Brixton filmmaker Shane Duncan (right) explores gentrification in his short documentary This is Brixton.
It takes the form of interviews in and around Brixton with people giving their take on what it means – good, bad or a mixed bag.
There are some well-known faces on view like Brixton Soup Kitchen‘s Solomon Smith, Brixton Cycles’ Lincoln Roman and Brixton Bard Alex Wheatle.
Duncan, 25, whose mother was raised in Jamaica, has lived in Brixton all his life. He says: “Gentrification is working its way throughout London by swallowing up popular working-class areas and converting them into spaces fit for the middle class.
“Brixton is now on its way to losing its historic culture, maybe even its very soul.”
Shane went to college to do an art course but didn’t complete it.
“I just wanted to go straight into the working world so I could buy equipment for myself.”
He’s been making films since he left school and has always wanted to make one about Brixton “but I had trouble being able to write anything down due to my dyslexia, so I had to wait until an idea came to me naturally.
“I realised the place I called home was changing fast and I wanted to make a film that reflected that – I wanted the people that were blind to the fact, to now be able to see.”
“If I hadn’t found film as an interest at an early age I’m not sure where I’d be right now, it definitely kept me out of trouble.”
Wow you have deleted valid comments from two gay people who honestly shared their experience of homophobia in Brixton – typical leftie agenda – you should be ashamed of yourself
Some comments and replies have been deleted because they don’t conform to our editorial policy.
What’s your editorial policy? Sounds like homophobia
No. We don’t allow racist comments – not from you but other contributors.
I don’t see many Jamaican posters on here who bought property for two grand in the 60s in Brixton and then sold them for 850k to white professionals moaning much do you? Black people didn’t just live in social housing – in fact, those arrivals in the 50s bought properties. My street was nearly all black in the 70s and the last black family moved out and sold for 900k last year. Nice payback, and not the fault of white people.