A new film documenting the redevelopement of the Haggerston estate in Hackney will be released next month.
Estate, a Reverie, directed by Andrea Luka Zimmerman, was filmed over seven years and charts a shift in the character of Hackney, with the bulldozing of the 1930s estate to make room for a luxury apartment complex. Samuel House, the final block on the estate, was demolished this year.
According to Zimmerman, the film seeks to “celebrate and expose the resilience of residents, who have often been marginalised by the media”.
The film uses ex-residents’ own historical re-enactments to illustrate life on the estate.
“The film shows what happens when one structure breaks down and another takes its place. It’s about the time in-between,” Zimmerman went on.
When asked how she hopes local residents will respond to the film, Zimmerman said: “I hope people will remember the passing and also feel their past is not invalid. For the new people, I hope they will see what was there before.”
“In relation to the increasing housing crisis, no one can afford to live here anymore. Why were these buildings allowed to be run down? What will prevent this now?”
The film will first be shown at Rio Cinema in Dalston, the closest cinema to the estate, at 2.30pm on November 22. Entry will cost £4.
