Withnail and I + Short Film

ROE-BELLIOUS YOUTH! BFI FAN Rip It Up Season  

Youth, rebellion and the films that shaped us...  

What does rebellion look like today? And how much has really changed for young people across generations?  

As part of BFI FAN’s Rip It Up season, this youth-led programme brings landmark British films together with original shorts made by BA Film students from the University of Roehampton. Exploring identity, belonging, rebellion and self-expression, the programme looks at how young people have challenged expectations, questioned authority and found their place in a changing world.  

Each screening pairs a classic British feature with a student-made short responding to its themes from a present-day perspective. From political disillusionment and social division to digital dependence, gender expectations and uncertainty about the future, these pairings create a conversation between the young people represented on screen and those making films today- exploring how rebellion and ambition have changed, and what remains surprisingly familiar.  

The students have selected the feature films, created the accompanying shorts and will introduce each screening, bringing a fresh perspective to the films and their themes.  

Come and experience how youth rebellion has evolved through iconic British cinema, alongside the fresh perspectives of filmmaking today!  

Short Film: Farewell Transmission

A short film by director Landon DuPuis - Farewell Transmission follows a young man on a journey to the coast to scatter his brother’s ashes. As he travels, memories and reflections on his own life surface, forcing him to confront grief, anger, uncertainty and the possibility of hope. Inspired by British kitchen-sink dramas and the music of Jason Molina, the film offers an intimate portrait of loss and the uncertainties of young adulthood. Paired with Bruce Robinson’s Withnail and I, it explores the darker, more introspective side of youth and the search for meaning during times of transition.

Dir/Run Time: TBD

Main Feature: Withnail and I

Bruce Robinson’s cult comedy, starring Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, follows two struggling actors living in squalor in 1960s London who escape to a rundown country cottage for a chaotic holiday. Darkly funny and bittersweet, it captures friendship, uncertainty and the frustrations of young adulthood.