Photos by Bryony WrightLondon premiere of Joy Division at the Curzon Mayfair

• Name: Joy Division Premiere, London
• Date: Tuesday April 29, 2008
• Location: Curzon Mayfair (screening), Booth Bar (afterparty)
• Who was there: Grant Gee, Peter Saville, Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream), Nigel Godrich, Nick Goldsmith (Hammer & Tongs), Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy), Trevor Jackson, Kate Gibb, Michael C. Place, Jon Wozencroft.
• What was served: Asahi

I honestly wondered how many people we might lose to the rain on Tuesday night. This being London, that was not a problem we had. The Curzon Mayfair, a popular venue for premieres and special events, was jammed with guests well before our 8:30 start time. This being London, the pints were flowing in the theater bar well before the film started.

The audience was made up of some of London’s top designers, filmmakers and musicians. The screening was a reunion of sorts for the people who made the film including director Grant, producers Tom Astor and Jacqui Edenbrow (producer Tom Atencio was presenting a screening in LA), editor Jerry Chater and people who have been part of the Joy Division story like designer Peter Saville, Jon Wozencroft and James Hannett (son of the late Martin Hannett, famed producer of Joy Division and many others).

As the end credits rolled, I invited Grant and Peter on-stage for a Q&A to discuss how the film came about and memorably Peter’s non-involvement in the film’s poster design. (We will have a video of the night up soon).

Director Grant Gee, Jonathan Wells and designer Peter Saville host post-film conversation.

After the dramatizations of the Joy Division and Factory Records stories like Control and 24 Hour Party People, it is refreshing to hear from the actual participants of that time including the three remaining members of Joy Division (who went on to found New Order), Factory founder Tony Wilson and Annik Honoré, Ian Curtis’ mistress.

The evening was sponsored by our friends at Logan, a multi-disciplinary design studio run by Ben Conrad and Alexei Tylevich (a frequent contributor to this site). Logan have just set up an outpost in London.

Alexei Tylevich (Logan), Peter Saville and Jonathan Wells (Flux)

The film is playing UK-wide now and continues to screen at festivals and special events around the world. Look for the DVD this June.