Celebrate 80 years of the Moomins with this screening and Q&A with an expert panel on the theme of the refugee experience in the Moomin books and adaptations.
Tove Jansson published her first Moomin book, The Moomins and the Great Flood, 80 years ago, in 1945. The story follows a family of "moomintrolls" who become refugees after a flood washes away their home. Written at the end of the Second World War, when millions were displaced, it reflects the struggles of rebuilding lives after disaster.
To celebrate the Moomins' 80th birthday, The Conversation is hosting a screening of the film Moomins on the Riviera followed by an expert panel discussing the theme of refugees in Jansson's work. As a City of Sanctuary and home to one of four public art commissions honouring Moomin 80, Bradford is the perfect place to mark this milestone. Tickets include a free ebook from The Conversation featuring expert articles about Tove Jansson and the Moomins.
The Conversation is a non-profit, independent news website that publishes analysis and informed comment. Stories are written by academic experts, working with professional journalists who help share their knowledge with the world.
Please note, the screenings on 24 and 25 May are Kids' Cub screenings—These screenings are open to all families with children but are particularly aimed at families with children under 12. Unaccompanied adults will not be admitted.
Speakers
Introduction to event by Dr Becky Alexis-Martin
Dr Becky Alexis-Martin is an academic at the intersection of peace and environmental justice. Her award-winning work spans academia and journalism, blending science with storytelling. A lifelong fan of the Moomins and Tove Jansson, Becky has appreciated their whimsical world since childhood—and finds inspiration in their love of nature and their inclusive philosophy.
Q&A panel (chaired by The Conversation's Jane Wright)
Isabel Joely Black is an academic specialising in magic and medicine in Greco-Roman Egypt. She teaches at the University of Manchester, especially science fiction and the history of medicine. For the last two years, she has been building a miniature of the Moomin House to study art and craft in process, as well as the relationships between Moomins and the physical world around them.
Melanie Ramdarshan Bold is a professor of youth literature and culture at the University of Glasgow, where she teaches and researches children’s and young adult literature. Her work explores how young readers engage with stories, and how books reflect and shape cultural identities. She has a particular interest in representation, reading and writing practices, and the publishing industry. She’s also a Moomins enthusiast: Tove Jansson’s world of kindness, curiosity, and quiet rebellion is a recurring inspiration in both her teaching and research.
Steve Nash is a writer and academic whose research explores the mythic and narrative structures of literature across cultures and forms. He lectures in literature, media and creative writing at Leeds Beckett University and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. His recent work repositions the Moomins within Nordic mythology, exploring their narrative fluidity and existential depth. Steve’s poetry collection Nearly Man was released in 2024 and his debut novel Remington Platypus is forthcoming in 2025.
Amelia Huw Morgan is a senior lecturer in illustration at Cardiff School of Art & Design. Amelia’s teaching and research focus on the active-illustrative-image, visceral visions which build sensations, memories and feelings. These qualities are beheld in Moominvalley and Amelia believes that growing up with the Moomins makes one more humane, intrepid and resourceful. Moomins make us think and feel, and support the powers of imagination. Amelia’s mother is known to her children as Moomin, and Moomie to her grandchildren!
Cine Spotlights
Pictureville’s new film education season sees a deep dive into a film’s themes, genres, directors, or subject matter. A screening every month will feature an expert delivering an illustrated talk alongside a screening, offering unparalleled insight into film history and expanding your understanding of what cinema can be.
This screening is part of Bradford: A City of Film, a programme of independent film across the Bradford District. Co-Produced by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and National Science and Media Museum with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery.
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