Paradise Lost: History in the Un-Making

"One building stood as a testament to the promise of Paradise."

When filmmaker Andy Howlett set out with his camera to document the final days of Birmingham's Brutalist Central Library complex, little did he know the rabbit hole he was stumbling into. Decried by the Council as an eyesore, but hailed by Historic England as an exemplar of postwar design, the story of John Madin's concrete colossus and the fight to save it is a curious one. In this psychogeographic detective story, Howlett weaves together archive footage with on-the-ground explorations in an attempt to figure out why we lost Paradise and how it might be regained.

Loading countdown...
EXO Planet #3 The EXO'rDIUM In Seoul

EXO Planet #3 The EXO'rDIUM In Seoul

2017

Sunshine City

Sunshine City

1973

Silver Dollar Road

Silver Dollar Road

2023

Alain Delon face au monde

Alain Delon face au monde

2021

Moth

Moth

Walls

Walls

2023

The Contestant

The Contestant

2023

Summer Qamp

Summer Qamp

2023

Sorry/Not Sorry

Sorry/Not Sorry

2024

Bye Bye Tiberias

Bye Bye Tiberias

2024

Flipside

Flipside

2024

Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa

Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa

2024

Axolotl

Axolotl

2024

Beyond, ode to the Earth

Beyond, ode to the Earth

2024

Step Aside WWE: This Is Japanese Women's Wrestling

Step Aside WWE: This Is Japanese Women's Wrestling

2024

From League of Legends to K-Pop Sensations: The K/DA Story

From League of Legends to K-Pop Sensations: The K/DA Story

2021

The Angela Murray Gibson Experience

1998

The Basque Ball: Skin Against Stone

The Basque Ball: Skin Against Stone

2003

Advanced Style

Advanced Style

2014

What's a Carry On?

What's a Carry On?

1998