New Cross and Deptford Free Film Festival – opens this Friday 22nd April

The annual New Cross & Deptford Free Festival opens this Friday and runs till Sunday 1st May. Fancy watching a film on a boat, in a church, by the Creek or other unusual local location? Or in one of your favourite bars – for free?

Check the full and varied listings here. (No ticket required, first come first served)

Some of the film showings include DJ sets and/or talks, and of course the festival would be incomplete without an outdoor, bike-powered screening – this year it's a Bowie film (natch) in Telegraph Hill Upper Park.

Deptford events coming up...

The big event this weekend is the London Marathon on Sunday which Crossfielders can watch from the end of the road – unless they're running of course. Get down to Creek Road at around 9.15am to see the elite runners or catch the charity runners from 11ish. But before that, there's...

New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival 
Friday 24th April – Sunday 3rd May 
37 free films in 17 different venues over 10 days, run by volunteers with more than 40 people curating events. Most of the larger venues or most popular films are already booked up (the first night in particular), but check to see what's left at the website – some events can't be booked so it's first come, first served. One such film we would recommend for loyal Deptfordians is Hide and Seek, a children's film shot in Deptford in 1972, showing on Wednesday 29th at the Big Red Pizzeria (but don't be fooled, it'll be in the container in their back yard, not in the pizzeria itself). Otherwise see you in the queue at the Job Centre on 3rd May...

Deptford Food Festival
Saturday 25th April, 9am–5.30pm, Giffin Square 
The first of what is now to be a weekly street food market. The Deptford Dame points out this is the third time it's been tried and fears there may still be not enough demand to make it worthwhile for the traders themselves. Not being an evening event, it's certainly not as trendy an event as Lewisham Model Market which returned to Lewisham High Street last week, but as a food-orientated attraction it's not as poncey as the Deptford Brunch Club and you can do a bit of shopping as well.

Co-incidentally, The Secret History of Our Streets – featuring Deptford High Street in the first episode – is being repeated on BBC4 (catch it on i-Player). The documentary uses film footage from Hide and Seek (see the Film Festival above), funnily enough. When Secret History was first broadcast in 2012 it caused controversy locally. We had our own critical opinion of the episode's inaccuracies (here, here and here) having originally helped contribute to its making in 2011. Also see Deptford Misc's take on it. But it's worth watching to hear how Deptford High Street was once the "Oxford Street of south London".

That reminds us of the meeting held back in early February at The Albany for shopkeepers and market traders, convened by local councillors (who all happen to be Lewisham Labour) to discuss how to increase trade in the high street (or rather, combat the decrease). Traders think business is lost because of parking charges – it's free to park on a Saturday after 1pm but they'd like free all day parking ("like what you get at supermarkets"). Maybe the new Asda can pay for the free parking...

Another demand was for public toilets–  the Lounge was built on the site of the previous public loos and doesn't open until 10am. Most demands were led by People Before Profit (in an open attack on the Labour councillors); PB4P touched on a subject that was of no interest to legitimate businesses when they called for an end to frequent harassment from the UK Border Police.

Everyone present thought better signage was needed and one lady shopkeeper bravely suggested that the 47 bus takes a detour (presumably up Frankham Street and down Giffin Street) which is a brilliant but probably impractical idea. The Chair of the High Street Traders Association – who got the anchor removed and to which most traders do not belong – suggested French foods or farmer's markets in Giffin Square. So here you are! Not French cheeses, but lovely street food! Make the most of it! Naturally, you'll be walking or catching the bus to our famous high street, since there's still no all-day free parking. That's probably just as well since Deptford Church Street is usually gridlocked on Saturdays with people trying to get to Surrey Quays and Lewisham shopping centres – or Millwall FC at home...

FREE music and arts events this weekend

Fri 2 May 7.15pm O Brother, Where Art Thou? Old Police Station • 8pm Winged Migration Sanford Housing Co-op • 8pm The Naked City Gallop • Sat 3 May 10am Optical Adjustments St Nicholas Church • 1pm Ritual & Play Old Tidemill School • 8pm Frank Zappa's Baby Snakes Vinyl • 7.30pm Stray Dog Gallop • 8pm Grease Telegraph Hill Park • Sun 4 May 1pm Ping Pong Old Tidemill School • 8pm Owl & the Pussycat Montague Arms
freefilmfestivals.org/whats-on/new-cross.html

