Sunday 31 march 2024
REEL BLACK LIVES
Suitable for aged 14+
An afternoon and evening jammed packed with documentaries from across the globe.
The Strong Man of Bureng (Gambia/Senegal/Italy/Finland)
Feature | 1h 15ms
An engaging journey through Gambia, Finland and Italy, following the story of Essa, a former UN soldier and refugee, and his pursuit of wellbeing for himself and his loved ones. The film explores how the protagonist successfully established a business in Europe to financially help his village in Africa: Bureng. However, the outbreak COVID gravely challenges Essa’s privileged social status and his family’s stability, leading him to one of the most serious crises of his life.
Dir. Mauro Bucci
LET ME SEE YOU
(USA)​
Short | 16 mins
A filmmaker turns the camera on herself to reveal her struggles with hair loss while talking to her family members about illnesses they are also hiding.​
Dir. Jos Duncan Asé
MARCIA BENNETT-MALE
(UK)
Short | 19 mins
Short portrait documentary on Marcia Bennett-Male who is a London based stone sculptor, letter engraver and stonemason.g.
Dir. Colin Gerald
Dance Lime
(Trinidad and Tobago)
Short | 6 mins
Dance and music come together on a hot summer night on the island of Trinidad, as Caribbean creatives share their feelings on identity and the bonds of culture.
Dir. Juliette Mccawley
Rolling Out Brum
(UK)
Short | 6 mins
A celebration of Birmingham's longstanding roller skating community, which breaks boundaries in terms of culture, age and gender - a true grass roots community tethered to the inner city location of Cannon Hill Park..
Dir. Yonatan Tiruneh
That Great British Documentary (UK)
Feature | 1h
Shot over 10 years, and prompted by the death of her father, filmmaker Joan explores Britain’s colonial past and the legacy her dual black and white heritage has had on her life.
Dir. Joan Hillery
Lloydie, The Boy from St Thomas
(UK)
Short | 8 min
Keifer Nyron Taylor captures the last days of his grandfather, Lloydie Plummer, producing a raw portrait of his violent upbringing in Jamaica, his close friends and the damage done to the family he built after migrating to the UK.
Dir. Keifer Nyron Taylor
Fearless (UK)
Feature | 1h 11m
A heartwarming and informative documentary that features six women aged between 78 and 90 who as young people left everything behind to start new lives far from home. All were part of the generation of people from British colonies invited to help rebuild the mother country after WWII. They came and thrived despite the tumultuous times and often hostile reception they received. Today, these pioneering women are almost invisible to a modern society. Until now, their voices haven’t been heard.
Dir. Noella Letitia Mingo
Panel Discussion
An opportunity to gain an insight into the documentary filmmaking process.
Host: Greg McKenzie (BBC News Correspondent and BBC 5 Live Radio Presenter)
Panellists: Joan Hillery (Director), Noella Mingo (Director), Damian Daniel (DOP & Producer), Victorious De Costa (Director)
Partners/Sponsors:
