SODA presents a screening of new work by artist-filmmaker Hope Strickland alongside selected films from the North West Film Archive. This event explores the long-term collaboration between Strickland and the Archive, highlighting the ways archival materials can be reimagined and brought into dialogue with contemporary moving-image practice.
The programme features two of Strickland’s recent films:
An Unimaginable Leap (2025) – Set against St. Mary’s Parish, Jamaica, in April 1760, during Tacky’s Rebellion, the film reflects on grief, revolutionary time, and cinematic form. Strickland weaves together 16mm footage of daily life in Jamaica, cave landscapes in the Peak District and Derbyshire, and a Jamaica Independence Day celebration in Manchester. Funded by Arts Council England and The Elephant Trust.
a river holds a perfect memory (2024) – This film meanders across Jamaican waterways, capturing leisure activities such as rafting on the Martha Brae River and a night-time boat trip in Falmouth’s bioluminescent Lagoon. UK archival footage examines industrial impact on Northern England’s landscapes, including reservoir construction in Rochdale. Commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella and Touchstones Gallery, Rochdale, with funding from Arts Council England.
The screening will be followed by discussion, reflecting on the collaborative relationship between archive and artist and the creative possibilities of reinterpreting historical material.
