Down the Shaft Film Club at The Brunel Museum: Underwater Season
Midnight Apothecary presents ‘Down the Shaft Film Club’.
Thursday 4th April 2019, tickets from £20
The event combines cosy campfire and wild cocktails in the candle-lit garden above ground with a series of amazing wild films underground. The films will be screened in one of London’s newest and most exciting underground performance spaces, the Victorian underground Grand Entrance Hall to Brunel’s Thames Tunnel at the Brunel Museum, directly beneath its roof garden.
Underwater Season
For the inaugural ‘Underwater Season’, Down the Shaft Film Club are delighted to present six wonderful short documentaries (winners of 26 awards between them) reflecting the current obsession with water and wild swimming. From stunning underwater cinematography to poignant and sometimes hilarious adventures of the body and soul these films, shot in some of the most stunning locations in the UK, are bound to inspire your own campfire and water-based adventures.
What better venue to celebrate the medium of water and film than the entrance to Marc Brunel’s engineering masterpiece, the Thames Tunnel: the first tunnel under a navigable river anywhere in the world. A place of imagination, inspiration and wonder.
The Campsite
Arrive from 6pm for campfire, wild cocktails, deluxe hot toddies, locally crafted beer and sizzling seasonal street food (not included in the price of your ticket) in our enchanting candle-lit secret roof garden. Descend underground to be transported by films of adventure and wonder before emerging into the night air for more real-life fireside adventures. Films begin at 7.30pm. The campfire, complimentary toasted marshmallows and streetfood will be available for you before and between the films.
Warm your cockles with hot toddies but please wear warm outdoor clothing for this event as it takes place in a garden and underground shaft so can get a bit chilly.
Midnight Apothecary is a celebration of wild cocktails, campfire and camaraderie in the city. They grow and forage the ingredients for the famous Midnight Apothecary drinks in the rooftop garden at the Brunel Museum. The team want to share the wonder of the great outdoors with you, preferably over a toasted marshmallow.
The Films
Ray: A Life Underwater / 14 minutes
A beautiful documentary portrait of Plymouth-based 75 year old Ray Ives exploring his eccentric treasure trove of deep sea salvage. Winner of 18 international awards including Jury Prize, Best Short Documentary, Port Townsend Film Festival, 2013, Best Adventure Film, San Francisco Ocean Film Festival, 2012, Best Documentary, Super Shorts International Film Festival, 2011, Best Film, Shoot Film Festival, 2011. By Amanda Bluglass. 14 minutes
Beneath 360 / 5 minutes
A unique perspective on the art of high board diving, featuring Olympic world champion and local Bermondsey resident Tom Daley. An immersive film in 360 with 6:1 surround sound audio. “A beautifully crafted, hypnotic installation” Jury Prize, ‘Creative Craft’ Media Innovation Awards 2013. Conceived, directed and produced by Amanda Bluglass.
Chasing The Sublime / 7 minutes
Why do we put ourselves in the path of discomfort and risk? What drives us to get too cold and too tired, to battle with fear, in the name of adventure? A mesmeric glimpse of the physicality of cold water swimming in pursuit of the sublime. Official Selection: Vancouver International Women in Film Festival 2019. Official Selection: Four Seasons Film Festival 2019. Official Selection: Sheffield Adventure in Film Festival 2019.Official Selection: BMC (British Mountaineering Council) Women in Adventure Competition 2019. Director and Producer: Amanda Bluglass.
Swim Wild / 7 minutes
Intent on reclaiming their childhood, rediscovering the value of the outdoors for themselves and others, the three ‘Wild Swimming Brothers’ opted to reunite in Cumbria for one long River Eden swim that would change the course of their lives forever. Inspired by their “Granny Wild’ this tells the story of the Hudson brothers from their first adventure together – how they ran to the hills to escape their urban nine-to-fives and jumped into the peaty source of the River Eden and followed its course all the way to its mouth at the Solway Firth. Produced by ClickON MEDIA.
My Big White Thighs & Me / 25 minutes
Committed to making a change a young woman sets herself the simple goal of swimming in open water at least once a month. As she braves the elements throughout the seasons to swim in wild places she develops a newfound appreciation for this beautiful island of ours and the quiet adventure that can be found when we begin to explore. Winner of Best Women in Adventure & Best Film Gold Award at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival 2018 and and People’s Choice & Most Inspiring at 5Point Film Festival. Written and directed by Hannah Maia.
Waterlog: A Summer’s Journey From City To Sea /
An imaginary journey swimming from city to sea, inspired by Roger Deakin’s wonderful wild swimming book Waterlog. The text to the film is all quoted from Waterlog:
“A swimming journey would give me access to that part of our world which, like darkness, mist, woods or high mountains, still retains most mystery. It would afford me a different perspective on the rest of landlocked humanity. Alastair Humphreys was filmed, on one glorious, hot June day, at six different locations heading south from London down to the sea, which lies just an hour from the city on the train. An Alastair Humphreys film, shot and produced with Skyrise Productions.
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