How to fight racism at the BFI (British film Institute) Part 1

At the BFI, we are united against racism but we have not been actively antiracist. We know there are some longstanding and endemic issues within the organisation which can harm people and undermine our values. Whilst we are not alone in confronting this truth, it is crucial that we have uncomfortable conversations not just with each other, but also with those who have been marginalised or ignored…

..We need to embody the change we want to see, and be accountable as a public institution, looking like and reflecting the public we serve…

..the status quo in the film community is undoubtedly still a system that privileges whiteness, and it has persisted for too long..

The above are the words of Ben Roberts, CEO of the BFI on 17th June 2020, the year of George Floyd HERE

In October 2024 the BFI was forced to say sorry to film-maker Faisal A Qureshi as reported HERE

In a rare public appearance Qureshi will take us through how he secured this victory against a £120 million national body with 700 staff, how the BFI treats the global majority behind the scenes and what they have done since October 2024 to address their poor practice.

He will also comment on the UK film industry as a whole and the MyLondon article of October 2025 about the BFI's cancellation of the 20-year-old popular, monthly, educational, anti-racist film programme despite 17,500 members of the public who petitioned for it to continue.HERE

The session will cover:

• Performative anti-racism, diversity window dressing
• Institutional bias,'people of colour', co-option
• Hidden costs of fighting racism
• The MyLondon article of October 2025 HERE
• What BFI says on race issues compared to what they do
• Oppressive tactics, media and 'anti-racist champions'
• Funding and the old boy network
• 10 ways to fight back and laws/policies you need to know.

Plus special guest appearance from the African Odysseys Steering Committee who will give an update on their 20 year struggle for racial equality at the BFI and the BFI's 2023 broken promise to celebrate 20 years of African Odysseys in 2026

NB In January 2025 the BFI ignored tens of thousands of people and 20 race equality academics, refused to meet volunteers who had put £6 million of labour into the BFI , refused do a legally required Race Equality Impact Assessment and cancelled the 20 year old, popular, educational, anti-racist African Odysseys monthly film series which regularly packed out the 450 seater.

This event is organised by Black History Walks as part of 60 Years Since 1965 the first ever Race Relations Act, and 20 years of the African Odysseys film seriess

About the Speaker Faisal A Qureshi

Faisal is a screenwriter, researcher and producer with decades of experience across film and television productions, as well as in investigative roles in criminal justice and human rights. He is credited as Associate Producer on Chris Morris’s FOUR LIONS, the documentary film LEAVING NEVERLAND, with director Dan Reed, and has worked as a researcher on projects with Jesse Armstrong (IN THE LOOP) Jon Brown (SUCCESSION) Tony Roche (VEEP) and Sean Gray (AVENUE 5). Faisal’s work has also previously involved investigation into police working culture in the wake of Sarah Everard’s M**der, pursuing the trail of a serial killer, and looking into FBI terror sting operations. He is currently the senior researcher on the upcoming series FLIGHT 103 for Carnival Films / Sky. As a script writer Faisal has written a true life thriller set in Nazi Germany for Benaroya Pictures, and a Russian Samurai western that was optioned by Bazelev. His latest TV spec script, ORANGEADE, was selected for the WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Labs in the US.

• Black History Steam train tour
• Black History Bus Tour/ River Cruise
• Afeni Shakur and the trail of the Panther 21
• 6 African Leaders removed by the French
• Hackney, Mayfair, St Paul'/Bank, Theatreland and Soho Black History Walks
• African Odysseys, Racism in Academia and @BFI Southbank
• Fearless Windrush Women Speak out
• Champion boxers and businessmen of 1800s London
• Teaching Black British Writing in China:Professor Deidre Osborne
• Ismahil Blagrove season of films and books
• Frantz Fanon weekender
• 60 years of Black British Civil Rights, racism @BFI with Professor Gus John
• Kung Fu and anti-racist street fighters with Professor Lez Henry
• World Wars and Black soldiers. African Odysseys @BFI with Professor Patrick Vernon
• Financial slavery? The CFA in Africa
• Sign petition to save African Odysseys and Black film history at BFI Southbank HERE

About African Odysseys

The volunteer-run, African Odysseys film programme screens educational, popular, anti-racist, films with Q&A's . It regularly filled the BFI Southbank 450 seater at 2pm on Saturdays when cinemas are typically 'dead'.The British Film Institute refused to answer 8 simple questions or meet the volunteers, then cancelled the programme so they could 'cut costs and promote diversity' HERE

African Odysseys continues to show films across London as can be seen HERE

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