Films

Xanadu

Xanadu
(BBC 2 Words On Film, 1992)
Writer and Presenter.
A thirty-minute film in verse, commissioned by BBC2 for their "Words on Film" series, Xanadu is a "Poem Film for Television" set on the Ashfield Valley Housing Estate in Rochdale, Lancashire, where Armitage used to work as a Probation Officer.

Looking For Robinson

Looking For Robinson
(BBC2, 1993)
Writer and Presenter.
A fifty-minute film on the life and work of American poet Weldon Kees, in prose and verse. Armitage goes in search of Keyes, who, it is thought, leapt to his death from Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Armitage visits his grave and his San Francisco beat haunts.

One Foot In The Past

One Foot In The Past
(BBC2, 1993)
Writer and Presenter.
A ten minute film in verse for BBC2's heritage and landscape programme, focussing on Emley Moor Mast.

Building Sights

Building Sights
(BBC2, 1995)
Writer and Presenter.
A ten-minute film about the Humber Bridge for BBC2's contemporary architecture programme, Building Sights.

Words From Jerusalem

Words From Jerusalem
(BBC1, 1995)
Writer and Presenter.
A commissioned poem for Easter.

Saturday Night
(BBC2, 1996)
Writer and Narrator.
Based in the City of Leeds, Saturday Night is a fifty-minute poetic commentary to a documentary about night-life in Leeds. Part of BBC's Modern Times series, it was made by Centruy Films and was directed by Brian Hill, who directed Sylvian Waters.

Drinking for England

Drinking for England
(BBC2, 1998)
Writer.
Poetry and song for a fifty minute documentary on alcoholism.

Killing Time

Killing Time
(Channel 4, 2000)
Writer.
A ninety-minute television film based on the millenium poem of the same name, filmed for television and broadcast on New Year's Day, 2000. It was performed by Christopher Eccleston.

The Tyre

The Tyre
(Century Films, 2000)
Writer.
Ten-minute feature film based on the poem of the same name from CloudCuckooLand.