BFI Black Star
Date Posted: October 19, 2016
The BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) announced this week details of events and screenings taking place across the UK as part of BFI Black Star, the UK’s biggest ever season of film and television dedicated to celebrating the range, versatility and power of black actors, which launches today and runs until the end of the year. From Stir Crazy (Sidney Poitier, 1980) in the nineteenth century Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast and a drive-in screening of Blade (Stephen Norrington, 1998) in Bromsgrove, to a Stormy Weather (Andrew L. Stone, 1943) swing/jive party in the Blackpool Winter Gardens, a Purple Rain(Albert Magnoli, 1984) Jam of the Year in Colston Hall in Bristol and a tour around Wales of The Proud Valley (Pen Tennyson, 1940) complete with Welsh choirs performing live, the season is full of bespoke events which offer audiences a chance to revisit classic films as well as seek out new discoveries. Black Star celebrates the relationship between stars and the audiences who love them, spotlighting great performances by black actors on screen. As part of the season, the BFI FAN will deliver over 275 bespoke screenings and events in over 70 different locations right across the UK.
Black Star champions the achievements of black stars from the earliest years of cinema through to the present day, whilst exploring why opportunities to shine on screen have been historically limited for black actors. Black Star is available to audiences everywhere in the UK; in cinemas including BFI Southbank, on BBC Television, on DVD/Blu-ray and online via BFI Player from 17 October – 31 December, with further projects planned to celebrate the contribution of black practitioners working across film and TV in the coming years.
Ben Luxford, Head of UK Wide Audiences, BFI said: “FAN are a key partner for BFI Black Star, bring big, bold and brilliant film events and screenings to audiences in every nation of the UK. Not only is Black Star timely and important, it’ll also be fun and accessible, mixing traditional cinema screenings with house party weekenders in Bristol, a screening of Car Wash in a Sheffield Car Wash, and even a trip to jail with Richard Prior in Belfast. We’re eager to get going and bring Black Star to new audiences all over the UK, giving them the chance to watch some classics and seek out many new discoveries.”
Events in Northern Ireland are as follows:
Presented by Film Hub Northern Ireland, led by Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast
Black Star, Queens Film Theatre Belfast – until the end of December
Queens Film Theatre in Belfast will feature three strands as part of their Black Star programming: All About Forest will be a focus on the award-winning actor Forest Whitaker, featuring screenings of Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (Jim Jarmusch, 1999) and The Last King Of Scotland (Kevin Macdonald, 2006); Music Icons will be a season of a great music films with iconic performances while Wild Styles will be a day of classic Hip Hop with DJs and performances in the QFT bar.
Click here for more information about Queen’s Film Theatre screenings and events.
Black Star screenings as part of the Belfast Film Festival – October and November
Stir Crazy (Sidney Poitier, 1990) starring Richard Pryor will be shown in the extraordinary setting of nineteenth century Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast as part of the Belfast Film Festival on Sunday 13 November. Plus there will be a series celebrating Black Indie Cine Stars in beanbag cinema on Sundays throughout October and November, featuring films such as Charles Burnett’s Killer Of Sheep (1978) and Ousmane Sembène’s Black Girl (1966).
Click here for more information about Belfast Film Festival screenings
For a full list of events taking place across the UK visit the BFI website.
