Sat, 04 Sept
|Woodhouse
Film Screening: Burning An Illusion (Menelik Shabazz, 1981)
Marking the recent passing of filmmaker Menelik Shabazz, we present his pioneering feature Burning an Illusion (1981). Shot in Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove, it is about transformation, identity, a love story that traces the emotional and political growth of a black couple in Thatcher's London.
Time & Location
04 Sept 2021, 14:30
Woodhouse, 2 Lifton Pl, Woodhouse, Leeds LS2 9JZ, UK
About The Event
We go beyond Leeds for this film event. To mark the recent passing of prolific filmmaker Menelik Shabazz, we present a screening of his pioneering first feature Burning an Illusion (1981). Shot around the Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove communities, this film is about transformation and identity, a love story that traces the emotional and political growth of a young black couple in Thatcher’s London. It is significant as the first British film to give a central voice to a Black woman, completely centering the female experience and interrogating gender violence, racism, activism, class and much more.
This screening is organised by Hyde Park Picture House in support of the Unseen Histories Festival.
Tickets: https://hydeparkpicturehouse.co.uk/film/burning-an-illusion?screeningID=2637
Unseen Histories is a month-long festival, running throughout September, of artworks and events exploring Black British history in Leeds. The festival is curated by Black artists in and around the city, with support from Heritage Corner, pioneers of the Leeds Black History Walk and Assembly House, an artist studios and project space in Armley, Leeds.
The industrial revolution included contributions of peoples from different parts of the world, many of whom are represented in Leeds today - how can we celebrate inclusion in the telling of these narratives?
Many communities are excluded from the knowledge about the richness and success of Black history and culture in Leeds, the festival aims to give access to this history in unconventional and artistic ways, hoping to engage with the wider community.