Who doesn’t LOVE seeing archive footage of the city? The British Film Institute (BFI) have recently released a load of films from their archives, including a number based here in Cardiff.

The first one is ‘Tiger Bay and the Rainbow Club’

This film offers a great portrait of the communities in the city in the mid-60s. It was made by Malcolm Capener who was both Chair and Secretary of “South Wales Films”, a film-making club for amateurs. He shot footage of Tiger Bay, recording both the activities of The Rainbow Club – set up to encourage the children of the docks area to participate in the performing arts – and the varied range of cultural festivities and events that took place there over a period of years. Tiger Bay was home to people whose origins spanned the globe and who had established a successful, integrated society – very few films from black, Arab and Asian families living in the UK at this time have made their way into our collections, so this is a particularly important find.

Malcolm Capener, Roath-based proprietor of the Welsh Travel Company, Bute Street, Cardiff, was chair and secretary of South Wales Films, a filmmaking club for amateurs. He shot footage of Tiger Bay (part of Butetown), recording both the activities of The Rainbow Club and the wide range of cultural festivities and events that took place there over a period of years. Tiger Bay was renowned as an ethnically diverse area of the docks, home to people from across the globe who had established a successful, integrated society in Wales’ capital city.

National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.

From Britain on Film available at BFI Player

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