British Urban Film Festival
   HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - British Urban Film Festival
OR:
British Urban Film Festival on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

The British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) was formed in July 2005 to showcase
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...
cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ...
in the absence of any such state-sponsored activity in the UK. Supported by filmmakers and British actors, the organisation was set up by Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe and established as BUFF Enterprises Ltd.


History


2005-2011

BUFF bears no relation to the
BUFF International Film Festival BUFF International Film Festival (Swedish: BUFF Filmfestival) is an international children and youth film festival in Malmö, Sweden, held annually in March.Malmö, Sweden. The London-based organization was initially created in partnership with organizations like The Screen.Biz (UK) and The Hip-Hop Association (USA) to mobilize and develop young, up and coming homegrown British urban talent in the independent film and TV sector. With offices in Greater London, the company has also devised projects including ''The Search for BUFF'', a reality-TV-talent contest designed to find people who ' look buff' who are then 'appointed' as ambassadors to promote the annual British Urban Film Festival. Filmed on location across the UK, the pilot was screened at the headquarters of ITV in London's South Bank and made its Christmas Day broadcast debut on BEN Television in December 2005. The first series aired January–April 2006. The second series also aired on BEN Television from May to August 2007 in addition to the annual staging of the British Urban Film Festival - a unique event as it is the only one of its kind in the UK which is free to attend by the general public. Although the annual festival is free to attend, it does charge entry fees to film-makers who wish to submit their films in what is, according to
Film London Film London is London's film and media agency – sustaining, promoting and developing London as a major international film-making and film cultural capital. This includes all the screen industries based in London – film, television, video, ...
, 'an important and emerging genre which is not otherwise seen regularly in the capital's cinemas'. The Genesis Cinema in
Whitechapel Whitechapel is a district in East London and the future administrative centre of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a part of the East End of London, east of Charing Cross. Part of the historic county of Middlesex, the area formed ...
and The Oxford House in
Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heath Road. By ...
are venues in London's East End forming part of the 2008 festival. The Stratford Picturehouse Cinema in
Newham The London Borough of Newham is a London borough created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. It covers an area previously administered by the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, authorities that were both abolished by the ...
forms part of the 2009 festival which is being supported by 3 London boroughs: Newham,
Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough covering much of the traditional East End. It was formed in 1965 from the merger of the former metropolitan boroughs of Stepney, Poplar, and Bethnal Green. 'Tower Hamlets' was originally ...
and Redbridge. The 2009 festival is also notable for its screening of ''Disoriented Generation'', a privately financed UK independent film co-produced by and starring actor
Wil Johnson Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Babyfather'', and on stage in '' Othello''. He played Dom Andrews in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 to 2014. Early ...
(who also appears in the short film ''Colour Blind'' also premiering at the festival). The 2010 festival marked BUFF's 5th anniversary with the screening of '' Sus'', based on the original stageplay written by
Barrie Keeffe __NOTOC__ Barrie Colin Keeffe (31 October 1945 – 10 December 2019) was an English dramatist and screenwriter. Best known for his screenplay for the gangster classic, '' The Long Good Friday'' (1980), starring Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren, Ke ...
and starring Clint Dyer (who also co-produced the movie), Rafe Spall (who went onto star in the BBC 2 drama series '' The Shadow Line''),
Ralph Brown Ralph William John Brown (born 18 June 1957) is an English actor and writer, known for playing Danny the drug dealer in ''Withnail and I'', the security guard Aaron (a.k.a. "85") in ''Alien 3'', DJ Bob Silver in ''The Boat That Rocked'' aka ' ...
('
Withnail and I ''Withnail and I'' is a 1987 British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" (portrayed by Richard E. Gran ...
', ''Huge'') and Anjela Lauren Smith (' Babymother',
24 Hours in London ''24 Hours in London'' is a 2000 British crime thriller film directed by Alexander Finbow and starring Gary Olsen and Anjela Lauren Smith. The film takes place in London in the year 2009. Plot Crime lord Christian controls the streets of London ...
). Other high-profile screenings included rare video footage of
N-Dubz N-Dubz are an English hip hop trio from Camden Town, London, consisting of cousins Dappy and Tulisa, and Fazer. After winning a MOBO Award for Best Newcomer in 2007, N-Dubz briefly signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the Wor ...
in 'The Way We Were' and 'Bad Day', starring
Claire Goose Claire Goose (born 10 February 1975) is a British actress. She played Tina Seabrook, a nurse in BBC One's ''Casualty'', DS Mel Silver in '' Waking the Dead'', and Sergeant (later Inspector) Rachel Weston in ITV's ''The Bill''. She also narrat ...
