Bill Douglas: Intent on Getting the Image

British film-maker Alan Clarke was championed by the likes of Gary Oldman, Tim Roth and Ray Winstone - Stephen Frears even called him the best. And yet Clarke only ever made 3 feature films. This documentary explores the life and career of an exceptional director - Alan Clarke.

Derek Jarman's family, friends and closest collaborators recall the life and genius of one of Briatin's greatest film-makers - featuring clips, stills and a gorgeous use of Super 8. "Understand that your morality is not law," said Derek Jarman. A good maxim for a filmmaker whose life and work is explored in this loving documentary. Avant-garde in method but nostalgic in temperament, he's remembered by family and friends like Tilda Swinton and Nigel Terry. Excellent use of Super 8 blends with revelatory stories, not least his wish to cast Terry-Thomas as Ariel in The Tempest!

Displaying the cinematic influence of Bunuel and Cocteau, and inspired by a short story by French writer JMG Le Clézio, Bill’s most experimental short depicts a psychiatric patient who travels to Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park, to warn anyone who will listen about the impending nuclear holocaust.

Using interviews with close family, friends and collaborators, The Gospel According to St. Derek bears witness to Derek Jarman’s unique approach to low-budget film-making (his near-alchemical ability to turn the base components of film-making in to artistic gold, his placing of himself at the heart of all his work and his need to be part of a repertory company-type set-up). The Gospel… also promotes Derek Jarman’s importance as one of Britain's finest film-makers and acts, therefore, as a rally call to all would-be independent film-makers. This is the ’10 commandments of St. Derek ‘(who was indeed canonised by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) on low-budget film-making.