NEWS
EVENTS
British Urban Film Festival's first feature film tackles issues of colourism
After 13 years of bringing the best of urban independent cinema to a wider audience, the British Urban Film Festival takes things to the next level with the announcement of their first original production as part of their upcoming movie platform BUFF Originals.
Receiving its UK premiere 5th June at the Rio Cinema in Dalston, No Shade is a romantic drama that’s set to offer a black British perspective on timely issues of colourism.
Here’s the official synopsis: Jade (Adele Oni), a successful freelance photographer is hopelessly in love with her best friend of 10 years, bar manager Danny (Kadeem Pearse). She discovers through several challenging encounters both personally and professionally that the one thing keeping them from happy ever after is her inherent beauty - her complexion and skin tone. Her shade.
No Shade writer, director and co-star Clare Anyiam-Osigwe is no stranger to issues of the skin, having spent 6 years in the skincare industry as a dermatologist and award-winning business entrepreneur. Her directorial debut reportedly took just 2 days to write and 6 days to shoot.
The film was also being produced by Clare’s husband Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe, who founded the British Urban Film Festival back in 2005 as a means of supporting up-and-coming British urban talent. “We hope that the movie will appeal to film fans not just in the UK but all over the world, from Houston to Holland”. Emmanuel concludes, “BUFF audiences have been treated to some special opening nights over the years including Free in Deed with David Harewood, Calloused Hands with Andre Royo and Sus with Clint Dyer. To open this year’s festival with our very own movie fills me with great excitement and has been many years in the making.”
No Shade premieres 5th June at the Rio Cinema in Dalston. Tickets can be pre-ordered here.
The 2018 British Urban Film Festival runs 4th - 9th June.
