the film is advertised in screen 2 at the filmhouse, sat 6th march 5.30, but will now take place in screen 1.



Punishment Park, (USA 1970) (88 mins), dir. peter watkins (18) - sat 6th march, 5.30, screen 1 filmhouse.

peter watkin's film vividly imagines a world where political diisidents are tried by unofficial tribumnals and invited to spend three days in 'punishment park' as an alternative to federal penitentiary. only later, when they are being pursued, in scorching heat through a desert landscape, do the real rules of the 'game' become apparent. as relevant today as when initially released, this is a stunningly visual and meticulously constructed political film.

----

should be of interest to anyone involved in the anti-war movement, or concerned and outraged by U.S abuses of power in general - the film is in part a response to the repression of black, women and anti-war movements at the time of vietnam. peter watkins is also one of the most neglected and radical film-makers britain has produced, then subsequently maligned. it is an excellent opportunity to catch one of his most potent films.

---

'la commune' (2001), watkins's extraordinary film on the revolutionary events of 1871 in france will also be showing at the filmhouse in may or june. alongside the recent showing of the remarkable 'culloden' (1964), it's a great chance to reappraise the suppressed and marginalised work of peter watkins.