Kes: Forgotten 35mm film confirmed as 1969 original

cross-posted from: feddit.uk/post/12071954

A forgotten film canister discovered in a South Yorkshire loft has been found to contain an original 35mm copy of Ken Loach’s 1969 film Kes.

It is thought to be one of only two original copies still in existence, the other held by British Film Institute.

Rob Younger, who will screen the movie at his Barnsley Parkway Cinema next month, said the film was in “amazingly good condition for its age”.

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Based on Barnsley author Barry Hines’ novel A Kestrel for a Knave, the film won two Bafta awards and was nominated for a further three.

Mr Younger said: "To find something that’s over 50 years old and the print hasn’t run in most of that time, it’s fantastic.

“And the fact it’s a Barnsley-based film, it’s Kes, everyone in Barnsley loves Kes.”

Contained on seven separate reels of film the recently discovered version is thought to have been put into storage after being was shown on the big screen in 1970.

The reels had sat undiscovered for decades before being passed to Ronnie Steele from a local fan group - the Kes Group.

Mr Steele said he then approached Mr Younger to ask about showing it in the town.

“[The film] made me feel proud, that not only did I belong to Barnsley, but I knew the author of the book, Mr Barry Hines. He taught me in secondary school,” Mr Steele said.

“[It is] a snapshot of Barnsley as it really was at that time. People were really proud that the characters were ordinary, working-class people, but at the same time, they were clever, smart, witty.”