Barbican Cinema, Barbican Centre

EFG Festival, 17-25 Nov 2018 www.barbican.org.uk/whatson/2018

The film strand of this year’s EFG London Jazz Festival includes two screenings which are part of Anthony Joseph’s series of events celebrating the Windrush generation and the Caribbean spirit: a brand new collection of documentary portraits, 1000 Londoners: Windrush Generations, presented at the Barbican by some of the filmmakers and protagonists involved and Rachel Wang of Chocolate Films; and a presentation of Pressure, Britain’s first black feature film from 1978 written by Horace Ové and fellow Trinidadian novelist Samuel Selvon. A double bill We Out Here, A LDN Story and Blue Notes and Exiled Voices probes two breakthrough moments in the story of British jazz – and reflects a much wider picture of cultural shift. The documentary The Jazz Ambassadors tells the little-known story of how the US used jazz as a Cold War secret weapon and will be followed by a ScreenTalk with the director Hugo Berkeley and Mike McEvoy, interviewed by Sebastian Scotney (London Jazz News).

1000 Londoners: Windrush Generations PG* UK 2017, dir various, 40mins Digital presentation Sat 17 Nov 3pm, Cinema 3

Over ten years, Chocolate Films’ flagship project 1000 Londoners has portrayed 1000 people of all ages, religions, race, income, interests and opinions, who consider themselves to be Londoners. This screening brings together ten new digital portraits exploring the lives of Londoners with Caribbean heritage, from those who arrived in the city in the 40s and 50s, to their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The films include: Jocelyn, the story of the equality campaigner who persuaded shops on Oxford Street to let Black women work on the shop floor; Alex, in which a ground-breaking BBC journalist reminisces about his interviews with Bob Marley, Mohammed Ali and more; and Sara, which follows one of the leaders of the Windrush protests as she campaigns in Parliament Square.

The screening will be followed by a discussion with Rachel Wang (Creative Director of 1000 Londoners) and a selection of the Londoners featured.

Pressure 15 Sat 17 Nov 4.15pm, Cinema 3 UK 1978 Dir Horace Ové 136 min Video presentation

The story of a teenager caught between two cultures, Tony is the British- born son of West Indian parents, who has just left school with good O- levels. The only member of his family born in the UK, he identifies neither with his parents’ cautious conformity, or his older brother’s Black Power politics.

He might feel British, but British society won’t let him get on. At every turn, he encounters entrenched racism: from potential employers, from his girlfriend’s landlady, from the police. Disillusioned, and desperately looking for somewhere to belong, Tony drifts into the company of other unemployed black boys, and into petty crime.

Shot guerrilla-style on the streets of Ladbroke Grove with a mix of professional and non-professional actors, the film’s documentary-like flavour enhances a story of identity politics and race relations which still resonates today.

We Out Here, A LDN Story + Blue Notes and Exiled Voices 12A* UK 1992 Dir Imruh Bakari 52 min Video presentation With thanks to the BFI National TV Archive UK 2018 Dir Fabrice Bourgelle 40 min Digital presentation Sat 24 Nov 2pm, Cinema 2

Blue Notes and Exiled Voices charts the experience of exile of black South African who emigrated to Britain in the 60s and 70s. Including revealing interviews and live performance from Hugh Masekela, Louis Moholo, the Brotherhood of Breath and more, it also recalls years of global struggle against apartheid, and the presence of a vibrant South African community in the UK.

This presence resonates now with an explosion of young jazz talent that celebrates the multiple cultures of today’s Britain – African, Caribbean, Asian and European. Some of the sharpest of these talents – including , , , Ezra Collective – feature in the second film, We Out Here, documenting the recording of Brownswood’s album release of the same name, curated by .

The Jazz Ambassadors PG* + ScreenTalk US/UK 2018 Dir Hugo Berkeley 90 mins Digital presentation Sun 25 Nov 4pm, Cinema 2

Post WW2, America and the USSR competed to win the allegiance of countries around the world. Culture was part of this effort.

In 1956, Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr suggested the US send its greatest jazz musicians overseas on state-sponsored tours. No time was wasted: in 1956, the first ‘jazz ambassador’, Dizzy Gillespie, was blowing America’s horn in the Middle East. He was followed by Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Dave Brubeck and Duke Ellington.

Using archive footage, photos and radio clips, this film tells the story of this jazz diplomacy, and explores the moral dilemma the musicians faced: promoting an image of a tolerant America abroad while the civil rights struggle raged at home.

Ends

For further information please contact: Ian Cuthbert, Communications Manager - Cinema [email protected]/ 07980 925 352

Sarah Harvey, Communications Consultant for Barbican Cinema [email protected]/ 020 7732 7790

Ticket prices: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/cinema Box Office: 0845 120 7527

Standard: £10.50 Barbican Members: £8.40 Concessions £9.50, Young Barbican £5

About the Barbican

A world-class arts and learning organisation, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. Its creative learning programme further underpins everything it does. Over 1.1 million people attend events annually, hundreds of artists and performers are featured, and more than 300 staff work onsite.

The architecturally renowned centre opened in 1982 and comprises the Barbican Hall, the Barbican Theatre, The Pit, Cinemas 1, 2 and 3, Barbican Art Gallery, a second gallery the Curve, foyers and public spaces, a library, Lakeside Terrace, a glasshouse conservatory, conference facilities and three restaurants. The City of London Corporation is the founder and principal funder of the Barbican Centre.

The Barbican is home to Resident Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra; Associate Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra; Associate Ensembles the Academy of Ancient Music and Britten Sinfonia, Associate Producer Serious, and Artistic Partner Create. Our Artistic Associates include Boy Blue, Cheek by Jowl, Deborah Warner, Drum Works and Michael Clark Company. The Los Angeles Philharmonic are the Barbican’s International Orchestral Partner, the Australian

Chamber Orchestra are International Associate Ensemble at Milton Court and Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra are International Associate Ensemble. Find us on Facebook | | Instagram | YouTube |