Friday 2nd May – Monday 5th May
Arthub presents 
MAYDAY! MAYDAY! 
Bank Holiday Charity Postcard Show, Silent Auction & Grand Raffle. Grand Opening Friday 2 May, 6-9pm
Silent auction continues Sat/Sun 12-5pm, Minimum bids of £20. Monday 5 May: one day sale 12-5pm, all available postcards £25. In aid of The Deborah Ubee Trust & The Ahoy Centre. Arthub Gallery, 5-9 Creekside SE8 arthubgallery.com

Saturday 3rd May, 1pm
'UTTER!' 
Misguided Tour of Deptford & New Cross with Richard Tyrone Jones
Award-winning poet and local resident Richard Tyrone Jones will mis-guide you through Deptford "in a fascinating FREE tour with some very quirky features. Myth or reality? Amazing tale or barefaced lie? Join him for a tour that will reveal Deptford in a totally new light..."
Meet at Sanford Housing Co-op, Cold Blow Lane, 1pm. Ends 3pm at the Albany, where Richard is taking part in the Crosswires Festival (see below). NB: Doesn't look like there's much Deptford in this piss-take walk?

Saturday 3rd May, all day
CROSSWIRES FESTIVAL
www.crosswires.org.uk/ 
A day of mostly FREE music at three Deptford & New Cross venues
12pm–3pm Deptford Lounge (FREE)
3pm–10pm The Albany (FREE all day)
3pm–3am Amersham Arms (FREE before 8.30pm)
An eclectic mix of the best in new and traditional music "in the tradition of the late John Peel's radio shows". Check out the great line ups at each venue on the Crosswires Festival website.

Saturday 3rd May, 9pm
KIMBER'S MEN
It's May Bank Holiday – traditionally time for South East Londoners to head to Rochester for the Sweeps Festival or Hastings Jack in the Green for a bit of paganism, folk music and morris dancing – and to celebrate the pride of the common working man. But the trains are all f**ked, so get a taste of these festivals on home turf with the best sea shanty crew in the UK.
Birds Nest pub

Monday 5th May, 12-5pm
GREENWICH FAIR
Locally organised bank holiday fair with a strong whiff of political activism from our posh friends across the Creek...
Greenwich Green ('by the Greenwich Tree of Life mural') aka Bardsley Green, 262-288 Creek Road SE10 9SW
keepthegreen.org.uk






NEXT WEEK...

Saturday 10th May, 10am-10pm
LEWISHAM ARTHOUSE OPEN STUDIOS
Over 30 artists studios (close at 8pm) • in the gallery: Painting, Smoking, Eating (group show) • café by GCDA • Cardboard Jungle workshop for kids • bar, drinks & DJ in the evening.
lewishamarthouse.org.uk 

Saturday 10th May, 7.30pm
EUROVISION PARTY
Hosted by drag queen Mrs Jonjo
Cry with laughter on the greatest night in European music (not!)
Tickets £5 (includes a drink) 18+ only, last entry 9pm
The Albany, Douglas Way SE8 4AG
www.thealbany.org.uk/event_detail/1203/Music/Eurovision-Party

Ken Loach to do Q&A at New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival

We caught two outdoor film screenings at #NXDFFF last night – just two of the six Free film festival events available yesterday.

Passing by Honey's on the high street at around 7pm we saw high street resident Ryan preparing to show The Harder They Come. A screen was set up in the window for folk to watch from the street. There appeared to be nothing to sit on – Ryan told us we needed to bring our own seating. When we passed by again at 8.15 the screening was in full swing with the audience seated and refreshments on hand from Honey's. A heart warming scene – and a treat for the betting shop regulars who, since the pavement was full, viewed the movie leaning against the shutters on the other side of the road.

Ryan's other curatorial contributions to the festival are The Hustler at Shades Pool Hall on Tuesday (7pm), and the screening of a Vietnamese documentary Surname Viet Given Name Nam in Deptford Market on Wednesday 30th (8pm). The festival works by inviting locals to get involved and work voluntarily to put films of their choice on at their favourite venues. *

We then headed on down to Fordham Park with a blanket and refreshments to watch Attack The Block which was powered by eager peddle pushers on about ten bikes (riding the bikes was a sure way to keep warm if you didn't have a blanket). The picture started whilst it was still light, but good sound and projection ensured a smooth transition into cinematic darkness, and although it was a little nippy, there was none of the rain that plagued the festival's outdoor stagings last year. A great film and a very successful event!

