Windrush 75: The Harder They Come
Our monthly Black Lens film night returns again in June for a special screening of The Harder They Come, as part of our special Windrush 75 celebrations, with a fantastic performance from Reggae Choir and a DJ set to finish the night on a high note.
Come and enjoy a stone cold classic film from 1972 written, produced and directed by Jamaican born Perry Henzell.
The Harder They Come, is a crime movie masterpiece that has not only delivered a soundtrack that remains one of cinema’s finest, but also helped promote reggae and roots as a cultural force and made the world recognise Jamaica as the innovatively creative hotspot it had always been.
The Harder They Come stars a seductive Jimmy Cliff in the role as Ivan Martin, a country boy battling Kingston’s ruthless record labels to make it as a successful musician.
Will it be Ivan’s singing talent that brings him his reward, or the seemingly easier option of crime that will provide fortune if not fame?
“Perry Henzell’s unfiltered portrait of Jamaica’s music industry, the emerging Rasta faith and how so many Jamaicans lived, both in the town and the country, redefined a genre of music, giving it context and weight. Five decades on, that excitement and sense of discovery remain undimmed.”
Lloyd Bradley – author of “Bass Culture” and curator of last year’s “From Jamaica to the World: Reggae on Film” at BFI Southbank
Doors open at 7pm, with Reggae Choir performing from 7.15pm. The Harder They Come will be screened from 7.40pm, followed by a DJ set until 10.30pm. Tickets are available from £8 with our accessible Pay What You Can (PWYC) offer.
Suggested viewer age: 15 years+
Running time: 2hrs
Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Town Hall Approach Road, Tottenham Green, London N15 4RX
Thu 22 June