Blacklisted Conversations

Breis is considered an OG of the UK rap game. With a career that kicked off in the 90s, the rapper, turned teacher, turned author has recently released a new book entitled 'Diary of a Creative Mind' which compliments his new EP Arise & Shine which touches on many of the issues that Black artists in the UK have to face including race & racism, finances and performing.  

With this book, BREIS hopes to not only inspire and encourage creatives from all backgrounds but to offer them insights into the complex yet culturally rich experience of an independent artist in the UK. 

We caught up with him to talk about his career journey, the legacy of British 'OG' rappers and of course we reminisced about the loss of the late great TY.

Buy Breis' book and EP from: mrbreis.com/

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Actor, Writer & Director Aki Omoshaybi has released his debut feature 'Real'.

The story set in inner-city Portsmouth, follows Kyle (Aki Omoshaybi) and Jamie (Pippa Bennett-Warner) who despite, their outward confidence, are both struggling to move on from hardship they’d rather keep hidden as they navigate new love.

Described as an 'authentic and touching love story from a place where second chances are hard to come by' ... we spoke to Aki and Pippa about what it truly means to be 'Real'.

Real is available in selected UK cinemas now and via BFI Player and Sky Store - find out how you can watch and support this brilliant British indie here - vivaverve.com/film/real/

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Dominique Fishback calls herself 'the heroine of a 1000 faces' because of the many creative hats she wears.

Steadily creating a reputation as a scene stealing actress based on her previous roles in The Deuce, Random Acts of Flyness and The Hate U Give Dominique will soon be seen alongside Daniel Kaluuya's 'Fred Hampton' in Judas and The Black Messiah in which she plays Fred's fiancee Deborah Johnson.

Her latest role is as Robin in Netflix's latest superhero offering 'Project Power'. in which she stars alongside Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Courtney B Vance.

We we spoke to Dominique about the importance of embracing who we are and our roots, and how she applied this inner strength to working alongside some of the biggest names in the industry and managing to hold her own and stand out in her own right.

Catch Project Power on Netflix now.

Judas and the Black Messiah will be released in 2021

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You may know Ashley Bannerman as 'Remy' one of the leading characters in the award winning web/TV series Brothers With No Game. Going on to star in popular UK TV shows like Casualty, Law and Order: UK, and the BBC adaptation of Zadie Smith's book 'NW'. Bannerman's also had a taste of Hollywood starring in The Infiltrator starring Brian Cranston.

Now you can watch Ashley in Netflix's new fantasy series 'Cursed' where she plays 'Cora' one of the leaders of the Faun people.

TBB caught up with her to discuss the role, how she copes in a world that puts so much demand on being visible and how she resolved her faith with being in a series that has some darker moments ...  

Cursed is available to watch on Netflix now.

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TBB Talks To… Award-Winning British Playwright & Screenwriter Roy Williams

One of Britain’s most renowned playwrights, Roy Williams has nearly 30 plays to his name, including the Alfred Fagon Award-winning Starstruck and the Olivier-nominated Sucker Punch. Most recently, his play Death of England, co-written by Clint Dyer, completed an acclaimed run at the National Theatre only a few days before theatre venues across the country shut their doors and went into lockdown.

During lockdown, Roy brought together 14 writers to respond artistically to George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter Movement. From this came ‘846’ – a collection of 14 short pieces spread over 3 episodes. Each is a standalone exploration of racial inequality and oppression, but together they form a powerful tapestry of voices.

We caught up with Roy to discuss ‘846’, theatre as “creative activism” and what British theatre might learn from our American cousins.

Find out more about ‘846’ here.

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Greenacre Films is an independent production company founded by award-winning producers Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks. The two bonding over a desire to create fresh, surprising stories with diverse voices.

Having brought to us 2018's groundbreaking Been So Long starring Michaela Coel and Arinze Kene, now, they have produced Unsaid Stories - a response to the current Black Lives Matter protests in the UK.

Coming to ITV Monday 10th, at 9pm the 15 minute short films are a series of Black Lives Matter inspired dramas, each powerful and impactful stories have been written by Black British writers, from very different perspectives.

