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Lecture with Award Winning Writer and Director Amma Asante
August 25, 2017 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
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As part of the Centre for the Study of International Slavery (CSIS) and International Slavery Museum (ISM) 10 year celebrations, the University of Liverpool are hosting a public lecture with special guest speaker Amma Asante.
#AmmaAsante MBE is a multi-award winning writer and director who won a BAFTA for her first film A Way of Life (2004). This win made #Amma the first #Blackfemale director to win a #BAFTA Film Award for writing and directing a film. The film also saw Amma collect 17 international awards including FIPRESCI and Grand Jury Prizes around the world at major festivals, as well as the newcomer award at the #BFI London Film Festival and Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the prestigious #SouthBankShowAwards.
Her next film, Belle (2013), drew widespread critical acclaim, going on to become one of the highest grossing independent films of the year, and gathering resolute fans such as #Prince and #OprahWinfrey along the way. The year also saw Amma named as one of CNN’s Leading Women of 2014, as well as being named by Variety as one of their 10 Directors to watch.
In 2016, A United Kingdom, directed by Amma for Pathé and Fox Searchlight US, was released. The film had its Gala World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and in October Amma was celebrated as the first Black female director to open the BFI London Film Festival in its 60 year history.
This year also sees Amma become the subject of the prestigious Sky Arts documentary The South Bank Show. Created and presented by Lord Bragg, the show centres its attention on Amma’s rare and unique career path as a #BlackBritish female #filmmaker who has made a name in Hollywood.
Amma is currently in post-production on her next film, Where Hands Touch. The film is set in 1940s Germany and follows the story of a young girl of colour attempting to survive under Nazi rule and is set against the historical backdrop of the bi-racial German children that were declared ‘Hitler’s problem’. It is expected to be released in early 2018 and completes a total of 3 films in just 4 years for the writer and director.
During this special lecture Amma will discuss her work and address the challenges of dealing with memory, and historical injustice around #racism and #colonialism through the medium of cinema.
The lecture is free to attend and open to all, registration is essential. The lecture will take place 5-6pm followed by a drinks reception.
This lecture is the closing Keynote to the RENKEI PAX Workshop, funded by the RENKEI Network, a strategic collaboration between the UK and Japan in academia and industry.
 