culture, societal attitudes, and generational shifts in the West Country over the 20th century.———————————————————————————————————
Fri 16 Oct 2026 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Blue Juice (15)A special screening of a cult classic Cornish surf film. As the end of his 20s nears, champion surfer J.C. (Sean Pertwee) finds himself torn between being and adult and commitment to his girlfriend, Chloe (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and enjoying his youth. When his friends show up unexpectedly to help him celebrate his birthday, it’s apparent they’re struggling through their own coming-of-age crises. Dean (Ewan McGregor) is a burnout drug dealer, Josh (Steven Mackintosh) is a music producer losing interest in his craft, and Terry (Peter Gunn) is worried about settling down with his own fiancée.———————————————————————————Fri 23 Oct 2026 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Free Party, A Folk History (12A)They wanted the freedom to party, the state saw them as the enemy within. This film explores the untold story of the free party movement and how its impact sparked a revolution around the world, from raves and festivals, to politics and protest.The film follows the inception of the movement, a meeting between ravers and the new age travellers during Thatcher’s last days in power, and the explosive years that followed, leading up the infamous Castlemorton free festival in 1992. Includes local footage from Treworgey, Bodmin Moor, Camelford, Dartmoor and more.
South East England
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A youth‑led film programme from Fabrica, co‑created with its Fresh Perspectives group (ages 18–25), presenting a series of screenings celebrating contemporary British teenage voices and multicultural identity. The project brings together film, live music and partnerships with local creatives to explore coming‑of‑age stories shaped by migration, culture and sound. Designed to be accessible and affordable, it targets young people and underrepresented audiences while supporting emerging programmers to curate, promote and deliver events.
Tuesday 13 October: Ish + music from Radio Calais
Friday 16 October: Mogul Mowgli with guest speaker DJ Priya
Tuesday 20 October: Limbo + Live oud performance
Friday 23 October: Fresh Perspectives presents The Passion of Remembrance
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Letchworth Festival Rip It Up Season screening of Rocks
A community-focused screening of Rocks as part of Letchworth Festival, led by ReelN, alongside a showcase of short films by emerging young filmmakers. The event includes a Q&A with industry talent, offering audiences insight into filmmaking and career pathways. Developed with young curators and supported by grassroots partnerships, the project prioritises access for diverse and underrepresented audiences, combining affordable ticketing with a free youth film event to engage new and local communities in independent cinema.
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A curated season of four seminal British films—Babylon, Quadrophenia, This Is England and Pride, exploring youth culture, identity and social change. The programme will be enhanced by a guest speaker event, alongside targeted marketing and PR activity to broaden reach.
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This Is England Workshop for 18-25 year olds (22 July)
This Is England: Radicalisation, Then and Now
Students apply a modern lens to a modern classic — mapping the film’s portrait of ideological grooming onto today’s online radicalisation, from gaming servers to social media recruitment. Working in groups, they research real case studies and pitch back their findings as a presentation. FREE TO ATTEND
Trainspotting Workshop for 18-25 year olds (5 and 12 July)
Trainspotting: Music, Image & Meaning
A theoretical editing workshop: students rescore stripped-back scenes with different music choices and see how radically that shifts the film’s attitude. Do these scenes glamorise, critique, or undercut both the onscreen and literary source material? FREE TO ATTEND.
Sid and Nancy Workshop for 18-25 year olds (26 August)
Sid and Nancy: Myth-Making & the Punk Machine
A hands-on source-research session: students dig into press clippings, interviews and promotional material to find the gap between the real story and the film’s version, then ask who benefits from the myth. Each group scripts a 60-second “alternative cut” of a selected scene to tell the story as truthfully as possible.
This Is England (18) + Introduction (6 August)
This coming-of-age drama, written and directed by Shane Meadows, centres on a group of young skinheads in early 80s Britain. A rebellious young boy joins a group of skinheads and gives his life new direction, until he meets a man named Combo, a former member of the crew and ex-convict, who leads him down a very dark path.
