Windrush Caribbean Film Festival and Curiosity UnLtd invite you to a vibrant day of film, art and conversation at Bristol’s iconic Arnolfini on Saturday 28th June from 3pm.
Rooted in the spirit of grassroots activism, this special edition of Windrush Caribbean Film Festival honours Bristol’s pivotal role in civil rights, protest and radical creativity.
From the Bristol Bus Boycott to the toppling of Colston’s statue, from Carnival to celebrating iconic Black Britons, Windrush Caribbean Film Festival 2025: Bristol explores race, resistance and renewal.
This unforgettable one-day celebration of Black British and Caribbean excellence will unite filmmakers, artists, activists and thinkers across generations to proudly champion the transformative power of grassroots activism.
The programme will feature:
A rich selection of films exploring the Black British and Caribbean experience, from resistance to remembrance:
- Sugar Dumplin’ (20 mins) – A tender story about food, memory and love
- Mas Resistance (30 mins) – Tracing the origins of Carnival as a political act
- Reimagining Queen Nanny of the Maroons (32 mins) – A spiritual reimagining of the legendary leader’s legacy
Bristol Bus Boycott films – locally rooted, community-driven shorts reflecting on Bristol’s radical history:
- Lost Voices (15 mins) – Spotlighting the women behind the Boycott
- Beyond the Scars (13 mins) – The personal impact on Guy Bailey
- We Rise (5 mins) – A powerful music video created with Boycott pioneers
- We Rise – Origins (8 mins) – A behind-the-scenes look at the campaign’s creation
- Bristol Has A Dream (3 mins) – Martin Luther King III reflects on his upcoming visit to Bristol
Griot: Rebel Curators film series. Fresh perspectives from Bristol-based creatives reimagining the city’s heritage and narratives:
- Rebel Reasonings (8 mins) – An unfiltered portrait of the creative process
- I Am Dagga (1 min) – Myth, magic and resistance from Haiti to Trinidad
- I Am Beverly Jones (1.20 mins) – Honouring a forgotten founder of the British Black Panther Movement
Colston
Five years on from the toppling of Edward Colston’s statue, this powerful poem explores the legacy of this iconic moment of civil disobedience.
The Escape
Celebrating escapologist Bunny Niel – the first African Caribbean performer in the UK to receive the prestigious Gold Star as a Member of the Inner Magic Circle.
Special guest panel: details to be confirmed.
Tapestry of Black Britons: coinciding with the final weekend of this powerful exhibition celebrating iconic figures who have shaped Black British life.
This event is part of WCFF’s commitment to platforming Black British and Caribbean stories and heritage through film, dialogue and cultural exchange. It is delivered in partenrship with Windrush Caribbean Film Festival, Curiosity UnLtd, St Pauls Carnival and Tapestry of Black Britons.
Tickets are £5. View the full programme and book here.