Courtesy of @dream_sequence_london via Instagram
Imagine your ideal ten-course meal — a sensory journey of flavours, aromas, and visuals, carefully crafted to leave you satisfied but not overindulged, with each course offering something unexpected.
Recently, I experienced something similar at Dream Sequence, London’s new experimental film club, hosted at SET Social in Peckham – a venue known for bringing creatives together. With a printout resembling a menu guiding us through the film lineup, the evening felt like a casual dinner party where each of the ten films was a surprise course, composing a meal with a rich blend of themes, textures, and techniques.
However, the printed programme wasn’t designed to impress; instead, as founder Nick Silvey explains: it embraces an underground, punk-inspired aesthetic. Printed on cheap paper with a Xerox machine, it served a practical purpose: to list the film titles that were otherwise kept secret.
This hands-on, DIY ethos reflects Nick’s own approach to filmmaking. Working with super 8 and 16mm, he’s interested in the concept of destruction as a means of creation, which brings to mind the quote by the 19th century Russian revolutionary and anarchist, Mikhail Bakunin: “The passion for destruction is also a creative passion.” This approach, which challenges established norms to offer new perspectives, both literal and figurative, is ultimately what inspired Dream Sequence. Nick’s goal was to create a space for people to discover the richness of experimental film, with a focus on London’s cutting-edge scene, all while keeping the events accessible — no small feat in a city that's becoming increasingly unaffordable.
Film still from PIXELA-ZZZ. Lucy Ellis, 2024.
Reflecting on his vision for the event, Nick said he wanted the audience “to feel like they’re flicking through TV channels, with each film offering a completely different experience.” Some of these experiences included an absurdist sketch of a cat with laser eyes murdering a man and a more introspective piece on the frustrations of meditating with the Calm app, which felt like a personal attack. “It’s more fun when things are loose like that,” he added.
This fluidity is central to Dream Sequence. Rather than focusing on a single artist or movement, the event featured a diverse range of experimental styles — from surrealist animation and unconventional documentaries to AI-driven video essays and cameraless filmmaking. Indeed, Nick curated a balanced selection of lighter and heavier films – with an intermission to digest them with a spicy margarita – by filmmakers such as Sergej Vutuc, Ela Kazdal, Edd Carr, and Autojektor, among other names cooking up innovative experimental work.
Looking ahead, Nick plans to continue championing these local filmmakers with monthly events. “I’m not overthinking it,” he said. “I just want to create a space where people can watch cool stuff and hang out.” So, if this first instalment is anything to go by, Dream Sequence will continue to serve — inviting the audience for a bold and varied cinematic feast and leaving us hungry for what’s next on the menu.
Nastia Svarevska is a London-based curator, editor and writer from Latvia.
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