Saved events

St. Clair Bourne’s Cinema of Solidarity (15*) + Q&A

Cinema Restored

,Cinema 3
A group of children look at a statue in a museum.

A programme of humanistic documentaries by St. Clair Bourne, presenting multi-faceted portrayals of African Americans from the 1960-1990s.

The transformative documentaries of St. Clair Bourne (1943 - 2007), a Black filmmaker and activist from Brooklyn. Diving into a range of issues from The Troubles in Ireland to race and museums.

This programme brings the UK premiere of the restored The Black and the Green, in which St Clair Bourne traces a group of Black Civil rights activists who travel to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, exploring the parallels between their experiences of racial discrimination in the US, and of Irish Catholic life under the British authorities.

The occasion of the restoration provides an opportunity to showcase the career of Bourne, whose work provides a vital perspective of African American communities between the 1960s - 1990s, a period taking in the end of the civil rights movement and transition to the Black power movement, and its rise and fall.

Tagged with: Cinema Cinema Restored

The Black and the Green (UK Premiere)
Dir. St. Clair Bourne, 1983, 44min

Statues Hardly Ever Smile
Dir. Stan Lathan, 1971, 21min

Something To Build On
Dir. St. Clair Bourne 1971, 30min

The title 'Cinema of Solidarity' is credited to Yasmine Price. 

With thanks to Jacob Perlin. 

St. Clair Bourne

Bourne's work is defined by his time working on Black Journal, a Black produced TV programme, broadcast on public access television, which was politically and formally forward thinking, providing opportunities for young filmmakers to hone their craft telling Black stories otherwise ignored.

In this programme, the films we screen, reflect this characteristic, demonstrating his nuanced storytelling approach and belief in developing documentaries capable of giving spaces to layered, multi-faceted perspectives on deeply important issues.

His work is characterised by what Bourne describes as ‘humanistically political’, a radical formal approach, mixed with his deep sense of humanity and a belief in the transformative power of the documentary to inform, educate and uplift.

Programme

Statues Hardly Ever Smile

Dir. Stan Lathan, 1971, 21min

Shot by Bourne, this film captures an initiative at the Brooklyn Museum, which sees a group of inner city children devise a dance piece in response to the Museum’s collection. The resulting film is a poetic examination of the relationship between a museum, and its place in the surrounding community.

 

Something To Build On

Dir. St. Clair Bourne 1971, 30min

In this short, Bourne puts together a multi-layered reflection on the role that college should play in the Black community. Bringing many contrasting perspectives, the film hears from the experiences of young people from many different institutions, to capture the shortcomings of both the education system, and its alternatives, in shaping young Black minds.

The Black and the Green

Dir. St. Clair Bourne, 1983, 44min

St Clair Bourne’s fascinating documentary tracing a group of Black Civil rights activists, who travel to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, to explore the parallels between their experiences of racial discrimination in the US, and of Irish Catholic life under the British authorities.

Cinema 3

Location
Barbican Cinema 2 & 3 are located on Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican’s Silk Street entrance. From Silk Street, you’ll see a zebra crossing that will take you across the road to the venue. 

Address
Beech Street
London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.