Trainspotting (18) + Introduction (21 August)
Celebrating it’s 30th anniversary, Danny Boyle’s explosive film tracks the misadventures of young men in Edinburgh trying to find their way out of joblessness, aimless relationships and drug addiction. Some are successful, while others hopelessly are not. Based on Irvine Walsh’s novel, Trainspotting melds grit with poetry, resulting in a film of harsh truths and stunning grace.
Sid & Nancy (18) + Introduction (18 September)
Following their breakout success in England, flagship punk rock band the Sex Pistols venture out on their first U.S. tour. Temperamental bassist Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) takes his troubled girlfriend, Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb), along for the ride. Along the way, the couple’s turbulent relationship strains the patience of bandmate Johnny Rotten (Andrew Schofield) and manager Malcolm McLaren (David Hayman), while plunging Sid and Nancy into the depths of drug addiction and co-dependency.
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Quadrophenia: Memories Of Mod
Margate has always been a town with attitude. In the summer of 1964, its seafront became the backdrop for one of the defining clashes of British youth culture, when mods and rockers descended on the town in scenes that would become the stuff of legend. Sixty years on, we’re bringing that story back to the big screen.
Join us for a night celebrating the joy, defiance and style of British youth culture, from the coffee bars and scooter gangs of the 1950s and 60s to the violent seaside showdowns immortalised in film. An evening of archive and classic film, celebrating the birth of British youth culture. Plus a special installation.
Featuring a soundtrack by The Who and starring Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Sting and Ray Winstone, Quadrophenia remains as sharp, funny and heartbreaking as the day it was made.
Share your memories with us. Were you there? Did you live it? Bring your photos, your stories, your badges.
We’ll be collecting memories from Margate’s own mods and rockers on the night, and we’d love yours to be part of it. After the film, the night continues at HOFFs with a mod versus rocker afterparty.
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Electric Palace celebrates Rip It Up with a line-up co-curated by their Young Electrics.
Saturday 17 October, 11am: Zine and badge workshop
DIY! Fun! Make zines and badges inspired by our youth quakin’ Rip It Up Season!
Sunday 18 October, 7.30pm: Quadrophenia
Here come the mods! Teen scooter odyssey based on The Who’s rock opera. A blistering benchmark of rock n’ roll cinema,
Thursday 22 October, 11am: Living for Kicks (subtitled)
The rise of the teenager! Find teddy boys, coffee bars, pop stars and a Brighton and Liverpool frothing with late-50s/early 60s subcultures.
Monday 26 October, 7.30pm: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
Partly shot in Eastbourne, this noughties classic captures the rollercoaster agonies and ecstasies of adolescence, but above all, the push-and-pull of teen friendships.
Tuesday 27 October, 3pm: Pride
The true, 80s-set story of the unlikely alliance between gay and lesbian activists and striking miners. Uplifting, smart and with sharp period detail. With Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton and Paddy Considine.
Tuesday 27 October, 7.30pm: Human Traffic
John Simm and Danny Dyer light up this love letter to youthful hedonism, an affectionate salute to rave culture.
Wednesday 28 October, 3pm: Rocks
A young teenage girl struggles to take care of herself and her younger brother after being abandoned by their single mother. Shot naturalistically this earthy, bittersweet coming-of-age tale is heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measure.
Two 12-year-old best friends struggle with their relationship after a police stop and search. Set in Luton’s South Asian and Middle Eastern community, it’s a story of political and racial tension, loss and growing up.
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Depot’s KINO Collective is a group of young adults who share an enthusiasm and appreciation for cinema, and it is their hope that you will too!
They aim to expose more people our age to a diverse range of powerful and enjoyable films, and in doing so build a community of avid young cinema-goers who are eager to explore the varied and transporting world of the movies.
Bend It Like Beckham
Find out morePresented by KINO Collective as part of BFI’s nationwide Rip It Up season
Jess dreams of playing professional football, but her Sikh parents have plans for her: a law degree and a marriage. Jules spots Jess playing football and invites her to join the local women’s team dragging Jess into.
+ Intro & Q&A with members of Lewes FC’s Women’s team
+ play a round of table football before the film in the studio
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As part of the Rip It Up season, Cambridge Film Festival will be screening three classic titles.
