This autumn, enjoy an amazing programme of film screenings exploring the bredth of talents of African and diaspora filmmakers with Afrika Eye 2024, the South West's biggest celebration of African film and culture.

The festival returns to Trinity in a new format - instead of a full-on festival, the team at Afrika Eye have created a season of enticing films to run throughout the autumn months at Bristol venues including Watershed, The Cube, and The Trinity Centre.

"Our programme reaches across genres and aims to bring in new audiences to the festival with a season of films, rich in stories, drama and cultural themes, celebrating and sharing the vibrancy and importance of African culture with a programme appealing to all ages and interests" - Annie Menter, Afrika Eye Festival Director

At Trinity we pleased to welcome three films celebrating Black female action heroes:

Sat 09 No is Gina Prince-Bythewood's 2022 film The Woman King, starring Viola Davis. There will be delicious West African food for you to enjoy as well as a special Dahomey cocktail - click here to get your tickets.

On Fri 15 Nov, step back into the gritty '70s for a double bill screening of films starring the iconic Pam Grier in classic blaxploitation films Coffy and Foxy Brown. Plus stick around for an informal, post-screening discussion with a selections of black female and non-binary guests speakers.

This year’s Afrika Eye festival promises a diverse programme, spanning contemporary African films, spoken word performances, dance, music, and more, appealing to audiences of all ages. Artists from across Africa and within the diaspora bring insights, creative ideas and extraordinary projects to broaden and enrich our knowledge of a continent that has for centuries been part of a shared history, without ever having an equal voice. Head to Afrika Eye's website to explore the full line up.

Credit: Alison Ray Dance Company

The Unknown Soldier is a performance piece revealing the hidden histories of black British servicemen and women who fought for Britain during the First and Second World Wars. Created by Alison Ray Dance Company, the show explores the personal stories of the brave men and women of Black British heritage and the part they played in Britain’s successful war effort.

Ahead of show at Trinity on 19 October 2024 we caught up with company director, Alison Ray MA, to find out more about the making of the show.

"At the heart of The Unknown Soldier lies a captivating blend of dance styles, from the spirited rhythms of African and Caribbean movements to the fast, energetic Lindy hop dance to the poignant grace of contemporary dance"

Hey Alison, tell us a bit about the inspiration for this show

From a child, I learnt about Black servicemen in World War I and World War II following a trip to Barbados. The Prime Minister of Barbados at the time was the right honourable Errol Barrow who I also discovered was a RAF navigator in World War II. Upon our return to the UK, I was often surprised to see on television, that there were no black servicemen at the time in the Remembrance Services. Then, in 2014, during my master’s studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, I had the opportunity to see the Sea of Poppies installation at the Tower of London. This installation inspired me to create this work, and I realised then that I could create The Unknown Solider, it’s a piece very close to my heart, something I’ve always wanted to choreograph.

The show uses different dance forms - can you tell us a little about the significance of these within the show?

At the heart of The Unknown Soldier lies a captivating blend of dance styles, from the spirited rhythms of African and Caribbean movements to the fast, energetic Lindy hop dance to the poignant grace of contemporary dance. Lindy hop was a dance form that supported the heart during the war years. Through this energetic and joyful dance style, soldiers, family, and friends, could let go and find the strength to carry on… The choreography serves as a vessel, carrying the audience through the tumultuous journey of these brave servicemen and women as they navigate the perils of war and the complexities of identity.

The cast of three dancers weaves together episodes that are sometimes explorations of theme and place (a duet between two men portrays the choreography of soldier hood with forceful lines and balances of support) and sometimes historical narrative integrated with movement. All this is accompanied through live music, including violin and drums, to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and ambiguity, of embarking on this journey to the unknown.

Tickets for The Unknown Soldier start at £9