From 2 October 2007, almost 100 films and televison programmes exploring the histories, identities and representation of black Britons will be available to view free of charge at the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank -
www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque
BLACK BRITAIN
"These days the West Indies is just a dream - England to me now is home. I grin and bear it." Black Christmas (1977)
How have black Britons been portrayed in film and TV? The Mediatheque welcomes Black History Month with the launch of a major new collection exploring a century of representation.
From the infrequent appearances of black Edwardians in the films of Mitchell and Kenyon to documentaries such as The Negro Next Door (1965), Black Britain charts changing attitudes and hidden histories throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. Here are the trailblazers, the icons, the stereotypes, the controversies indeed, the collection comes right up to date with the BBC's provocative Shoot the Messenger (2006).
Black Britain offers mainstream British feature films such as Sapphire (1959) and Flame in the Streets (1961) alongside the pioneering work of black British filmmakers including Horace Ov's Pressure (1974) and Menelik Shabazz's Burning an Illusion (1981). The collection also features the work of many other major writers and directors including Michael Abbensetts, John Akomfrah, Malorie Blackman, Isaac Julien, Ngosi Onwurah and Alrick Riley.
Working in collaboration with the 100 Black Screen Icons project, Black Britain highlights the work of actors who have become some of the most distinctive voices in British film and TV including Norman Beaton, Earl Cameron, Lenny Henry, Carmen Munroe, Sophie Okonedo, Rudolph Walker, Ashley Walters and Elisabeth Welch.
Ten to Try
58 Miners Leaving Pendlebury Colliery (1901)
One of the 58 is a young black man.
Song of Freedom (1936)
Paul Robeson and Elisabeth Welch star in the tale of a London-born opera singer who discovers he is the descendant of African royalty.
A World is Turning (1948)
Adelaide Hall sings in these rushes from an unfinished film about the creative talents of black Britons.
A Man from the Sun (1956)
Early TV drama exploring the lives of Caribbean immigrants as they attempt to integrate into life in London .
Fable (1965)
Imagine a Britain where the rulers are black. Potent, controversial drama starring Thomas Baptiste.
Death May Be Your Santa Claus (1969)
Thought lost until very recently, Frankie Dymon Jr's film offers an intriguing look at 60s sex and politics from a black British perspective.
Black Christmas (1977)
As Gertrude (Carmen Munroe) prepares a traditional black cake for the family, festive disaster lurks just around the corner.
The Lenny Henry Show (1984)
A taste of Lenny - the first black British comedian to be given his own primetime series.
Desmond's (1989)
Norman Beaton stars in the great black British sitcom set in a Peckham barber's shop.
Elmina's Kitchen (2004)
Casualty regular Kwame Kwei-Armah's tense tale of gun crime, racism and a difficult father-son relationship set in a Hackney cafe. |
