Screening the Fleet: A Conversation about 50 Years of the Navy on Screen
How has the Royal Navy been portrayed on screen over the past half-century, and what can these depictions tell us about wider cultural and political change?
A special public event at the University of Sheffield will explore these questions, as Professor Jonathan Rayner (University of Sheffield) presents his research on the evolving image of the Navy in film and television. His talk, Screening the Fleet: A Conversation about 50 Years of the Navy on Screen, will examine how screen portrayals of the Navy have reflected and challenged ideas of warfare, service, national identity, and popular culture.
Drawing on his recent Open Access book Screening the Fleet: The Royal Navy on Television 1973–2023 (White Rose University Press, 2025), Professor Rayner will trace how the naval world has been constructed, mythologised, and reimagined across cinema and television.
He will be joined in conversation by Chris Terrill—anthropologist, adventurer, broadcaster, author and filmmaker—whose acclaimed documentaries of armed forces life bring a compelling real-world perspective to the discussion.
The event will conclude with an audience Q&A, offering the chance to engage directly with both speakers.
📅 Date & Time: Thursday 18 September. Drinks and nibbles served from 17:15, talk begins at 17:30. A further chance to continue the conversation with more drinks and nibbles will run from 18:30 until close at 19:00.
📍 Venue: Lecture Theatre 02, The Diamond, University of Sheffield
🎟️ Free to attend (registration is required) - book your place on Eventbrite here.