Human Traffic, written and directed by Justin Kerrigan, with a cast including John Simm and Danny Dyer in his first film role, unapologetically partied hard into cinemas on 4 June 1999. Now, 26 years later, it’s back on the big screen, still larging it amidst a completely different cultural and clubbing landscape, newly remastered and released in selected cinemas on Wednesday 16 July 2025 by BFI Distribution. The worldwide first-time ever 4K UHD and Blu-ray collectors' editions will follow on 21 July 2025, stacked with newly-commissioned special features and an illustrated booklet including exclusive new writing on the film.
Human Traffic brilliantly and non-judgementally chronicles a wild weekend in the lives of five friends in Cardiff who dive headlong into the drug-fuelled counterculture of the British rave scene, escaping from boring 9-5 jobs, bad relationships, and dysfunctional families. Come Friday night, Jip (John Simm, Life on Mars, Doctor Who), his bestie Koop (Shaun Parkes, The Mummy Returns, Small Axe: Mangrove), burger queen Nina (Nicola Reynolds, The Machine, Ideal) man-hating Lulu (Lorraine Pilkington, Monarch of the Glen) and sorted cock-er-ney-sparrer Moff (Danny Dyer, EastEnders, The Football Factory), kick back for a 48-hour bender. These warm, fuzzy, charismatic characters park their problems to drink, indulge in a choice selection of illicit substances, kick out the jams, throw some shapes and dance all night. Nice one, bruvver!
The film’s exhilarating soundtrack, curated by Pete Tong and released as an album on 7 June 1999, includes tracks by Armand Van Helden, Orbital, Fatboy Slim, Lucid, Underworld, Peter Heller, Carl Cox and more. The main theme tune is Moff's Lyrical Miracle Madness composed by Matthew Herbert and Robert Mello.
Shot on location in and around Cardiff, including inside the legendary long-gone Emporium night club, the film's powerful supporting cast boasts Jo Brand, Andrew Lincoln, Carl Cox and the mighty Howard Marks as himself. Low budget but technically adventurous, fracturing the fourth wall with direct to camera dialogue and fast edits, Justin Kerrigan’s exciting filmmaking style mirrored the energy and originality of its characters – and still packs a punch today.
Now looking and sounding better than ever before, at the cinema or on BFI Blu-ray and 4K UHD, Human Traffic is a 12" white-label cult classic music movie serving up 99 minutes of nostalgic-1990s euphoria and ecstatic escapism from bleak modern Britain – for both the rave generation and a new generation. Party hard!
The UHD & Blu-ray releases can be pre-ordered now from usual retailers