What barriers are there to entering the creative industries?: Part 1
What is it like to get a creative industry job through a diversity scheme?: Part 2
Black Ops Poetry
Poet and Producer Black Ops Poetry (Nyasha Sithole) performed their poem 'I Am Shattered' for The Journey to Racial Equality in Leeds Mental Health Services, a documentary commissioned by Synergi Collaborative Centre and produced by Words of Colour in association with Synergi-Leeds, offering a case study of Leeds' collaborative journey towards reducing ethnic inequalities in mental health.
Khadijah Ibrahiim Poem
Poet, theatremaker, literary activist and Artistic Director of Leeds Young Authors Khadijah Ibrahiim performs poetry from Another Crossing for The Journey to Racial Equality in Leeds Mental Health Services, a documentary commissioned by Synergi Collaborative Centre and produced by Words of Colour in association with Synergi-Leeds, offering a case study of Leeds' collaborative journey towards reducing ethnic inequalities in mental health.
Social and Economic Predictors of the Severe Mental Disorders: SEP-MD project
The Social and Economic Predictors of the Severe Mental Disorders (SEP-MD) project links data from the Census with clinical records from one of Europe’s largest secondary mental health providers, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health care to an ethnically diverse, urbanised location in South East London. This data linkage is unique. Researchers are analysing data to better understand relationships between mental health, employment, ethnicity and overlapping forms of disadvantage. The aim is to inform current service, treatment and policy concerns relating to the severe mental illnesses.
The Journey to Racial Equality in Leeds Mental Health Services
This documentary is a case study of Leeds' collaborative journey to reducing ethnic inequalities within diverse communities, featuring interviews from a range of Leeds-based health, mental health, public health, NGO and community sector professionals and experts by experience who, as change agents, are impacting and influencing the narrative and pathways within organisations and communities in Leeds. It also features powerful performances by poets Khadijah Ibrahiim, Black Ops Poetry and Saju Iqbal Ahmed.
Expats - Lulu Wang: Nicole Kidman brought me onto this...
Shot on location in Hong Kong and very much about different ethnic families living there, Showrunner, Director-Screenwriter, Lulu Wang, talks to ACV on the Red Carpet at the London Film Festival screening.
'In the Net' | Trailer
Laura and Anna, half-sisters, plan a grand net stretching across the skyline of North London as a way to unite their community. But not everyone’s convinced. Meanwhile Hala, a Syrian refugee staying with the family, finds herself caught in a tangle of immigration red tape. With time running out, drought spreading, and the authorities closing in, the net becomes their arena in the pursuit of justice, joy and safety. Misha Levkov’s stunning debut interweaves the lives of the three women as delicately as the web they weave on stage. Family, protest, and the joy of defiance meet in this thrilling production, directed by Vicky Moran. In the Net follows WoLab’s critically acclaimed productions For A Palestinian, ENG-ER-LAND and RAINER.
How to Break Out of a Detention Centre
Trailer of the live recording of a play from theatre company Benza.
'RAINER Trailer'
★★★★★ “RAINER is a tribute to London in all its grime and glory.” – The Indiependent
★★★★★ “As entertaining as it is eye opening. Impossible to ignore.” – Spy in the Stalls
★★★★★ “For the entire hour, I was transfixed” – Everything Theatre
★★★★ “Funny yet thoughtful one-woman show ” – The Stage
★★★★ – Hackney Gazette
★★★★ “Masterful.” – The Okayish
“Sorcha Kennedy gives an astonishing performance as a cycle delivery rider with grand literary dreams” – The Guardian “Sorcha Kennedy plays twenty characters with equal flair and razor-sharp comic timing.” – Exeunt “Something rare in theatre.” – WhatsOnStage on WoLab.
Written by Max Wilkinson Directed by Nico Rao Pimparé Set Design by Zoë Hurwitz Lighting Design by Jamie Platt Sound Design by Jethro Cooke Produced by Alistair Wilkinson Performed by Sorcha Kennedy
Trim 'N' Grin | Off The Record x BAME Barbers Network
Welcome to the first episode of the Trim & Grin Podcast, where we look at real issues from inside a real barbershop. This time around, we are discussing the issue of COVID-19, vaccinations and the challenges that the pandemic presented for young people and the wider Croydon community.
‘Ali & Ava’ London Premiere at 65th London Film Festival.
Two very different individuals, Ali (Bafta winning Adeel Akhtar) and Ava (Claire Rushbrook) enter in to an unexpected romance – having been introduced by chance on a ‘school run’. Set in Bradford in north England, in an area which has been riven by racial tensions from time to time, the romance takes the characters on a journey as they battle both personal, cultural and familial demons that could derail their friendship, let alone anything more.
Inspired by German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s ‘Ali: Fear Eats the Soul’ – music - and dance music especially for Ali - plays an integral part in bringing the two together and crossing what may appear as immutable racial and cultural barriers. This is far from a syrupy romcom for which the UK/England is famous and introduces us to Northern Noir and the beauty of the landscape, as well the people there. Shot grittingly, in a social realism mode, and in a town in which writer-director Clio Barnard has worked in before, ‘Ali & Ava’ is skilfully realised and is brought to the screen with fine acting, intelligently and sensitively and has a reflective and uplifting sentiment to it.
