Black Film Festivals in London

Film Festivals are a great opportunity to see independent films that you would never see otherwise. We’re quite lucky that London is home to quite a few, celebrating everything to African, Afro-American and Black British cinema.

Images of Black Women: Our favourite festival. They have screened gems such as Chico & Rita, For Coloured Girls and I Will Follow. Usually over 4 days, the event also includes a filmmaker’s forum and workshops. (March)

Film Africa: This celebration of African cinema has taken many forms and many names over the years. The 2011 festival was the biggest yet and included live music events as well as screenings. (November)

Caribbean Film Corner: Free festival featuring short and feature films from the Caribbean diaspora. A very worthy initiative, as films from that part of the world are often overlooked. (September)

BUFF: The British Urban Film Festival features free screenings of homemade black productions. The programme includes shorts, feature films, documentaries and Q&As. (September)

 

Mainstream Film Festivals Of Note

As a rule, film festivals have a programme that is quite inclusive, with productions from all over the world. Below are listed the festivals where you will find interesting movies from Africa and the diaspora.

 

Human Rights Watch Festival London: Documentaries and dramas from all over the world highlighting human rights issues. (March)

I Will Tell Film Festival: A festival that aims to raise awareness of global and local issues: relationships, war, poverty, racism and reconciliation. (September)

The London Film Festival: the biggest film event in the UK. Browse through the World Cinema strand for the best of what modern black cinema has to offer. (October)

 

Black Films Screenings in London

Mainstream studio and cinemas are more and more reluctant to produce and distribute black films in the UK. Thankfully, the organisations listed below are doing a great work of bringing Afro-American films to London and supporting homemade productions.

Black History Walks: Past films screened include: Jumping the Broom, The Story of Lovers Rock, Besouro, Miracle at St Anna. They also curate the monthly African Odysseys at the Southbank Centre.

Rapture Film Club: They promote Afro-American films with Christian values. Past screenings include The Help, Black Power Mixtape, The Interrupters and For Colored Girls.

Rio Cinema: Cinema in the heart of Dalston, with a diverse programmation.

Ritzy Brixton: Given its location, you’d expect the venue to include more movies from the African and Caribbean diaspora. This said, they did accomodate the Film Africa in 2011 and were one of the rare cinemas to screen the Congolese hit movie Viva Riva. Hopefully we’ll see more of this type of events in the future.

Frontline Club: An organisation that champions independent journalism and screens riveting documentaries and on issues.

Tricycle Cinema: They host of the Images of Black Women Film Festival; their programmation is eclectic and always interesting

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