S01 · E169

A Pretty British Affair

Only a short while ago Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were forgotten names in cinema history. Now, some of the greatest film-makers in the world are their ardent fans. Arena tells the story of two men who confronted the complacency and parochialism of the British cinema with a series of brilliant, subversive and often mystifying films. The Red Shoes, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus , A Matter of Life and Death-film classics which only now have gained the recognition they deserve. Twenty-five years after their last film together, Powell and Pressburger have received the accolade of the fellowship of the British film academy. They tell their story to Gavin Millar with contributions from Francis Ford Coppola in Los Angeles, and Martin Scorsese on location in New York.