Birthday For Peter

From the collection of

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton collects, preserves, catalogues and provides public access to its collection of films and magic lantern slides. The collection charts the rise of screen culture in the region and the nation and captures many aspects of life, work and creativity in the South East from the late 19th century to the present day. It is available for research, screenings, creative re-use and commercial access.

Birthday For Peter

Screen Archive South East at the University of Brighton
Sevenoaks
1958-01-01
Silent
9m

Peter's birthday is one his suffering parents would rather forget in this harrowing film from the Sevenoaks Cine Society

It's Peter's birthday and Mum wakes him with cards and presents. After breakfast he goes off to school, with his toy locomotive, but fails to return at 4 o'clock. While she searches around the neighbourhood, Dad arrives home to an empty house. We see Peter in the grip of a sinister man and struggling to get away. His parents keep searching and finally call the police but it doesn't look good. Suddenly, we see Mum wake up and dash into Peter's room. He's quite safe. It was all a dream!

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.