The BFI Film Audience Network has announced a new UK-wide season, RIP IT UP, which will explore and celebrate the transformative energy and changing face of youth rebellion, culture and expression on screen in the UK, from May to October 2026.
With film and television offering a direct window into the staggering impact of youthful creativity on our society, Rip It Up invites UK audiences of all ages to reflect on their own lived experiences, identities, and distinct cultural interests as young people growing up against an evolving social fabric. From mod rebellion and the birth of the teenager, to hedonistic self-expression in music and fashion scenes, to climate activism and the issues facing the next generation, Rip It Up also charts the emotional rollercoaster that simply is being a teenager – all of which have been portrayed on screen in a multitude of ways.
Over the past 75 years, the narrative has shifted from one of class-conscious post-war subcultures to a more fluid, digitally connected, and globally aware contemporary expression, but that generational desire for change and belonging has endured, and youth rebellion continues to play an important regenerative role in society, perhaps more important than ever.
With the Southbank Centre marking the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain – a landmark moment of post-war cultural renewal – and the 50th anniversary of Punk being celebrated in 2026, Rip It Up will showcase an array of culturally significant British films and TV across decades, alongside national and regional archive materials, many of which are underseen or underappreciated.
Launching with a special one day programme at BFI Southbank led by young curators and speakers, coinciding with Southbank Centre’s pop culture spectacular You Are Here, co-directed by Danny Boyle; and special events at Flatpack Festival in Birmingham; the ongoing season will offer a programme of films, events and activities around the UK, including live music, parties, talks and workshops, with areas of focus including:
Rocks ©️BFI
BFI SOUTHBANK: RIP IT UP – YOUNG PEOPLE TAKEOVER (3 MAY 2026)
Programmed by young people aged 19-29, this event ties into Southbank Centre’s pop culture spectacular, You Are Here, an electrifying journey through 75 years of British Music, dance, theatre, fashion and film, co-directed by Danny Boyle, which takes place on the same day. Drawing from the BFI National Archive, personal collections and memories, conversations amongst peers and the online ecosystem, the programme includes Grime DIY DVDs, the rise of YouTube, the evolving relationship between trans youth culture and the moving image, stories celebrating the intersection of sport, creative culture and identity, the Roots and Evolution of British Dance Culture, female fandom, the Welsh rock scene, teenage boredom, street dance, the dawn of the digital teen, dating and 75 years of Black British fashion.
FLATPACK FESTIVAL, BIRMINGHAM (8 – 16 MAY 2026)
Marking the 20th edition of Birmingham’s Flatpack Festival, Rip It Up kicks off its nationwide season with a programme of three events on Saturday 16 May, celebrating the nightclub. Tapping into the raw, visceral connection between rebellion and the absolute freedom of being young, the programme presents the dance floor as a space for radical self-expression:
- Lara Lee’s 1998 documentary Modulations: Cinema for the Ear, a high-octane travelogue through the evolution of electronic sound. Moving from the early experiments of Kraftwerk to the industrial pulse of Detroit, the film treats the screen like a mixing desk, capturing the moment technology and creativity collided to rewire the DNA of a generation.
- Blinded by the Lights, a selection of shorts that bypasses the clichés of club culture to find its true heartbeat. These films dive into the sweat-soaked rise of the 90s rave scene and the vital world of Daytimers, acting as a cinematic warm-up for the night ahead.
- The Rip It Up Party, where the themes of the season transition from the screen to the sub-bass, in partnership with Selextorhood, a Birmingham-based collective dedicated to rebalancing the landscape of club culture and building safer, more inclusive music spaces. Together, they will provide a soundtrack that celebrates the city’s DIY spirit and the enduring power of the underground, proving that the spirit of “ripping it up” is as alive today as ever.
WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW 4K RESTORATION OF BILLY LIAR (JULY 2026)
A defining classic of the British New Wave cinema of the 1960s, John Schlesinger’s film is a comic portrait of post-war British youth, embodied in the restless character of Billy (Tom Courtney), rebelling against the mundane conformity of the 1950s, reaching for the liberating, swinging spirit of the ‘60s (in the shape of Julie Christie). New 4k restoration courtesy of StudioCanal, back in UK cinemas from 31 July and in a new UHD Collector’s Edition on 3 August.
UK & IRELAND CINEMA RELEASE OF ISH (31 JULY 2026)
BFI Distribution brings Imran Perretta’s feature film debut to UK & Irish cinemas. Ish follows 12-year-old best friends Ish and Maram as they wrestle to hold on to their friendship in the wake of a police stop-and-search. As the ripples take hold, the boys try to make sense of the men they are becoming – and how ‘letting go’ can be the hardest part of growing up.
Human Traffic ©️BFI
Rip It Up season film titles screening at cinemas across the UK:
COMING OF AGE: Growing up in Britain and telling your own unique story: from self-expression to teenage angst and the joy of finding your people, including East Is East (1999), Bend It Like Beckham (2002), Rocks (2021) and the upcoming release from BFI, Ish (2026).
PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND PROTEST: Rage against the machine with stories of protest, fighting injustice and standing up for your rights, from Quadrophenia (1979) and Babylon (1980), Pride (2014) and This is England (2006), which is 20 years old in 2026.
CLUBS, DRUGS, PUBS AND PARTIES: Raves, drugs and the hedonistic lifestyle of being young: Young Soul Rebels (1991), and Human Traffic (1999).
Alongside these major film titles, a strong emphasis is placed on youth-led programming and event curation, incorporating discussions, short films by young filmmakers, and interactive workshops, empowering young voices and creative talent at the intersections of film and music, fashion, spoken word, and craft.
Further events will be announced.
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