The Windrush Caribbean Film Festival (WCFF) is working in partnership with Friends of Windrush Square to provide what it says is the first ever outdoor cinema screening in Brixton’s Windrush Square on Sunday 23 June, as part of the Big Caribbean Lunch.
The event, running from noon to 7pm, will see 100 original members of Windrush Generation and their descendants enjoy a Caribbean lunch and storytelling to the soundtrack of music they brought with them to Britain.
The festival launches today (13 June) with the theme Transition and Travels – The Journey Continues.
Now in its fifth year the festival celebrates Black British film making and the legacy of storytelling about the contributions of the Windrush Generation and their descendants.
More than 60 films were put forward for screening. At launch in the Rich Mix cinema in East London attendees learned which had been successful.
Audiences worldwide will be able to access the 2024 festival online, on demand for 30 days.
Starting on Wednesday 19 June, audiences will be able to attend in-person screenings, interviews and panel discussions.
As well as showcasing new works from up-and-coming creators, the festival will also draws on archives for historic storytelling.
“The Windrush Caribbean Film Festival is delighted to add this exciting outdoor cinema experience to the Big Caribbean Lunch,” said festival co-founder and director Patricia Hamzahee.
“Guests will be able to watch a selection of engaging short films and end with Super Sam, an inspiring tribute to 98-year-old Brixtonian Clovis Salmon.”
The festival will showcase more than 30 films in Birmingham, London and Newport, Wales.
It culminates with a Closing Ceremony at the Ritzy in Brixton on Saturday 29 June at which awards will be given for best short, best feature and best film. along with two special awards: the Paulette Wilson Windrush Justice Award given in memory of the tireless campaigner for justice who confronted the continuing Windrush scandal, and the Menelik Shabazz Award given to an outstanding up and coming Black British filmmaker.
Adjani Salmon won the inaugural Shabazz award last year.
This year’s theme of Transitions & Travels highlights the importance of movement for Caribbean people from their home countries to the UK and how this history was symbolised through the journey of some aboard HMS Empire Windrush.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate the vibrant and diverse Caribbean communities in Britain, their profound impact on life in the UK, and the continuing contributions they and their descendants make today,” said WCFF director Ansel Wong CBE.
To buy tickets visit windrushfilmfestival.com
There will be a WCFF showing at the Ritzy in Brixton on Saturday 22 June.
This year’s WCFF official selections, which are subject to change, are (title and director):
- Black Stroke Olivia Smart
- Burnt Milk Joseph Elmhirst
- Choke Hold Joel Ayuk
- Civic Dwayne LeBlanc
- Dementia: The Island Journey Rianna Patterson
- Fearless Noella Letitia Mingo
- Flame C’drick Fremont
- Hard to Reach Darryl Foster
- Homegrown Corinne Walker
- Iconography: Roy Cape Mikhail Neruda Gibbings
- Ivan Jazz Pitcairn
- Mosiah Jirard
- Otros hombres Geury Calderon Castro
- Paria’s Pearl Suelyn Choo
- RèD Fabienne Orain-Chomaud
- Results Day Omari McCarthy
- Returned Janett Marrett
- Santiago of the Women Rosamary Berrios
- Save Me Amani Simpson
- Secret Lives: The Untold Story of British Hip Hop Eunice Olumide
- Shielding Sheila Joyce Ann Grey-Carter
- Some Sweet Day Rasheed Peters
- Sugarlands Akley Olton
- That Great British Documentary Joan Hillery
- The Happiest Time Mia Harvey
- This Light is Fire, Too Dwayne LeBlanc
- Tula Lives! Thijs Borsten
- Who We Were, Who We Became Darshan Gajjar
- Windrush75: Forging Ahead R
- Like Water Water Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black
- Then Or Now Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black
