Onwards and Outwards: Happy Bees + short films for children

The Orcadian filmmaker and poet Margaret Tait was a true pioneer of cinema.

Her early photographs often focused upon her family, and in Happy Bees her brothers’ children occupy a film poem that conveys the purity of island life. Poetic imagery is punctuated by Tait’s declaration that “the children are not far away, the children live here,” poignantly underlining the intent of Happy Bees to share the serene memories of an early life tied to nature; the personal recollections that fixed Tait to this land.

As well as Happy Bees (1955), this programme also includes Orquil Burn (1955), Splashing (1966) and All These New Relations (1953).

Suitable for children.

Happy Bees & short films for children, dir. Margaret Tait, 1954, 16 mins.

The Orquil Burn, UK 1955, 36mins

Splashing, UK 1966, 5 mins

All These New Relations, UK 1955, 21 mins

Season Multi-Buy Offer: 
Attend 2-4 events for £8 per screening
Attend 5 or more events for £7 per screening

Onwards and Outwards is a nationwide programme of screenings, talks, and events, which aims to establish a dialogue around the conditions of production that women face when attempting to use the moving image as a means of expression.

Join in the conversation on social media with #OnwardsOutwards

Onwards and Outwards is made possible with support from the BFI, awarding funds from The National Lottery.