Art of Action

Part of a major nationwide celebration of the action genre, supported by the BFI

Depot is thrilled to take part in a major UK-wide celebration of the action genre and the artistry of choreographers and stunt performers working within it.

Our programme includes films from across the decades, showcasing a wide range of styles. We kick off with Tom Tykwer’s time-bending Run Lola Run (1998), starring Franka Potente as a woman with twenty minutes to save her boyfriend’s life. This is followed by defining wuxia martial arts film Dragon Inn (1967), for which we’ll be joined by Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast.

Catch John Woo’s high-octane masterpiece Face/Off (1997) and the lesser-seen Yes, Madam! (1985), the progenitor of the Hong Kong ‘Girls with Guns’ sub-genre starring Michelle Yeoh as a cop hot on the trail of a gang of small-time crooks. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) sees 90s icons Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson team up for the story of a suburban schoolteacher with a secret past, and we end the season with Kathryn Bigelow’s cat-and-mouse surf thriller Point Break (1991), starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.

Art of Action is a new BFI season celebrating the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema. Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) using funds from the National Lottery, Art of Action will take place at cinemas across the UK from October-December 2024, with the chance to get behind-the-scenes insights from those working in the action and stunt communities, via special events, demonstrations, talks and screenings throughout the season. Art of Action will spotlight the genre through the ages, with films ranging from cult classics to lesser-known gems from around the world. It will illuminate the work of female stunt performers and their struggle for recognition, and champion the new wave of action stars and filmmakers who are building upon the legacy of those who have fallen, crashed, smashed and picked themselves up before them.

– BFI, 2024

7 November, 19:00

Join us for an exclusive live recording of the popular Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast, in which host Ben Johnson will be joined by Life of Action author Mike Fury to share the secrets behind the stunts.

A defining film in the history of martial arts cinema, Dragon Inn finds bandits, noble fighters and vagabonds gathered together for a beautifully choreographed royal rumble at a sleepy inn. Director King Hu (A Touch of Zen) pares the wuxia (‘martial chivalry’) genre down to its essential elements: balletic fight choreography, superhuman action sequences, and a charismatic roster of characters, including many trailblazing roles for female fighters. Shot in stunning widescreen, it was a major breakthrough in Hu’s career and a massive box office success in Hong Kong.

The Kung Fu Movie Guide Podcast will break down wuxia – China’s swordplay and chivalry genre – and explain how King Hu forged a new path in Chinese action cinema, influencing a generation of filmmakers from Tsui Hark (New Dragon Gate Inn) to Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon).