NEWHAM COMMUNITY CINEMA: BALDWIN'S N****R + Q&A

To mark 100 Years of James Balwin, Newham Community Cinema and London's Screen Archives presents a screening of -

SHORT FILM CLIP - TBC

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FEATURE FILM - BALDWIN'S N****R

In 1969, one year after the assassination of Martin Luther King in the USA, the West Indian Student Centre is crammed with people for a lecture by eminent American author and political commentator James Baldwin, accompanied by comedian and author Dick Gregory.

It was Horace Ové's first film. Shot in a plain and simple verité style in black and white, the film represents a triumph for the filmmaker in presenting dialogue between Black people as if no white people were present. This allows the speakers and audience to deal with issues without the need to self-censor. In addition it allows James Baldwin to make a direct connection with his mostly African-Caribbean audience by drawing on cadences, language and a vibe which cuts through the varied African cultures of the New World.

The issues raised by Baldwin and Dick Gregory, as well as from the floor, will be familiar to contemporary audiences, but Baldwin's responses are never clichéd and prove provocative even today.

Dir: Horace Ové

Cast: James Balwin, Dick Gregory

Cert:

Dur: 46m

Q&A: TBC

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4.00pm: Doors open + Intro + London's Screen Archives (LSA) trailer + short film clip

4:15pm: Feature film starts promptly

5:00pm: Q&A starts

6:00pm: Q&A finishes followed by London's Screen Archives table with handling collection demo

6:30pm: Exit venue

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Refreshments will be provided.

Admission is on a first come, first served basis.

Film is suitable for people aged 12 and over, but it may not be appropriate for those younger.

Facilities in the library are wheelchair accessible.

This project has been made possible with the support of the BFI, awarding National Lottery funding, and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to begin addressing the lack of Black stories in London’s screen archives.

Host or Publisher Newham Community Cinema