Riverside Studios Announces Special Screenings For Black History Month Season

Riverside Studios today announces a programme of film screenings marking Black History Month. The venue will screen a selection of dramas and documentaries across October, exploring and interrogating different aspects of the Black experience, both in the UK and the US.

The programme includes Pressure, released in 1976 and considered Britain's first Black feature film; Hitsville: The Making of Motown, the story of the trail blazing record label, introduced by writer and critic Kaleem Aftab; the documentaries Second Sight: The People's Account about the Tottenham Broadwater Farm uprising, and Omega Rising about women in the Rastafarian Movement; as well as Daughters of the Dust, African American filmmaker Julie Dash's acclaimed portrait of early 20th century Gullah women.

Rachel Tackley, Creative Director, and Rachel Hayward, Cinema Programmer of Riverside Studios, today said, "We have put together a diverse programme of films that brilliantly reflect key moments in social and cinematic history, and are very excited to explore the range of Black voices across this vital and vibrant selection throughout the month. This programme is also a springboard for a number of screenings celebrating and showcasing Black talent in the coming months and into 2021"

Tickets for all the Black History Month Season screenings are now available via the Riverside Studios website: www.riversidestudios.co.uk/book/cinema

Also currently on at Riverside Studios is Icons, an exhibition of Contemporary art celebrating pop culture legends, in partnership with Art Hound Gallery, which runs until 31 January 2021. Additionally, the Riverside Studios cinema is hosting a variety of screenings, including NT Live Encore showings of Frankenstein (24 October) and Fleabag (28 November).

Riverside Studios is putting customer safety and wellbeing at the forefront of reopening measures. As a result, the cinema capacity has been reduced from 200 to 68. This means that audiences will be unable to pre-book specific seats, and these will be allocated in advance to ensure at least one metre social distancing. Audiences are encouraged to book in advance to ensure the best experience possible. As a courtesy to others, Riverside asks that face masks are worn. Staff will likewise be wearing face masks.

PRESSURE (Rated 15)

Saturday 3 October 2020 14:00pm

Hailed as Britain's first Black feature film, Pressure is a hard-hitting, honest document of the plight of disenchanted British-born Black youths.

'"Historic" certainly describes the first ever Black British feature film: Horace Ové's Pressure, an absorbing 1976 drama about the everyday struggles of a London-born son (Herbert Norville) of Trinidadian parents." The Guardian

Tickets available here: www.riversidestudios.co.uk/book/cinema/pressure-black-history-month-season

HITSVILLE: THE MAKING OF MOTOWN + INTRODUCTION FROM KALEEM AFTAB (Rated 12)

Saturday 10 October 2020 14:00pm

With over 180 Number 1 hits worldwide, and one of the most impressive artist rosters the world has seen, Motown is the most legendary label of all time. Hitsville: The Making of Motown is the story of how this trailblazing record label was built. Writer and critic Kaleem Aftab will introduce this screening.

Tickets available here: www.riversidestudios.co.uk/book/cinema/hitsville-the-making-of-motown-black-history-month-season

SECOND SIGHT: THE PEOPLE'S ACCOUNT + OMEGA RISING (Rated 12A)

Saturday 17 October 2020 14:00pm

Hailing from the historic Ceddo Film and Video Workshop, The People's Account is a powerful documentary about the Broadwater Farm uprising in Tottenham which was pulled from the schedules at the time it was made, the broadcasting authorities intending it never to be shown on British television.

Omega Rising is the ground-breaking film that explored and challenged myths and stereotypes about the Rastafarian Movement, giving a voice to women of Rastafari.

Tickets available here: www.riversidestudios.co.uk/book/cinema/second-sight--the-peoples-account-omega-rising-black-history-month-season

DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST (Rated 12A)

Sunday 25 October 2020 14:00pm
Julie Dash's majestic first feature is a poignant portrait of three generations of Gullah women (descendants of West African slaves) at the turn of the 20th century, as their family struggles with the decision to migrate from their sea island home off the coast of South Carolina.

Tickets available here: www.riversidestudios.co.uk/book/cinema/daughters-of-the-dust-black-history-month-season