The British Film Institute are trying to ignore 18,400 petition voices to continue African Odysseys at the taxpayer-funded venue. They cancelled the educational, anti-racist, Black history film series, that regularly filled their 450 seat cinema with paying customers since 2007, with no consultation. The programme continues at grassroots level. The next four events and petition updates are:

·        20 Banned Black Films you need to see: Sample of some of the African Odysseys titles screened at BFI since 2007 Saturday 2pm 11th July HERE

·        Reparations, new drama by Chrsytal Rose exploring romance, family and the 18 trillion pounds of debt caused by British enslavement in the Caribbean. Plus Q&A. Saturday 2pm 11th July 5pm HERE

·        London Recruits drama/documentary about Nelson Mandelas ANC recruiting white volunteers from London to go undercover on dangerous anti-racist missions in South Africa plus Q&A with Ronnie Kasrils ex Minister of Intelligence in the South African government Monday 13 July 6.30pm HERE

·        Remembering Joy Gardner. Rare public screening of Justice Denied (1995) Joy was killed 28 July 1993 when Police raided her home. This film, talk, and Q&A with the family and director reflects on her life and legacy 34 years later. Friday 31st July 6.30pm HERE

These are the type of  films/filmmakers and audience that should be getting national/international exposure by the BFI but that the BFI clearly does not want as their senior management: 

• Refused to talk to the voluntary Steering Committee that curates African Odysseys for three months 
• Refused to run a legally required Race Equality Impact Assessment as agreed with Stuart Brown Head of Programme and Acquisitions and Melanie Hoyes Director of Inclusion on 2nd July 2024
• Refused to meet with the Committee and respected anti-racist campaigner Professor Gus John unilaterally cancelling the only meeting two hours before it started HERE. That decision was supported by  Jason Wood, Executive Director for Public Programmes and Audiences and ultimately Ben Roberts BFI CEO and Jay Hunt Chair of Governors.

The facts are that Stuart Brown had agreed to a 20 year anniversary season of African Odysseys films at a face- to-face-sit-down-and-shake-hands-meeting with the Steering Committee members on August 29th 2023 at BFI Southbank. Brown had also agreed  to include over 100 African Odysseys titles to the online BFI iPlayer and make it reflect the decades of AO films, address the exclusion of AO from the BFI magazine, Sight and Sound, and provide more resources. That meeting was part of the ongoing complaints against discrimination at the BFI that were presented in writing since 2020.

Below are the notes of that meeting as compiled by BFI staff member Justin Johnson who was at the meeting. 

Notes from African Odysseys steering meeting 29th August 2023

Cc: Stuart Brown <redacted >; David Somerset <redacted >

Subject: Notes from African Odysseys Meeting - 29th August

Thanks for your time on Tuesday evening. Here are some notes - do feel free to correct if I have anything wrong or have missed out entirely.

Best 

Justin

Notes from African Odysseys Meeting - 29th August 2023

Attending: 

Stuart Brown, Justin Johnson, David Somerset - BFI

redacted- African Odysseys Steering Committee

Actions from the meeting

Hold quarterly meetings to ensure improved communications, increase social media presence on BFI channels and ensure any slow selling events are flagged up at weekly marketing meeting (David to ensure that he feeds this to Kim (redacted)

BFI Player Collection:

African Odysseys collection exists on BFI Player (27 titles on subscription currently). AO to look at existing content and make suggestions as to any other titles that would enhance the collection.

AO Season:

Commitment to support a season in 2026 to celebrate 20 years of African Odysseys to be programmed by AO and to include titles from the strand.

Exhibition:

No capacity from a resource pov to have a regular exhibition but opportunity to display flyers, posters and other materials somewhere in the building to tie in with the 2026 season.

BFI Imax:

Due to the commercial nature of the operation, cultural programming is built in around contractual commitments with the major distributors. Any films chosen in non-Imax format need to be 4K or possibly 70mm. 35mm and 2k too low resolution.

Previews in BFI Southbank programme:

This has proved difficult in terms of the major studios but recognised that Chevalier benefitted from the AO association. Any additional context that can be provided to help persuade distributors that an AO preview is desirable might help. Example suggested by AO of Bob Marley concert and talk programmed alongside possible preview of new film given as possible future model we can try.

Sight and Sound:

Stuart to speak to Mike Williams, the editor of S&S

BFI London FF:

Stuart to arrange for 2 accreditations to the 2023 edition of the festival to enable members of the AO Steering Group to look at possible titles for future AO events.

SB Building Works:

Although not announced yet, further building works due in 2024 between March and August. NFT1 will be closed for the whole period with NFT3 closed for at least 6 weeks. We will keep the group posted via David. No decision yet taken as to whether strands will continue during the works period.

Book:

This will need to be pitched to Palgrave Macmillan who look after BFI Publishing label. They work several years ahead so it might be worth making an approach now for a book to tie in with the 2026 anniversary.

Records Issue:

Stuart will find support to make this request happen with David leading the project in discussion with Ruth from the new records team.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx End of BFI notes

Obviously if the BFI in January 2025 chose to make David Somerset redundant and delete his post entirely none of the above could happen as he was co-founder and the only BFI person responsible for African Odysseys. There would be no 20th anniversary of African Odysseys @BFI in 2026 and tens of thousands of people would be disappointed. The BFI senior management  knew this and despite 18,400 of the global majority protesting the decision and the worth of the African Odysseys programme being at least £6 million HERE  ,  the BFI chose to go ahead stating the decision would 'promote diversity and cut costs'

Please continue to sign and share the petition, tell  social media influencers/journalists ,attend the updates and look out for further actions against this travesty