23 October: Bend It Like Beckham
24 October: Rocks
31 October: 24 Hour Party People
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Creative Arts’ Rip It Up season showcases the changing face of youth rebellion, culture and expression – from joy to heartbreak – all on the big screen.
11 October: White Riot, 6.30pm at The Bowling House
Join us at The Bowling House for a screening of White Riot – an exploration of how punk influenced politics in late-1970s Britain when a group of artists united to take on the National Front.
With special guest speaker Prof. Matt Worley (Professor of Modern History specialising in British politics, youth culture and punk), a vinyl DJ set from Reel Connections and a post-film discussion.
21 October: White Riot, 7.30pm at The Corn Hall Diss
White Riot – an exploration of how punk influenced politics in late-1970s Britain when a group of artists united to take on the National Front.
With special guest speaker Richard Balls, author and music biographer, and a vinyl DJ set from Reel Connections and a post-film discussion.
23 October: Northern Soul: Still Burning, 7pm, The BIGG Theatre, Biggleswade
Leap onto the dance floor and discover the enduring legacy of the cultural phenomenon that is Northern Soul. Ignited in the working class communities of the North and the Midlands in the late 60s and 70s, this underground scene brought together youth culture and rare, overlooked up tempo American soul music in a rush of exhilaration and high-energy dancing.
Northern Soul continues to re-invent itself more than any other music movement, remaining as thriving, vibrant and relevant today as when it first evolved.
Plus, a specially compiled short film curated short film by Reel Connections Forever Young, celebrating the diversity of British youth cultures in the region from the early 1970s to the 1990s.
24 October: Northern Soul: Still Burning , 4pm at Little Thetford Village Hall
Leap onto the dance floor and discover the enduring legacy of the cultural phenomenon that is Northern Soul. Ignited in the working class communities of the North and the Midlands in the late 60s and 70s, this underground scene brought together youth culture and rare, overlooked up tempo American soul music in a rush of exhilaration and high-energy dancing.
Northern Soul continues to re-invent itself more than any other music movement, remaining as thriving, vibrant and relevant today as when it first evolved.
Plus, a specially compiled short film curated short film by Reel Connections Forever Young, celebrating the diversity of British youth cultures in the region from the early 1970s to the 1990s.
27 October: Quadrophenia, 7.30pm at Walsingham Picture House
An angst-ridden London youth, Jimmy Cooper escapes the drudgery of his postal job as a member of the Mods, a sharply dressed gang constantly at odds with their rivals, the Rockers. When the Mods and Rockers clash in the coastal town of Brighton, England, it leads to both trouble and an encounter with the lovely Steph. Returning to London, Jimmy, who aspires to be like Mod leader Ace Face, becomes even more disillusioned and longs to return to Brighton.
Plus, a specially compiled short film curated short film by Reel Connections Forever Young, celebrating the diversity of British youth cultures in the region from the early 1970s to the 1990s.
29 October: Take It or Leave It, 7pm at Wingfield Barns
Autobiographical account of the cult 80’s British pop group Madness, with members of the group playing themselves, charting their rise from humble beginnings as pub band The Invaders to chart success and their first overseas tour. The film follows the ups and downs of individual members of the group, and features all of their early hits.
Plus special guest speaker, Richard Balls, author and music biographer with DJ accompaniment from Reel Connections.
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London
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City Lights presents Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham + pre-recorded introduction by actress Pooja Shah. Bend It Like Beckham is a timeless coming-of-age comedy about following your dreams, defying stereotypes and rebelling against your parents, that kicked off the careers of Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley. Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra), a British Indian teen, has one dream: to be a professional footballer. But her strict, traditional parents are pushing her towards a life of study and marriage. When she meets Jules (Keira Knightley), the two form a powerful bond over their shared love of the game. As Jess steps into a new world of possibilities, she must find a way to honor both her heritage and her passion.
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Rip It Up: Rock the Boat
Set aboard London’s floating arts venue, Theatreship, Rip It Up: Rock the Boat is a 14-night BFI-supported season celebrating 75 years of UK youth culture. As both an independent cinema and an established music venue, Theatreship is uniquely positioned for a programme pairing iconic, soundtrack-driven films with live performances from emerging grassroots musicians.
