Thu 18 Oct 2007 9:00PM - 10:00PM

Influential and avant-garde filmmaker Derek Jarman is profiled in this hour long documentary that covers his life and career in equal measure. Contributions are given by friends and family including Tilda Swinton, Tariq Ali and Christopher Hobbs.

As a genuine maverick filmmaker Jarman’s work criticised existing social structures, challenging prescribed conventions and, as such divided opinion. Never using his art as a veil his private life was fully exposed, championing gay rights, launching derisive attacks in a political arena and, most poignantly, his battle with AIDS, which he lost in 1994.

There are some excellent spaces dedicated to Jarman’s work, Slow Motion Angel is comprehensive and Jim’s Reviews page on his film work gets to the point and importance of the films eloquently.

From Artswom’s perspective we were intrigued to find out that Jarman’s career began as a set designer on Ken Russell’s The Devils, a significant footing indeed, from which to begin creating a cinema of provocation and excellence. There is some lovely chatter at the Anchor Bay forums on the film and its various release formats.

Besides being involved with film, Jarman also dipped into the world of music videos. It is a step that maybe wasn’t that unexpected in light of his directorial style and that his movie Jubilee is considered by many as the first real punk film. His video catalogue includes among others, The Pet Shop Boys and The Smiths. Arguably the most notable endeavour outside film and music is Jarman’s Prospect Cottage that he built by Dungeness power station. The cottage has the notable feature of John Donne’s exhilarating poem The Sun Rising in raised wood on one of the exterior walls. Thanks to Bus Stop of Flickr for the images.

Derek Jarman – Life As Art airs tonight at 9:00PM and if you fancy jumping into some conversation he gets a notable mention in Criterion’s Avant-Garde, Experimental & Non-narrative forum.