Black World Autumn Season
bfi (British Film Institute) Black World, the six-month initiative highlighting black creativity talent in film and television, represents just the first step in an ongoing commitment by the bfi to reach out to new audiences across the country.
Black World enters its fifth month with a new line-up of projects with a particular focus on providing creative learning opportunities for young people and professionals and new opportunities to see classic films as well as latest releases.
To mark Black History season (October and November) bfi Black World have joined forces with Film London to present Pioneer Pictures, a tour of landmark feature films by the first generation of black film talent. The three films provide historical reflections of black London and the directors and cast of the films will be on hand to discuss the makings of the films. Pressure, directed by Horace Ove, (1975) deals with the realities faced by Britain?s first Caribbean generation and is popularly regarded as the first black British feature ever made. Black Joy (1975) directed by Antony Simmons, is a wry comedy following the adventures of a naïve Guyanese man new to London and Burning an Illusion (1981), directed by Menelik Shabazz, is a sensitive and entertaining love story which traces a young black couple?s growing political awareness. Pioneer Pictures will also be touring to key cities around the UK
Burning An Illusion has been released on DVD as part of bfi Black World. The DVD release of Pressure will follow on 24 October. Black Joy is also available on DVD released by Fremantle Home Entertainment. Online student notes have been produced for Burning an Illusion and Pressure by bfi Education and are available from www.bfi.org.uk/education/teaching/blackworld.
Also in partnership with Film London, bfi Black World will launch New Horizons, a professional development project for emerging and mid-level black producers. Supported by Middlesex University and the Times bfi London Film Festival, New Horizons aims to address some of the issues raised in recent research that shows inequalities within the industry. New Horizons Newcomers will be held at Middlesex University on October 8th and 9th 2005. The programme will comprise of practical discussions centred on the role of the producer including developing fiction and factual projects, raising finance for shorts & features, marketing and distribution. Guests include representatives from a variety of funding agencies, independent producers and directors. New Horizons Masters is aimed at mid-level producers and will take place during the Times bfi London Film Festival. Participants will take part in an international masterclass with award-winning producer Effie T Brown (Executive Producer of Jane Campion?s In the Cut) and receive an Associate Delegates Pass to the festival.
Also during the Times bfi London Film Festival, the David Lachappelle's knockout documentary Rize has been branded a bfi Black World gala. An intimate, extraordinarily fresh portrayal of the LA dance phenomenon, ?krumping?, Rize shows dancers moving at what seems like impossible speed, busting frantic, aggressive moves to booming hip hop, mixing eclectic dance styles, from ballet to African and sporting distinctive make up and costumes. Rize is as striking and brilliant as Lachappelle?s fashion photography. A series of festival education events also fall under the bfi Black World banner including an educational screening of the Sundance Festival winner Hustle and Flow (Dir: Craig Brewer) and the South African adaptation A Boy Called Twist (Dir: Time Greene). Both screenings will be accompanied by introductions by guest speakers. The Focus on South African Cinema panel will provide an opportunity for young audiences to engage with this region?s developing industry.
In 1959 Black Orpheus introduced the world to the music, sensuality and colour of Rio de Janeiro?s Carnival and gave jazz hipsters a new, infectious style ? the bossa nova. Based on a Brazilian play and inspired by the legendary Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Marcel Camus? dazzling second feature won both the 1959 Palme d?Or at Cannes and the Oscar for best foreign language film in 1960.
This enduring classic will be seen at its best in the new print to be released on 4 November by bfi Distribution.
Black Music on TV, a season of in-depth documentaries and rare performance footage covering various genres of black music, looks back at some of the greatest artists in blues throughout October. I Hear the Blues was one of the earliest UK programmes to showcase American Blues artists. Memphis Slim introduces a terrific line-up including Lonnie Johnson, Muddy Waters and Otis Spann. Tempo: The Blues Came Walkin', documents the 3rd American Folk/Blues Festival with performances from Sonny Boy Williamson, Lightnin? Hopkins, Howlin? Wolf and more. Blues and Gospel Train hosts outstanding performances from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee and Cousin Joe Pleasants and Nothin' but the Blues joins blues legends in the studio with performances from Big Joe Turner, Mississippi Wallace, Little Brother Montgomery and Junior Wells.
Lastly, The Blues Keep Comin?, shows BBC clips from the 60s to the 80s, including John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, Etta James, BB King and Taj Mahal.
To support the Black World TV season, broadcast journalist and critic Jacqueline Springer will present four illustrated talks on the cultural impact of cinema on modern black music. Contemporary Black Culture: How Soundtracks Saved the Day will look at how reggae's cinematic reputation evolved, discover the growing importance of the movie soundtrack and why the rise of the rapper-actor has taken so many by surprise. Also as part of the bfi?s ongoing educational programme, Floella Benjamin presents Coming to England, a stunning film adaptation of her autobiographical account of her journey from Trinidad to Britain in the 1960s. A question and answer session will follow.
A new youth project pioneered by bfi Black World is Nu-Visions, a web micro-site created for young people (16-24 year olds), by young people. Featuring articles, reviews of events, films and DVD?s, information on how to get into the industry, and diaries from key industry players, the micro-site will launch in October. Housed on the bfi Black World main site, Nu-Visions will provide a space for young creatives to further develop their interest in film, television and the related arts.
