BFI Launches Rip It Up Season Celebrating 75 Years of Youth Culture in 2026

Film fans across the UK are in for a treat as the BFI Film Audience Network (FAN) kicks off its exciting Rip It Up season, celebrating 75 years of youth culture. One of the most anticipated events is the re-release of the beloved film Beautiful Thing, which originally hit cinemas in 1996. This year marks its 30th anniversary, and from 1 September to 31 October 2026, fans can enjoy special screenings and events dedicated to this iconic British film.

Beautiful Thing Re-Release

The re-release of Beautiful Thing is a highlight of the Rip It Up season, organised by Reclaim The Frame in partnership with BFI FAN and Film4. The film tells the tender story of two teenage boys who fall in love while living in a working-class neighbourhood in London. It has become a classic for its heartfelt portrayal of young love and LGBTQ+ identity.

Confirmed screenings for Beautiful Thing include:

• 2 September – Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow — 35mm screening with an introduction from Reclaim The Frame’s Eilidh Akilade.

• 2 September – Hebden Bridge Picture House, Hebden Bridge

• 4, 6, 9 & 10 September – Pictureville Cinema, National Science and Media Museum, Bradford — 35mm screenings.

• 5 September – Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff

• 6 September – Hyde Park Picture House, Leeds — 35mm screening.

• 9 September – The Garden Cinema, London — with an introduction from Reclaim The Frame’s Melanie Iredale.

• 14 September – Filmhouse, Edinburgh

• 20 & 24 September – Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle

• 30 September – Genesis Cinema, London — 35mm screening followed by a Q&A with director Hettie Macdonald, hosted by Reclaim The Frame’s Melanie Iredale.

• 2 October – Phoenix, Leicester

• 22 October – Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry — 35mm screening with an introduction from Reclaim The Frame’s Daljinder Johal.

Further screenings are also due to be announced at Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, Plymouth Arts Cinema, Queen’s Film Theatre in Belfast and Showroom Cinema in Sheffield.

For Yorkshire audiences in particular, the season provides several opportunities to catch the anniversary re-release, with screenings confirmed in Hebden Bridge, Bradford and Leeds, and a further Sheffield date still to be announced.

Showcase Cinema, Sheffield (10-28 September)

The musical heritage of Sheffield is one of its greatest exports, with some of the biggest artists in the world hailing from the city. This strand of the festival will celebrate this centre of musical expression and youth counterculture in the UK.

The title – taken from the Pulp song – speaks to the alternative, rebellious spirit associated with the city and its musical legacy; as a pioneering hub of electronic music, witty Brit pop lyricism, and 00s indie sleaze.

Thu 10 Sep – Music Video Preservation Society
Sat 12 Sep – Meet Me in the Bathroom [+Intro]
Sat 12 Sep – Scummy Man [+ Q&A]
Sat 12 Sep – Offbeat DJ Set [30th Birthday] 
Tue 15 Sep – BFI National Archive presents Living for Kicks
Wed 16 Sep – SFF: 50 Years of Punk [Preview + Q&A] 
Fri 18 Sep – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore [+Q&A] – This event has now sold out. 
Sat 19 Sep – Slam City [+ Slambarz Event]
From Sat 19 Sep – Pulp: What Do You Do for an Encore
Mon 28 Sep – DocNights: Heaven 17 – The Last Temptation