On the 10th November, in conjunction with Leeds International Film Festival, BFI Black Star Tour will take over Belgrave Music Hall for a screening of The Heat Of The Night which will be introduced by Norman Jay.
One of the celebrated figures in urban dance, Norman Jay MBE is set to embark on a true cultural journey across the nation with the #BFIBlackStar Tour.
Calling into Leeds on 10th November as a part of the Leeds International Film Festival, and into Manchester on 30th November, these unique evenings promise a refreshing dip into the DJ’s favourite films, tackling blaxploitation and the shining moments of black cinema across the country. Each screening will be introduced by Norman Jay MBE, explaining his own connection to the film and how it’s remained an influence on him throughout his career and life, before closing each evening with a blistering DJ set full of black cinema soundtracks and unmistakable cultural classics for a true exclusive experience.
Taking over the Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds on 10th November as a part of the Leeds International Film Festival, the Black Star Tour will screen the transcendent classic In The Heat Of The Night, the picture itself tackling racial prejudice and the civil rights movement in late-60s Missippi. Winning multiple Academy Awards and featuring the acclaimed talents of Sidney Poitier in a performance ranked as the greatest of all-time by the BFI Black Star poll, the showing as a part of the tour will mark an exclusive preview of the upcoming 4K re-release. As powerful a watch in 2016 as it was in 1967, In The Heat Of The Night is a must-see.
After stopping into Leeds, the #BFIBlackStar Tour will head to Manchester on 30th November for a night screening the 1971 action-hit Shaft. With an exclusive Q&A hosted by Manchester legend Dave Haslam alongside Norman Jay MBE, the picture is often seen as one of the most popular blaxploitation films of the entire genre. As the first time a major studio had ever cast a black actor as its lead, its significance has translated across generations and remains a standard bearer in modern cinema. Its soundtrack, pulled together by the late Isaac Hayes, received plaudits around the globe – and Norman Jay MBE’s post-screening DJ set is sure to celebrate it’s undeniable influence and ability to unite listeners in music.
Tickets for both shows are available now, including both the film screening and DJ performance, starting at £12 for Manchester and £13 for Leeds.
Promising a truly unparalleled celebration of black cinema, Norman Jay MBE’s #BFIBlackStar Tour is the personal guide to a worldwide culture that continues to influence and shape modern society to this very day.
More details and tickets found here.