Older readers may recall the free outdoor screenings that took place some time ago in Greenwich Park, sponsored by Stella Artois. With the advantage of warmer weather – and later start and end times – the plague then was the deckchair brigade who paid a premium for a comfier seat and got in the way of other viewers (as happened in Greenwich screenings of the Olympics). No such hierarchy here – unless your restricted view was from behind the voluntary cyclists powering the film projection.

So now to the news (which Twitter followers may have already picked up): we talked to festival organisers Jill and Andrew after the film and heard that Ken Loach may be attending the screening of Spirit of 45 programmed by New Cross Learning for this coming Wednesday 30th April (unfortunately the same time as the Deptford Market outdoor screening). Fans of the documentary and its politics, and those who missed this film last year in the cinema or on the telly may have the unique opportunity to talk to the film maker in a Q&A, as well as listen to the pre-screening talk by The Equality Trust already planned. Check this page for details and updates. If it happens, it's a great coup for both New Cross Learning and the festival.

* Crossfields estate has been invited to take part but no one has yet taken on the responsibility of organising an event. The arches or any of our green areas would make perfect outdoor venues. However, whilst no one may be short on ideas, the problem is ensuring residents are not overly disturbed by a screening that cannot start till dusk and might not finish till after 10pm.

Local Spring events

The New Cross & Deptford Free Film Festival opens today and runs every day till Sunday 4th May at various venues. In Deptford the extra special venues that make this festival special include Big Red Pizzeria, Old Tidemill School, The Bird's Nest, Deptford Lounge, Deptford Market and Vinyl café and record shop on Tanner's Hill. On the high street there'll be film showings at Honey's Bakery, Shades Snooker Club, Deli X and Gallop Workshop. Watching The Hustler in Shades and The Harder They Come in Honey's sounds just perfect. And that's just Deptford. There are outdoor bike-powered showings too... Download the programme here. To get a flavour, here's a short video of last year's festival...



This evening is also the last Friday in the month, so that means, as always, art galleries are open in and around Deptford and beyond. See www.southlondonartmap.com/events/last-fridays

Assembly, the group temporarily transforming the garden at Old Tidemill School (which was originally created by a Tidemill teacher living on Crossfields), are open every Saturday between 12 and 4pm for all things to do with growing food and gardening. There's a Free bike-powered film screening tomorrow, Saturday 26th April, and May Day Celebrations on Saturday 3rd May. On Sunday 4th May at 1pm, they're screening Ping Pong, a film about octogenarian ping pong players vying for a world championship title – followed by ping pong tournaments for the film goers (2-3pm).



Down on the river, a "rarely performed masterpiece" of Restoration post-Shakespearian tragedy drama (we had to look it up) can be seen at Paynes & Borthwick Wharf. Venice Preserv'd (written by Thomas Otway and brought to life by The Spectators' Guild) opened yesterday and continues till 8th June.

Tickets are expensive but concessionary tickets at £10 appear to be available from May 1st. According to the website, these tickets must be "accompanied by proof of debt in the form of a recent student loan letter, bailiff's letter, final notice or negative bank statement". Whilst this is profoundly insulting, we've got our obligatory negative bank statement and will be taking it with us when we go to see this "tale of corruption, friendship and love" next week – even though we think that the funding behind this extravaganza could have supplemented more reasonably priced tickets for local people without them having to plead and prove poverty.



Now we're onto pay-to-view rather than free shows, we'd like to give special mention to a show featuring partially sighted Crossfields resident Heather Gilmore. Extant presents The Chairs by Eugene Ionesco, with blind actors in the two main roles of an interpretation of this classic text. Tuesday 29th April - Friday 2 May, 7.30pm (£12/£10 and £5 for companions and supporters of disabled attendees).

Lastly, preparations are under way for Greenwich & Docklands International Festival in June. LIFT (the London International Festival of Theatre) will be presenting Deblozay, a "processional theatre show, with acoustic and amplified sound, choir and local participation, plus light, theatrical pyro and fire effects". And Crossfields will be part of it.

On June 20th & 21st at 9pm-ish, Deblozay will set off from St Alfege's Church in Greenwich, through Bardsley Lane and Claremont St estate to Norman Road, where it will cross the Ha'Penny Hatch and come into Crossfields estate at the railway arches at about 10.35pm. The spectacle will then move north to arrive somewhere near the Laban where there will be an outdoor bar until midnight.

Rehearsals on Crossfields will be on 19th June. We're not sure which 'locals' are participating since Crossfields residents were not asked to get involved, but nevertheless it promises to be a local event worth looking forward to – and it's free!