Tony Wilson, a Manchester TV presenter and music enthusiast, finds himself at the epicentre of the city’s explosive cultural transformation in the late 1970s and 1980s. Fueled by punk rebellion and the rise of rave culture, Wilson becomes the unlikely mastermind behind Factory Records, championing iconic bands like Joy Division, New Order, and The Happy Mondays. As the visionary but chaotic driving force behind the Hacienda nightclub, Wilson’s journey captures the exhilarating highs and devastating lows of a movement that redefined British music and nightlife.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom, 24 Hour Party People is a playful, fourth-wall-breaking celebration of Manchester’s music scene, blending humour and drama with a raw, frenetic energy that mirrors the era it depicts. Steve Coogan’s sharp and charismatic portrayal of Tony Wilson anchors this whirlwind story of ambition, excess, and cultural revolution, offering a vibrant, irreverent portrait of a time and place that changed the sound of a generation.

The film is part of the Double Feature programme at the British Film Days, evoking Manchester's music and party culture. The programme continues after the screening at Gólya with a music video showcase and an event-related party.

‍

Michael Winterbottom is a British director who has worked across a wide range of genres and subjects in his career, exploring new ways of storytelling. His films often combine a documentary sensibility with fiction, while exploring deeper layers of human relationships and social change.
‍
His films also include Welcome to Sarajevo (1997), a personal perspective on everyday life in war, and The Trip series, which tells stories of friendship and ageing with light humour and deeper emotional layers. Winterbottom's free play between form and content gives his films the unique voice that characterises his work.

‍