Unsaid Stories runs from Monday 10th - Thursday 13th August, on ITV at 9pm

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Since lockdown, the Creative Arts across screen, stage, literature, and sound has had to completely rethink how it continues to make content whilst keeping safe.

Along with being conscious of how to engage an audience overwhelmed with the availability of online content across a number of platforms whilst during & Post lockdown with restrictions and social distancing guidelines affecting the usual ‘real-world’ entertainment venues.

Theatre because of its dependency on the physical attendance of its audiences has suffered the most during this time.

In May of this year, 60 Black & Asian Artistic Directors sent an open letter to the Government citing the perils lockdown/COVID-19 has had on the Theatre industry and even more so how it will disproportionately affect Theatre creatives from marginalised groups.

The British Blacklist brought together British Black ADs to share their thoughts on how Black Theatre progresses and pivots to survive this crisis ...

Thank you to

• Michael Buffong - Artistic Director of Talawa (Talawa Theatre Company)
• Lynette Linton - Artistic Director at The Bush Theatre
• Kwame Kwei-Armah - Artistic Director of Young Vic Theatre
• Gbolahan Obisesan - Artistic Director of Brixton House
• And … Selina Thompson - Artistic Director of SLT Ltd

Also to TBB's theatre columnist Hannah Shury-Smith

This discussion is also available to watch via The British Blacklist on YouTube

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When you go for a role that has global interest, meaning you're competing with the world, and then you get that role... 'It must be nice' as the kids say.

TBB Talks caught up with the newly appointed director of Sundance Film Festival, Tabitha Jackson. A Brit. A Woman. A Mixed Race Woman. Making her the first Woman to take this position, the first non-American, and the first person of colour.

Having worked at the BBC, BBC Film and Channel 4, Tabitha is also an award-winning documentary producer, with awards including an Emmy for the mini docu-series 'Rx for Survival: A Global Health Challenge' and a Royal Television Society Award and UNESCO Gold Award for 'Motherland – A Genetic Journey' - in which 'Three British African Caribbeans go on an epic journey in search of their genetic identity'.

Moving into the main chair from being Sundance Institute's director of their Documentary Film Program we spoke to Tabitha about landing the top position and the importance of the independent filmmaker's voice ...

Sundance Film Festival founded in 1978 is an annual film festival organised by the Sundance Institute. It takes place each January in Park City, Utah, Salt Lake City, and at the Sundance Resort, and is the largest independent film festival in the United States.

Sundance Film Festival London 2020 starts Friday 7th - Sunday 9th August

Find out more here: www.picturehouses.com/blog/celebration-of-sundance-film-festival-london-announcement 

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British African theatre company tiata fahodzi aims to challenge, reflect and explore the experience of the changing African diaspora in contemporary Britain through the medium theatre.

Taking over as the company’s third Artistic Director and CEO in 2014, Ibu brought to the company a particular focus on those who straddle worlds, cultures, languages, classes, heritages, races and struggles. Under Ibu’s leadership, the company has performed productions such as Ibu’s own play ‘i know all the secrets in my world’, Nathan Bryon’s ‘mixed brain’ and Arinze Kene’s ‘good dog’.

This August, tiata fahodzi released the film adaptation of ‘good dog’. Directed by Andrew Gillman and Natalie Ibu, the film chronicles growing up in a multicultural community in the early noughties, and the everyday injustices that drive people to take back control.

We caught up with Natalie to chat about ‘good dog’, the impact of lockdown on the theatre industry and how theatres can take a more effective anti-racist stance.

Find out more about ‘good dog’ here: www.tiatafahodzi.com/featured/good-dog-the-film/

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Rakie Ayola is another UK based Black acting legend who has enjoyed and impressive career across Screen and Stage. Recent productions she's starred in include Talawa Theatre's production of King Lear (2016), and BBC's Noughts and Crosses adaptation (2020).

Her talents are as such that most recently she has been cast as Gee Walker, mother of Anthony Walker who was murdered in a racist attack in Liverpool, 2005.

The BBC Drama entitled 'Anthony' was written by BAFTA-award winning Jimmy McGovern and focuses on how his life could have been.

TBB's Adele Oni - who is also an actress, has a candid discussion with Rakie about the role, telling painful black stories and life of a Black actress in the UK.

Watch Anthony - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m000lb9c/anthony

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