Produced by Arts Council England Visual Arts department and decibel, Necessary Journeys explores the ways in which art connects with film and the moving image. Artists working across a variety of art forms embark on a series of journeys - historical, physical and creative. Fernando Arias? search for a non geographical home takes him to the most remote tip of South America, while Ralph Hoyte travels across Japan and Oreet Ashery returns to Israel to examine the Palestinian Right to Return. Through the artists in residence programme, national and regional film and photography archives open up their collections to poet Jackie Kay, digital artist Keith Piper and artist, writer and researcher susan pui san lok. Each artist has the opportunity to excavate, recreate and re-imagine the past, present and future, in their chosen medium. Necessary Journeys will be brought to life as a book in November with new writing by Bernardine Evaristo, Kitty Hauser, Sukhdev Sandhu and Sarah Wood. The book will be illustrated by original artwork and visual documentation created by the artists involved throughout the project. All artists will discuss and present their work at a major international symposium at the Tate Modern on the 11th and 12th of November which includes guest speaker Caryl Phillips.
Finally, the Black Screen Icons on-line project, led by Every Generation Media, will soft launch at the end of the initial Black World project phase in November. Launching next year, Black Screen Icons will provide a public opportunity to vote for the nation?s favourite black film and TV director, actor and composer with special focus on British screen talent. Headed up by a campaign led by British talent such as June Sarpong and Ashley Walters, Black Screen Icons will provide a unique learning opportunity with wide appeal.
For full details and screenings visit www.bfi.org.uk/blackworld
Full details of bfi Black World programme, tickets and prices can be found at www.bfi.org.uk/blackworld.
BLACK WORLD
bfi Black World, a major national initiative from the British Film Institute celebrating black creativity in film, television and the moving image, launched in June 2005. The Black World programme includes over 50 national and regional events including cinema tours, DVD releases, educational events, film screenings and TV seasons at the bfi National Film Theatre (NFT), VJ performances, club nights and on-stage interviews and debates. Highlights so far have included a five-city preview of Mario Van Peebles? film Baadasssss!, an onstage interview with legendary director Ousmane Sembene, a Barbican Film season dedicated to pioneering director Horace Ové and a five-month NFT focus on the representation of black music on television. bfi Black World is part of a longer-term initiative to diversify audiences and content for the British Film Institute. A legacy will be formed out of this stage of the initiative to consolidate and build for future years.
PIONEER PICTURES
London Dates and Events. All events are free. Please check below for booking details
13 Oct, 6.30pm Pressure Stratford Library
15 Oct, 2pm Pressure Rio Cinema. Dalston
Q&A with Director Horace Ové
20 Oct, 6.30pm Black Joy Stratford Library
22 Oct , 3pm Pressure Islington Central Library
Q&A with Director Horace Ové
25 Oct, 7pm Pressure Mayor?s Office, City Hall, Southwark
27 Oct, 6.30pm Burning An Illusion Stratford Library
29 Oct, 6pm Pressure Venture Community Association.
Notting Hill
Q&A with Director Horace Ové
8 Nov, 7pm Black Joy The Deptford Albany. With short films by
local black filmmakers from Lewisham
9 Nov, 7pm Burning An Illusion The Deptford Albany
Q&A with Director Menelik Shabazz
18 Nov, 7pm Burning An Illusion Mayor?s Office, City Hall,
Southwark
23 Nov, 6.30pm Black Joy Mayor?s Office, City Hall, Southwark
Panel Discussion with the directors and cast
from the three films
Venue & Booking Information
The Deptford Albany, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG
To book call 020 8692 4446. Enquiries digitalinfo@thealbany.org.uk
Islington Central Library, 2 Fieldway Crescent, Islington N5 1PF
Telephone 020 7527 6980. No Booking required. First-come first-seated
Mayor?s Office, City Hall, The Queens Walk SE1 2AA
To Book call 020 8539 7913 Email: info@3ci.co.uk. Booking Essential
Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High Street, Dalston E8
Telephone 020 7241 9410. No Booking required. First-come first-seated
Stratford Library, Hopkins Room, 3 The Grove, Stratford, E15 1EL
To Book call 020 8430 6890
Venture Community Association, 103A Wornington Road, London W10 5YB
Telephone 020 8960 3234. No Booking required. First-come first-seated
NEW HORIZONS ? NEWCOMERS ? BREAKING THROUGH
Venue: Middlesex University
Saturday 8th October Sunday 9th October
Start: 10:30am Start: 10:30am
End: 8.45pm End: 5pm
NEW HORIZONS ? MASTERCLASS
Deadline for Applications: Friday 7th October
Effie T Brown Masterclass & Networking Event? October 31st
THE bfi TIMES LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
Festival runs from 19th October ? 3rd November
Rize: Director David Lachapelle (2005)
October 22nd 21.00 Odeon West End
October 30th 14.15 Ritzy, Brixton
For full list of film programme and education events go to www.lff.org.uk
Nft EDUCATION EVENTS
Coming to England
October 12th 10.30am- 12.30pm
Contemporary Black Culture: How Soundtracks Saved the Day
4- 18 October
For more information see www.bfi.org.uk/nft/education
BLACK MUSIC ON TV
I Hear the Blues
Mon 3 Oct 8.50 NFT2; Sat 8 Oct 6.20 NFT2
Nothin? But the Blues
Tue 4 Oct 8.50 NFT2; Sat 15 Oct 6.20 NFT2
The Blues Keep Comin?
Sun 16 Oct 6.20 NFT2; Tue 18 Oct 8.40 NFT2
