A rare film documenting the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt at Hyde Park in 1994, which was presumed lost for three decades, is set to receive a special screening in London this World Day.
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out will be shown at in Bermondsey on Tuesday 1 December, with a fundraising screening followed by a Q&A with its filmmakers, Zowie Broach and Martin Cohen.
What is There Is A Light That Never Goes Out about?
Filmed over two days in June 1994, the documentary captures the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt when it was displayed in its entirety at Hyde Park. It features interviews with panel makers, visitors and Quilt founder , as well as contributions from musicians Boy George, Neneh Cherry, Michael Hutchence and Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Paul Rutherford.
Despite documenting a significant moment in British LGBTQ+ history, the film was never broadcast and was presumed lost for 30 years. It was only rediscovered when Broach found a VHS copy in storage.
The footage offers a rare and intimate glimpse into a period marked by profound loss, community solidarity and resistance in the face of the HIV/AIDS crisis.
What is the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt?
The UK AIDS Memorial Quilt commemorates more than 600 people who died from HIV and AIDS. Each panel was created by someone who loved the person being remembered, many of whom died at a time when stigma and discrimination meant their lives were often left unacknowledged.
When the Quilt was laid out at Hyde Park in 1994, it brought those individual stories into one of London’s most prominent public spaces, demanding recognition for those lost and action from a government often criticised for its response to the epidemic.
All proceeds from the event will go to the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership
The December screening will raise funds for the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Partnership, which works to preserve the Quilt, make it accessible to the public and ensure the lives it commemorates remain part of Britain’s social history.
All proceeds from the event will go towards the partnership’s work, helping to conserve the collection and keep it on public display for future generations.
The screening begins at 6.30pm on Tuesday 1 December at The Arzner Cinema, Bermondsey. cost £10, with the film followed by a Q&A with Broach and Cohen.