Black Star

There is not one single story of black stardom, but myriad. So alongside iconic work from much-loved contemporary greats like Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett and David Oyelowo, we’ll spotlight contributions from important but less-heralded figures like the late Paul Robeson, who seared his singular brand of intensity and moral clarity on to screens in America and the UK. We’ll travel back to the earliest days of American cinema, where black performers fought against racism and stereotypes to blaze a trail for their inheritors to tread. We’ll look at the giant impact of small-screen performers in Britain, holla at the hip-hop screen queens and kings of the 1990s, and head beyond Nollywood to showcase fresh Nigerian talent. From Blaxploitation to the LA Rebellion, Poitier to Prince, and Josephine Baker to Ice Cube, there’s something for everyone in Black Star.