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Annual Dover Film event shows footage from 1979 and 2019

The Winter of Discontent, and 40 years later the turmoil over Brexit.

Movies showing life and events in Dover in 1979 and 2019 will be screened in this year's Annual Dover Film festival.

A bus and car negotiating treacherous conditions more than 40 years ago. Picture: Dover Museum
A bus and car negotiating treacherous conditions more than 40 years ago. Picture: Dover Museum
Winter wilderness. The frozen scene at Cannon Street at the start of 1979. Picture: Dover Museum
Winter wilderness. The frozen scene at Cannon Street at the start of 1979. Picture: Dover Museum

The Seventies production, 1979 Dover Film, was made by the late Ray Warner.

It shows the heavy snowfall in January and February at the time when the country was paralysed by strikes from public service workers.

That led to the dead being unburied and rubbish left on the streets.

Mr Warner's film shows freezing temperatures cracking concrete on Dover Seafront, leaving a pile of blocks.

It also has Conservative MP Peter Rees regaining the Dover constituency in the general election that produced Britain's first woman Prime Minister - Margaret Thatcher.

Prince Charles visited Dover's coastguard station four decades ago.Picture: Dover Museum
Prince Charles visited Dover's coastguard station four decades ago.Picture: Dover Museum

There is additionally footage of a young Prince Charles visiting the HM Coastguard station at Langdon.

The 15-minute film is narrated by local journalist Terry Sutton.

It is twinned with and second Warner one, of 20 minutes, showing the Queen Mother being installed as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.

Meanwhile 2019 Dover Film, directed by Mike McFarnell, features election of Dover's first female MP, Natalie Elphicke.

In addition it shows the town's first Pride parade, the Port of Dover Community Regatta, the Boxing Day Dip and the Winter Wonderland festive event at the Western Docks.

Natalie Elphicke,who was elected in December 2019.
Natalie Elphicke,who was elected in December 2019.

The 45-minute production has Mr McFarnell's son Scott as the narrator and the script is by former Dover Mercury reporter Graham Tutthill.

This year's festival, organised by Dover Film Society, is again at the Silver Screen Community Cinema in Market Square.

Dates and showing times are:

Sunday, March 1: 1pm and 3pm.

Monday, March 2: 11am, 1pm and 3pm, 5pm and 7pm.

Dover's first Pride event last August.
Dover's first Pride event last August.

Tuesday, March 3: 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm.

Wednesday, March 4: 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm.

Thursday, March 5: 3pm, 5pm and 7pm.

Friday, March 6: 1pm and 3pm.

Tickets are £5 for adults, £4 for OAPs and £2 for children.

Hard copies of the festival programme are available at Dover Tourist Information Centre in Market Square.

The programme can also be obtained by emailing overfilmfestivals@gmail.com or telephoning 07704 930892.

Read more: All the latest news from Dover

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