A rare example of a British road movie, featuring music from a number of new wave bands from the time, as well as established artists such as Kraftwerk and David Bowie.
Radio On is a journey through late seventies Britain by way of a road trip from London to Bristol, with radio DJ Robert (played by David Beames) attempting to investigate the suicide of his brother.
The film shows scenes from the area around Temple Meads station, including a now defunct petrol station, the former Grosvenor Hotel, and the infamous single-lane Victoria Street flyover which was removed in 1998. As a road movie, the film is also a celebration of the English motorway system and the promise of mobility.
Chris Petit, UK, 1979, 104 minutes
Part of The Promise, an exhibition focusing on the relationship between a city’s design and the hopes and ambitions of its residents. Exhibitions and events will take place in the Arnolfini galleries and across the city of Bristol throughout the summer.