Saved events

Handsworth Songs (15)

Relaxed Screening

,Cinema 3
people running on the street

An influential work of British experimental cinema, Handsworth Songs remains a powerful and innovative reflection on race, memory, and belonging in Thatcher-era Britain.

Taking the 1985 uprisings in Handsworth and London as its point of departure, the film challenges media narratives that sought to simplify or demonise the events, instead situating them within longer histories of migration, inequality, and racial tension.

Through a layered use of sound, voice, and archival footage, the Black Audio Film Collective constructs a complex portrait of Black British experience. Rejecting singular explanations, the film draws together multiple voices and temporalities, revealing the riots not as isolated incidents but as part of a broader, unresolved history of displacement and deferred belonging.

Tagged with: Cinema Project a Black Planet Film Season Relaxed Screenings

Book two or more films in the Project a Black Planet film programme at the same time and get 20% off.

Film information
  • Release year   1986
  • Country of origin   UK
  • Director   Black Audio Film Collective
  • Runtime   61mins

How is this screening relaxed?

A relaxed event takes place in an environment that is specially tailored for a neurodiverse audience, as well as those who find a more informal setting beneficial. 

The cinema environment is tailored to the needs of the audience.

For this screening:

- The lights are dimmed, though not off.

- The volume levels a little lower than usual.

- You are free to move around the screen and to enter and exit the cinema at any time, with easy access for any wheelchair users.

- You're free to make noise in these screenings. 

- Staff are trained and ready to assist with any help you or other audience members may need while you're at the cinema at Barbican.

A visual guide to our cinemas is available on request – just click on the Visual Stories tab on our Accessible Events page. For more information please contact the Box Office.

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.