A Bunch of Amateurs
About the Film
The Bradford Movie Makers have seen every session of Britain’s oldest amateur film club, in sickness and in health. But as its members grow old and the interest of the younger folks dwindle, reminiscing only gets them so far. Desperately clinging to their dreams, and to each other, fueled by endless cups of tea, this quietly hilarious, profoundly moving portrait of shared artistic folly speaks to the delusional escapist dreamer in us all and to the need to spend time together face to face in an increasingly lonely, digital age.
Kim HOPKINS brings the story of the Bradford Movie Makers to life with a flawless mix of wholesomeness and sharp wit. In A Bunch of Amateurs, the undying devotion of the Bradford Movie Makers is perfectly juxtaposed to their deadpan humour, as they remind us of the need for us to spend time together, face-to-face, in our increasingly lonely, digital world.
Post-Screening
Join us for a hybrid post-screening chat, Golden Years: The Big Question of Ageing and How to Keep Mentally Fit, with:
- Kim Hopkins, Director of the film (dialling in)
- Dr William Wan, Singapore Kindness Movement, Active Aging AIC
- Isaiah Chng, Empower Ageing Limited
Moderated by Serene Goh, SAMH
Session Details
Director: Kim Hopkins
Premiere Status: SEA Premiere
Date: 8 November 2024
Doors Open: 3.15pm
Screening start: 3.30pm
Runtime: 94 mins
Post-Screening chat: 45 mins, starts at 5.15pm
Total Session Duration: 139 mins
Language: English
Rating (with advisory): PG13
Trailer
About the Director
Kim Hopkins is from Yorkshire, England. A graduate of the UK (NFTS) National Film & Television School, (recently voted best film school in the world), Kim has been making award-winning TV documentaries for nearly 15 years. She is now a company director of Labor Of Love Films Ltd., a UK based production company that specialises in feature documentaries.
Other Sessions
LADY!
A moving documentary directed by Tan Pei Lin on young-onset dementia and its emotional impact on loved ones.
An in-person post-screening chat with the director will follow the screening.
Neurotypes
Directed by Maija Hirvonen, “Neurotypes” follows a determined autistic child and her caregiver mother as they challenge norms to promote acceptance and equality.
A hybrid post-screening chat with the director, as well as local panellists, will follow the screening.
Love Bound
An intimate film by Vibe Mogensen exploring parents’ struggles to balance their children’s needs with their own well-being, highlighting unconditional love and the uncertainty of caregiving within an overburdened welfare system.
An in-person post-screening panel will follow the screening.
SFYC Youth Showcase Top 11 Finalists
Presenting the Top 11 finalists for the Mental Health Film Festival Singapore’s Short Film Youth Competition Youth Showcase.
An in-person post-screening chat with the directors will happen as a part of the screening session.
Deep Sea (深海)
In “Deep Sea”, directed by Tian Xiaopeng, a girl strays into the dreamy sea world where she faces her dark past and deeply-veiled secrets.
An in-person post-screening panel will follow the screening.
All The Long Nights
Two work colleagues: he suffers from panic attacks, she has extreme PMS. Their company distributes toy planetariums. What may not sound like Ozu Yasujirō is actually precisely that: people are attentive and do each other good, without even realising.
An in-person post-screening panel will follow the screening.
SFYC Open Competition Top 11 Finalists
Presenting the Top 11 finalists for the Mental Health Film Festival Singapore’s Short Film Youth Competition Open Competition Category.
An in-person post-screening chat with the directors will happen as a part of the screening session.
A Bunch of Amateurs
A thoughtful documentary directed by Kim Hopkins features a group of elderly filmmakers who bond over their common love for the art, their bond transcending love, sickness and even death itself.
A hybrid post-screening panel with the director as well a local panellists will follow the screening.