Alpha Film Productions: 60 Years On

In 1949 John Andrews was given a second-hand Pathe 9.5mm cine camera for his 15th birthday. He and a few other boys in the neighbourhood decided to start up a youth-club, using John’s garage as a studio and filming around the area in...

Dir. Various

In 1949 John Andrews was given a second-hand Pathe 9.5mm cine camera for his 15th birthday. He and a few other boys in the neighbourhood decided to start up a youth-club, using John’s garage as a studio and filming around the area in their free time. They soon graduated from small actuality films like Village of Northfield to more ambitious projects; thrillers, science fiction, comedy, all delivered with wit and attention to detail. Towards the end of the 1950s the Alpha club had moved to Kings Norton and became more focussed on sports than cinema, but by then they had built up a body of work which stands as a unique document of their corner of the world as it was transformed from villages to suburbs.

Sixty years on from Alpha’s birth, we’re delighted to present a selection of their films at Flatpack. Musical accompaniment will be provided by pianist Alcyona Mick, and local historian John Smith will be on hand to help you get your bearings, with key local events including the last tram leaving Birmingham city centre, and hijinks at Kings Norton carnival.