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Lost & Found Films of Norfolk

History is the name we give to the stories we tell about the places we come from. The history of Norfolk is made up of many stories – stories as varied and strange and old and unpredictable as Norfolk itself. Some of these stories are very famous. Others, not quite so much.

In 2019, as one of our Festival 250 projects, Norfolk & Norwich Festival and artist, Andy Field began working with children from across the county to dive into the history of this place, uncovering lost archive films from Norfolk’s long-forgotten past. These short, almost unbelievable films, tell stories about Norfolk you might not have heard before – imagined histories shaped by the young people of the county.

Bringing leading artists from across the UK to work with children in schools, Lost & Found Films would make those children filmmakers, enabling them to adopt various roles, whether writer, actor, director or propmaker. It would also treat them as valued storytellers, transforming their confidence, self-esteem and empowering them to take ownership over their work.

“I just think it would be fun for everyone to experience what we’ve experienced.” North Walsham Junior School Pupil

In a project hampered by the Covid pandemic, we worked over the next three years to produce 11 Lost & Found Films. The project was celebrated at the 250th anniversary of Norfolk & Norwich Festival in 2022 with a red carpet premier at Norwich’s Cinema City. Many of the school children attended and the films were shown to the public, at the Forum in Norwich, at both the 2022 and 2023 festivals.

9 of the 11 films are available for you to enjoy here.

 

 

Participating schools and artists

  • Hewett Academy & Figs in Wigs
  • Locksley Short Stay School & Rachael Clerke and Linzy Na Nakorn
  • Locksley Short Stay School & Tim Spooner
  • Mile Cross Primary & Abigail Conway
  • North Walsham Junior School & Chris Brett Bailey
  • Norwich Primary Academy & Keisha Thompson
  • Ormiston Victory Academy & Dan Canham
  • Ormiston Victory Academy & Dan Canham
  • St Nicholas Priory Primary School & Rachael Clerke and Linzy Na Nakorn
  • St Nicholas Primary School & Figs in Wigs
  • Taverham Academy & Susannah Hewlett

 

 

 

Video | Lost & Found Films of Norfolk – North Walsham Junior School and Christopher Brett Bailey

 

Lost & Found Films of Norfolk is supported by the Norwich Freemen’s Charity, the Geoffrey Watling Charity, the Fuller Endowment Fund, the Ellerdale Trust, The Arts Society Norwich and North Norfolk District Council

Norwich Freemen's Charity Logo                        

 

 

 

 

Watch The Lost & Found Films of Norfolk 

 

 

 

Strange Home | Abigail Conway and Mile Cross Primary School

 

 

Wish | Christopher Brett Bailey and North Walsham Junior School

Choreomania | Dan Canham and Ormiston Victory Academy

 

 

 

 

The 12 Scary, Terrifying Aliens in Wigs go on Vacation to Great Yarmouth | Figs in Wigs and St Nicholas Priory School

The Caistor Report | Rachael Clerke, Linzy Na Nakorn and Locksley Short Stay School

 

 

Figs in Wigs and Hewett Academy

 

 

 

 

Silent Voices | Taverham Academy & Suzanna Hewlett

 

 

The Great Great Yarmouth Historical Re-enactment Association | Rachael Clerke, Linzy Na Nakorn and St Nicholas Priory Primary School

 

 

This Is Costessey | Ormiston Victory Academy and Dan Canham

 

 

 

 

Locksley School and Tim Spooner

 

 

 

 

 

About Andy Field

Andy Field is an artist, writer, curator and co-director of Forest Fringe, based in London. Andy has been creating performance work on his own and with a range of collaborators since 2007. His work is always interactive, often inviting participants to experience, or even perform, perfectly normal, everyday behaviours in strange and disorientating contexts.

Since 2019, Norfolk & Norwich Festival has been working with Andy on a number of projects. In 2019 Andy and Beckie Darlington worked with a cast of pupils from Norwich Primary Academy to create News, News, News, a live television broadcast for adults, by children.

We will be working with Andy and Beckie again on a 2023 project with four schools. The Book of Thetford will present the town through the eyes of the children that live there.

 

 

 

Lost and Found Films Norfolk is a Festival 250 project.

 

Arts make life better

Norfolk & Norwich Festival brings tens of thousands of people together in celebration – it has been doing this for 250 years. Through our May Festival and our year-round arts education work, focusing on children and young people, we lead and support celebration, creativity and curiosity in communities across Norfolk and the region.

This year we begin an exciting new initiative, Festival Connect & Create that will bring creative opportunities to those schools and communities with least provision. Creativity transforms people’s lives. It builds cohesive communities, develops vital skills and supports health and wellbeing. We want more people to have access to creative opportunities.

Please consider donating to support and develop this work. With your help we can increase access to the life changing power of the arts.

Registered Charity No. 116442

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