These interviews were held at the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s Special Presentation on October 13 2021 at the Southbank Centre during London Film Festival (October 6-17). Production credits A Big Talent Media Production Ltd for http://www.asianculturevulture.com Presenter/Producer: Sailesh Ram (http://www.twitter.com/asianculturevul) Filming/editing: Adrianne McKenzie
Antonio Aakeel - Playing Rehan in new award-winning British migrant film, Footprints on Water
Talking about his role alongside Adil Hussain, as Raghu, Antonio Aakeel discusses the back story and trauma of Rehan - the character he plays in ‘Footrpints on Water’. The film enjoyed its European Premiere at the UK Asian Film Festival (May 4-14) and we proudly sponsored this feature being screened at The Kiln Theatre Cinema in North.London on May 13. Already garlanded by the New York Indian Film Festival, as the Best Debt feature, it also now has a UK Asian Film Festival/Tongues on Fire Flame Award. See our other interviews with other talent from the film shortly… With thanks to The Headquarters Production (THQP) for the clips and the UK Asian Film Festival celebrating its 25th year in 2023. A remarkable achievement and one we wanted to recognise. Production credits A Big Talent Media Production for http://wwww.asianculturevulture.com Presenter/producer: Sailesh Ram (editor and founder, www.asianculturevulture.com) Camera/editing: Adrianne McKenzie (AMC Media)
Multi-ethnic high streets
High streets are the life blood of our cities, towns and neighbourhoods. They are places to meet and socialise, but the recent move towards online or out-of-town shopping coupled with the drastic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has put our high streets under severe pressure. This downturn has hit minority ethnic communities especially hard. The retail industry employs the second highest number of people from ethnic minorities, and over 30% of people with Pakistani or Bangladeshi backgrounds are employed in the food and hospitality sectors.
Ethnic inequalities for young people entering the labour market
This project explores ethnic inequalities for young people entering the labour market from school, college or apprenticeships. It also looks at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ethnic inequalities in employment for young people.
Decolonising the Curriculum: Teaching Race, Migration, and Empire
What role does teacher training play in achieving school history curricula that reflect more representative and inclusive experiences from the past?
Little English World Premiere at BFI Southbank, London.
ENJOYING its world premiere at the BFI Southbank and launched at the London Indian Film Festival, ‘Little English’ is a new romantic comedy with two Asian leads at the heart of the drama. Simmy (Rameet Rauli) is a bride from India and lands up in West London, expecting to marry the oldest son but he is nowhere to be seen.
‘Little English’ is written and directed by well-known and established Rifco theatre director, Pravesh Kumar in what his debut feature. See the reaction to the film after the screening!
Production credits A Big Talent Media Production for http://www.asianculturevulture.com Interview/producer: Sailesh Ram (http://www.twitter.com/asianculturevul) Camera/editing: Adrianne McKenzie
'What should we do about statues that celebrate Empire and the slave trade?'
Many public statues in Britain celebrate men whose wealth came from the slave trade. Does this matter? What if the person also gave part of their wealth to charity? And do statues really teach us about history? Based on the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) 'Contested Statues' research (http://https://www.ethnicity.ac.uk/research/...) this video explains some of the approaches taken to dealing with slave trader statues. We argue that history is not, in fact, 'set in stone' but ripe for continual change.
'RAINER' at Arcola Theatre, Trailer.
WoLab presents… RAINER written by Max Wilkinson directed by Nico Rao Pimparè performed by Sorcha Kennedy.
The play was a finalist for Samuel French’s Off-Broadway Award, longlisted for Theatre Uncut’s Political Playwriting Award and winner of the Prix Royal competition in Paris. A one-woman show featuring live music, RAINER is a celebration of a city and the people within it, seen and unseen.
'In Conversation with Indhu Rubasingham'
Indhu Rubasingham, Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre speaks to Words of Colour's Executive Director Joy Francis about working with and championing Women of Colour actors, transforming the Tricycle into the Kiln, the power of storytelling and her vision for making theatre accessible to everyone.
'On the ground at Grenfell'
Made the week of the fire by 9 people: survivors, local residents, and volunteers.
Screened in Parliament to 170 MPs 12/12/ 2017.
'On the ground was filmed at a time when things were still so raw, really helped capture the pain we all went through.’ - Shahin Sadafi, Grenfell United.
Winner Best Film 2017, Portobello Film Festival.
‘An incredible film’ Naomi Klein, ‘Remarkable’ Channel 4 News.
‘Powerful’ ITV.
An urgent film that needs to be seen as widely as possible BFI.
*TRIGGER WARNING - This film contains traumatic footage and imagery of the fire. Viewer discretion is advised*
The End of Bengali Brick Lane?
Brick Lane has long been recognised as the heartland of the British Bangladeshi community. The development of 'Banglatown' from the 1980s onwards is a testament to the struggles and successes of this community. However, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic this iconic street and its businesses are facing unprecedented challenges and the future of Bengali Brick Lane looks uncertain.