The venue has hosted some of the brightest contemporary musical voices, including King Krule, black midi, Slauson Malone, Okay Kaya, Broadside Hacks, and Stegonaute. Young artists will co-curate and perform to ensure authentic voices drive the Rip It Up programme, exploring music-led rebellion through screenings, ranging from classics like Quadrophenia to recent seminal films like Beats and Kneecap.
The season will also highlight fearless female and queer coming-of-age stories, including Rocks and Blue Jean, alongside a FLINTA-led Sapphic Cinema strand. Building on the founders’ vision of opening up the historic docks with truly independent, welcoming arts spaces, the season is designed to engage an intergenerational audience and break down financial barriers with a series of Free Mystery Rip It Up screenings.
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East of Punk
East of Punk is a three-event season exploring the enduring relationship between British punk and Japanese youth culture. The programme comprises two cult works alongside a short film showcase featuring new work by young (16-25) British East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) filmmakers. Taken together, these events trace how a distinctly British youth subculture travelled to Japan, was transformed, and continues to resonate today. Alongside the screenings, audiences can expect music, fashion, and cultural programming that celebrates the creative exchange between youth cultures, past and present.
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Let’s Go Emo!
Let’s Go Emo! explores one of the 00s prevailing subcultures with its staples of black eyeliner and heaps of angst. It investigates how Emo has evolved, through a programme combining early YouTube videos, contemporary TikToks and Reels, and British short films reflecting on youth culture with an early 00s focus. Crossing platforms, Let’s Go Emo! will examine how young people use digital media to express identity, creativity and community while considering themselves (in the words of My Chemical Romance) not okay. The programme will also include a collaboratively produced zine featuring commissioned writing from young contemporary emo fans and content creators, alongside a badge-making workshop.
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Co-curated by LSFF Artistic Director Philip Ilson and young programmer Molly Miles. -
Film Tottenham presents Rebel Party at The Beehive Pub
With support from Film London, the BFI Film Audience Network and the National Lottery, Film Tottenham aim to build on their community cinema programme bringing Rebellion and Party to the Beehive pub with vibrant imagery and characters that ignite!
Starting in August, and part of Rip It Up, a major BFI and Film Audience Network UK-wide season the programme will include Quadrophenia, Twin Town, Young Soul Rebels, Human Traffic, Trainspotting, It’s All Gone Pete Tong, This Is England and Kneecap.
There will be post film discussions and some screenings will have special guests including Kneecap Producer Jack Tarling, artist Reggiimental, indie filmmaker Gary Thomas and documentary filmmaker Alessandro Ugo.
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ROE-BELLIOUS YOUTH!
Youth, rebellion and the films that shaped us…
What does rebellion look like today? And how much has really changed for young people across generations?
As part of BFI FAN’s Rip It Up season, this youth-led programme brings landmark British films together with original shorts made by BA Film students from the University of Roehampton. Exploring identity, belonging, rebellion and self-expression, the programme looks at how young people have challenged expectations, questioned authority and found their place in a changing world.
Each screening pairs a classic British feature with a student-made short responding to its themes from a present-day perspective. From political disillusionment and social division to digital dependence, gender expectations and uncertainty about the future, these pairings create a conversation between the young people represented on screen and those making films today- exploring how rebellion and ambition have changed, and what remains surprisingly familiar.
The students have selected the feature films, created the accompanying shorts and will introduce each screening, bringing a fresh perspective to the films and their themes.
Come and experience how youth rebellion has evolved through iconic British cinema, alongside the fresh perspectives of filmmaking today!
- If… + Short Film (26 September)
- Withnail And I + Short Film (30 September)
- This Is England + Short Film (3 October)
- Bend It Like Beckham + Short Film (7 October)
Flatpack Festival, Birmingham (16 May)
Rip It Up launched in style at Flatpack Festival!
The Midlands-based festival celebrated the underground dance scene with a screening at The Mockingbird Cinema of Modulations: Cinema For The Ear, Iara Lee’s kinetic documentary exploring the evolution of electronic music, and a screening at The Edge of Blinded By The Lights, a celebration of 90s rave culture, followed by a closing party at Pan-Pan.
Photos: Katja Ogrin and Lewis Malin
