On Thursday 23rd April 2026, Pictureville Cinema at the National Science and Media Museum played host to a fabulous evening of celebration, marking the completion of Screen Time Bradford: a major contemporary collecting project supported by the BFI Screen Heritage Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.

Screen Time invited Bradfordians, filmmakers, content creators, and communities to submit born-digital films made within the last two decades representing life, events and stories across the Bradford district. From mobile phone footage of everyday moments, videography of significant occasions, to creative documentaries exploring social issues and uplifting tales, these diverse digital films are now preserved for future generations as part of Bradford’s moving image legacy.

Filmmakers, project partners, and members of the public came together for the showcase, presented by Engagement and Legacy Officer, Alexandra Stockdale-Haley, giving a sneak peek at just some of the 450 + films acquired by the Archive during the course of the project.

In Pictureville, and continuing afterwards as audiences lingered to chat about the films and the project, there was a strong feeling of optimism and pride in Bradford district and in the way its diverse communities were represented on screen.

Filmmakers Louisa Rose Mackleston and Naomi Henry gave us their thoughts:

“I think it's so important, the work you're doing [and] I think it was a great campaign, the way it was focused on Bradford. The [digital preservation] process was really quick and easy.

“I always dreamed that my films would be archived, but I never thought they were good enough. So, when Screen Time came around it made me realise the value in my work and how important it is that future generations can not only watch my films but watch these amazing films from people across Bradford.”

Louisa Rose Mackleston

“You don't see Bradford like it's being showcased tonight.  Just seeing how it came to life, it makes you feel like there is so much more to explore within Bradford.  It made me excited and I feel inspired to actually start creating more films.”

Naomi Henry

Feedback from the audience was extremely positive, with comments including:

“Positive and heart-warming.  It's wonderful to see Bradford in a positive light, showcasing what we have to offer.”

“It's our history, our heritage, and without this collection it would undoubtedly be lost.”

“Important personal and moving stories showing the reality, makes me feel closer to this community and made me think about my own community legacy.” 

We’ll leave the final summary to filmmaker Pishdaad Modaressi:

“The Yorkshire Film Archive really does its research. Screen Time’s not just a project, it's a project with passion. 

“If you're a filmmaker and have not heard of film archives before, read up, learn everything you can, because this is the number one way to be remembered as a filmmaker. 

“Being part of this, it was a big honour.”

 

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be adding films acquired during the project to our website, so keep checking back for updates.  

You can also explore two brand new online Screen Time exhibitions, created by volunteers Katie Wyles and Ed Chaplin: https://www.yfanefa.com/screen_time