Art History Breaks

2026 Film and History Breaks at The Green Park with Ian Garden

 ‘Hot air and big bangs’

Exploits through air, fire and water during war-time

 While Ian Garden’s Film and History Break in 2026 continues with a general war theme, the focus has changed to explore some lesser known aspects of the two World Wars and early technological developments.

As usual, a major feature film will be screened during each of the afternoon sessions of the break. These will be Zeppelin – an action-packed thriller set during WW1 and starring Michael York and Elke Sommer; The African Queen – that classic  adventure film set in German East Africa in 1914 and starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart – for which the latter would receive an Oscar for best actor at the 24th Academy Awards; and Operation Crossbow  – an exciting espionage thriller whose plot is very much based on the Allies’ efforts to derail Germany’s V1 and V2 long-range weapons programmes during WW2.
The morning sessions will consist of a mixture of lectures and the screening of shorter documentary films all designed to complement the feature films to be shown each afternoon. So, inter alia, the morning sessions will include items on the development of the airship and the Hindenburg tragedy, the use of tanks in hastening the end of WW1, the colonial war in Africa during WW1 and the Nazis’ V1 and V2 rocket programmes at Peenemünde.
This will be the eighth Film and History Break which Ian will have run at Green Park. Much of the content reflects feedback from previous courses and draws on his detailed research into various war topics. Ian is confident that you will find this new programme informative and thought-provoking. 


There is no supplementary charge for single accommodation on any of our activity breaks, and as normal, we can arrange complimentary transport ( on your day of arrival and on your day of departure ) between the hotel and the bus and railway stations.

Details about all of our activity breaks are readily available - either download a copy from this section, ask for them during you stay, or just telephone the hotel and ask us to forward a programme for whatever activity you are interested in.

Ian Garden

Hot air and big bangs

From Thursday the 19th of February until the morning of Monday the 23rd of February 2026

Download February Break Programme

Hot air and big bangs

From Friday the 27th of February until the morning of Tuesday the 3rd of March 2026

Download February Break Programme