For Alma is a short film about the Alma Estate London. It’s director, Alexander Rowland, tells us what Alma means to him.

With 84% of residents voting in favor of the demolition of Alma Estate London and £150 million being invested into the renewal of the area, Ponders End Enfield is set to change forever. For better or for worse, Alma played her part in raising us. The four tower blocks dominated our skyline and as she watched over our first smokes, first birthdays and first steps into adulthood, we looked back up at her in return.

As the community takes its next step Alma takes her last. The short film For Alma is a send off to the towers and an attempt at humanizing their lived experiences and disappointing fate. Like life for Alma, football training exists in the shadow of the beautiful game. It represents sport as nothing more than a series of drills and practices, an endless performance with the hope of a goal but void of a win or lose.

A bit about the filmmaker – Alexander Rowland

Alexander Rowland is a British-born artist and film maker currently living in London. He graduated from University of the Arts London with the “Creativity in Image” award and went on to collaborate with and create works for platforms such as Channel 4’s Random Acts, BBC Arts, Pulse Films and the ICA. He has also worked creatively for commercial clients such as the Ace Hotel, London Collections: Men, Vice and WAD Magazines.

A bit about the festival – www.ica.art

Celebrating the creativity of young people from across England, Playback Festival showcases 145 short films by young filmmakers aged 16–24 in one interactive exhibition. From animation and comedy, to dance, artist film and documentary – step inside the exhibition space and choose your selection of films from interactive displays or view curated showreels in a cinema-like environment. All films were made as part of Random Acts, a joint initiative between Arts Council England and Channel 4 which aims to showcase bold expressions of creativity. The works will be presented across interactive video jukeboxes—as well as a large projection screen—and this will be the first time that all of the young filmmakers’ work will be screened together in one place.

Rolling screenings will feature alongside a public programme of filmmaking workshops, guest talks and events from partners such as DAZED, Topsafe and Pulse Films, drawing attention to opportunities for young people and the quality and range of the films produced.

The festival will be followed by the national Playback Tour: in association with Random Acts, exhibiting the films across the length and breadth of the country in a range of venues including galleries and cinemas.

First Acts: A series of short films celebrating England’s most exciting 16 – 24 year-old artist, filmmakers in partnership with the Arts Council England. To find out more visit click here