At the BFI, we are united against racism but we have not been actively antiracist. We know there are some longstanding and endemic issues within the organisation which can harm people and undermine our values. Whilst we are not alone in confronting this truth, it is crucial that we have uncomfortable conversations not just with each other, but also with those who have been marginalised or ignored… 

..But – we need to embody the change we want to see, and be accountable as a public institution, looking like and reflecting the public we serve.

These are the words of Ben Roberts, CEO of the BFI on 17th June 2020, the year of George Floyd HERE 

However:

1. Since June 2024 the BFI has refused to meet and have ‘uncomfortable conversations’ with the Steering Committee, the grassroots volunteers responsible for the successful,17-year-old, educational, anti-racist, African Odysseys film programme. The series was threatened in June 2024  when senior manager Stuart Brown proposed redundancies/cuts  which totally contradicted his 2023 commitment  to celebrate 20 years of African Odysseys in 2026/27
2. In 2025 the  BFI executive team is 88% white with only one Black person present. In 2020 it was all white. The executive team after five years of words, still does not reflect London’s public  which is 46% Black and Asian. The overwhelmingly white management is making  decisions about the global majority while choosing not to listen to them but saying they want to.
3. BFI senior management has not been accountable to the  Steering Committee; refusing to communicate with them for three months and then cancelling meetings two hours before they were due to start. HERE The Steering Committee and the Black community they represent, has been marginalised and ignored by the executive team despite the words above.
4. The BFI executive team and Board of Governors have not been accountable to the 16,600 people who signed the petition to keep  African Odysseys. The programme, which regularly filled up 450 seat NFT1 cinema, is not happening at the BFI  purely because of BFI actions which contradict their five years of words.
5. The ‘anti-racist’ BFI has refused to perform a Race Equality Impact Assessment despite being asked to do so by  grassroots, Black-led organisations and the 16,600 petitioners. This is the opposite of being ‘actively anti-racist’

A Race Equality Impact Assessment (REIA) is a tool used to assess the potential positive or negative impacts of policies, practices, or decisions on different racial groups. It's a structured process that helps organizations identify and address any unintended adverse effects on people of different ethnic backgrounds. 

Purpose:

REIA helps ensure that policies and practices are fair and do not disproportionately disadvantage or discriminate against any particular racial group.

How it Works:

REIA involves identifying potential impacts on different racial groups, considering how they might be affected by the policy or practice, and then developing strategies to mitigate or eliminate any negative impacts. 

Key Steps:

A typical REIA involves:

Identifying relevant policies: Determine which policies or practices are subject to the assessment.

Identifying relevant racial groups: Consider which ethnic groups may be affected by the policy.

Assessing potential impacts: Analyse how the policy might affect different racial groups, including both positive and negative impacts.

Developing action plans: Create strategies to address any identified negative impacts, such as modifying the policy or providing targeted support.

Legal and Ethical Considerations:

REIA is often required by law, especially in the public sector, to ensure compliance with equality legislation and to promote fairness and inclusion. 

Benefits:

Implementing REIA can lead to improved outcomes for all racial groups, increased public trust, and reduced legal risks

Sample  questions  would be:

• What adverse impacts or unintended consequences could result from this policy? Which racial/ethnic groups could be negatively affected? How could adverse impacts be prevented or minimized? What positive impacts on equality and inclusion, if any, could result from this proposal?
• A decision-maker, having taken reasonable steps to inquire into the issues, must understand the impact, or likely impact of the decision on those of the listed equality needs which are potentially affected by the decision.

None of these legally required and common sense actions were taken before the BFI chose to get  rid of David Somerset, the only person with 17 years of Black film knowledge at the BFI  and the member of staff responsible for the African Odysseys almost two decades of continued success with limited resources.

None of these actions were taken before the BFI chose to delete the 48 week job role Somerset occupied, that was required to produce the monthly African Odysseys film programme

Due to the actions of the BFI managers Stuart Brown, Jason Wood as sanctioned by Chair of Governors Jay Hunt. There are no more African Odysseys screenings at the BFI. The taxpayer-funded venue has deprived the Black community of a valuable educational, anti-racist resource that was enjoyed by tens of thousands of people and set up the community to meet their underserved needs. There was no consultation with the public. This in itself is a breach of race equality practice and contradicts the words of the CEO.

The cuts/redundancies have negatively impacted the Black community.  The BFI were told in advance that would be the case, they refused any meetings, ignored the desires of 16,600 people to do what the overwhelmingly white executive team and governing body wanted.

In the wake of the Stephen Lawrence and George Floyd anniversaries, this is appalling. This deliberate and intentional behaviour, similar to the attacks on Black history and culture in other parts of the world, must be corrected.

How to fight racism at the British Film Institute (BFI)

• Carry on signing and sharing the petition HERE
• Carry on reading and sharing the 11 petition updates and memes HERE
• Write/phone the BFI to complain
• Revoke your membership and say why

Come to African Odysseys screenings outside of the BFI such as

• Soundtrack to a Coup D'etat plus Q&A Saturday May 17th 2pm HERE
• Bad Patriots plus Q&A Thursday May 28th 6.30pm HERE
• Reclaiming Cocoa  plus Q&A Saturday June 21st 2pm HERE
• Backlash: The Murder of George Floyd plus Q&A Friday June 6th 6.30pm HERE

If the BFI had not cancelled African Odysseys Backlash would have been in the 450 seat NFT 1 with a one hour Q&A with panellists from the grassroots Black community speaking on police brutality. The session would have been linked to the Black Lives Matter films of 2020 programmed by African Odysseys which featured  the films of Ken Fero, director of Ultraviolence. HERE

Ken Fero has signed the 16,600 petition. He also signed the open letter sent by esteemed race equality campaigner Professor Gus John, to BFI CEO Ben Roberts and Chair of Governors Jay Hunt in October 2024 offering to meet them to solve the situation. This offer was rejected by Ben Roberts CEO of the BFI HERE

, it is crucial that we have uncomfortable conversations not just with each other, but also with those who have been marginalised or ignored…

Ben Roberts CEO of the BFI June 17th 2020 HERE

“I can't believe what you say, because I see what you do.”

― James Baldwin