Akenfield

Synopsis: Loosely based on Ronald Blythe’s book, this film traces three generations of one Suffolk family and their lives in the farming industry. The film features a cast of non-professional actors drawn from the communities of several Suffolk villages and features improvised dialogue offering a depiction of country life over the changing seasons.

With three generations (grandfather, father and son) performed by the same actor (local farmer Garrow Shand), the film depicts a traditional way of life facing a period of great change, brought about by the industrialisation of the twentieth century.

The BFI’s DVD release includes the following extras:

'Akenfield Revisited’ (Rex Pyke, 2004, 40 mins): a documentary looking back at the making of ‘Akenfield’; behind the scenes footage of the filming; ‘Akenfield at the NFT’ (audio only, 2004): onstage interview with Sir Peter Hall, Ronald Blythe and Garrow Shand; On-set interview with Ronald Blythe (1974); Interview with actor Garrow Shand (2004); Interview with writer Ronald Blythe (2004); Interview with director Sir Peter Hall (2004); New interview with Rex Pyke, producer of Akenfield (2016)
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Year of production: 1974
Notes: Dual format: includes both DVD and Blu-Ray
Subjects: Agriculture; Social Studies; English language and literature; History
Keywords: farming; rural communities; Suffolk; village life

Director

Peter Hall

Contributor

Ronald Blythe

Cast

Garrow Shand

This record has been viewed 176 times.