Film
New Town Utopia
- Director
- Christopher Ian Smith
- Certificate
- 15
- Running Time
- 81 mins
As Britain rebuilt after WWII, New Towns were were envisaged as social utopias giving rise to “a new type of citizen, a healthy, self-respecting, dignified person with a sense of beauty, culture and civic pride”. Seventy years on, the decaying concrete reality is rather different.
Christopher Ian Smith‘s documentary tells the funny and occasionally tragic tale of Basildon in Essex. Jim Broadbent voices the words of Lewis Silkin MP in what is billed as an “audiovisual journey guided by the artists, musicians and poets of Basildon”.
It’s back on screen as part of the Cities, Future Cities and Film season.
EatDrink24/7 Launch Party is back on July 8 2026!
Exclusive collabs from Bristol’s favourite food vendors, available for one night only. Be first to grab your free copy of the EatDrink24/7 guide – plus every ticket comes with a free limited-edition beer can.
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