,
Robbie Gee Robbie Gee (born 24 March 1970) is a British actor, best known for his ''Desmond's'' character "Lee Stanley", for appearing in Guy Ritchie's crime caper '' Snatch'', and for his comedy roles in TV series like ''The Real McCoy'' and '' The Crou ...
and
Sarah Harding Sarah Nicole Harding (; 17 November 1981 – 5 September 2021) was an English singer, model and actress. Her professional career began in 2002 when she successfully auditioned for the ITV reality series '' Popstars: The Rivals'', during which ...
. The 2011 festival was headlined by the UK premiere of ''David is Dying'' at London's
Trade Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in England and Wales, representing the majority of trade unions. There are 48 affiliated unions, with a total of about 5.5 million members. Frances ...
headquarters and stars Lonyo Engele, a former
UK garage UK garage, abbreviated as UKG, is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England in the early to mid-1990s. The genre was most clearly inspired by garage house, but also incorporates elements from dance-pop, R&B, and jungle. It ...
music artist in his debut acting role. April 2012 marked the festival's return to television for the first time in five years with the launch of "BUFF Presents..." a strand of films previously screened at the British Urban Film Festival including 'Drink, Drugs, & KFC.' October 12, 2012 will mark the return of the British Urban Film Festival at London's
Trade Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in England and Wales, representing the majority of trade unions. There are 48 affiliated unions, with a total of about 5.5 million members. Frances ...
headquarters to be presented by actor
Wil Johnson Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Babyfather'', and on stage in '' Othello''. He played Dom Andrews in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 to 2014. Early ...
. The 2-day event (which is free to attend) will also host a 12-hour marathon of short films, documentaries, feature-length dramas plus Q&A sessions on October 13 at Oxford House in
Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London northeast of Charing Cross. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the Green, much of which survives today as Bethnal Green Gardens, beside Cambridge Heath Road. By ...
. January 2013 will mark another milestone when BUFF becomes the first film festival in the UK to screen a sample of its festival selections via the BBC iPlayer platform in conjunction with Community Channel. March 2013 will mark the launch of the inaugural BUFF Spring Season. The concept brings together an array of film programming "online, on-air and in person" in conjunction with ITV, Grime Daily, Genesis Cinema and The British Blacklist.com. On 2 May 2013 it was announced that the publisher-broadcaster
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
would be hosting the opening three events of the 8th annual British Urban Film Festival at the company's headquarters in Horseferry Road, Central London. In addition, the festival (5–9 September) was to be headlined by the UK premiere screenings of "Calloused Hands" starring
Andre Royo Andre Royo (born July 18, 1968) is an American actor, producer, and writer. He is best known for his role as Reginald "Bubbles" Cousins on the HBO crime drama series ''The Wire'', and his appearances on ''Fringe'', ''Party Down'', ''How to Make I ...
from the HBO series "
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2 ...
", "Traveller" starring
David Essex David Essex (born David Albert Cook; 23 July 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. Since the 1970s, he has attained 19 Top 40 singles in the UK (including two number ones) and 16 Top 40 albums. Internationally, Essex had the most ...
OBE,
Jason Maza Jason Maza (born 24 April 1986) is an English actor, producer, director and screenwriter. Career Maza was accepted to the Central School of Speech and Drama, but at that time, he was already working as an actor so decided not to attend. Althou ...
&
Lois Winstone Lois Elaine Winstone (born 1982) is an English actress and musician. Her younger sister Jaime is also an actress. She has had parts in both ''Holby City'' and ''The Bill'', as well as in several films. Early life Winstone is the eldest daughter ...
& the award-winning "Bloody Lip" written & directed by Adriel Leff. Coverage was hosted from
Odeon West End The Odeon Luxe West End is a two-screen cinema on the south side of Leicester Square, London. It has historically been used for smaller film premieres and hosting the annual BFI London Film Festival. The site is on an adjacent side of the squa ...
in Leicester Square by actress Zawe Ashton (" Dreams of a Life"/"
Fresh Meat (TV series) ''Fresh Meat'' is a British comedy-drama television series created by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, who also created '' Peep Show''. The first episode, directed by David Kerr, was broadcast on Channel 4 on 21 September 2011, and the show aired ...
"). Actor
Riz Ahmed Rizwan Ahmed (; ; born ) is a British actor and rapper. As an actor, he has won an Emmy Award and has received nominations for a Golden Globe and three British Independent Film Awards, and as a rapper he has won an Academy Award for the short ...
("
The Reluctant Fundamentalist ''The Reluctant Fundamentalist'' is a "metafictional"Madiou, Mohamed Salah Eddine. “Mohsin Hamid Engages the World in The Reluctant Fundamentalist: ‘An Island on an Island,’ Worlds in Miniature and ‘Fiction’ in the Making.” Arab Stu ...
"/"
Four Lions ''Four Lions'' (originally titled ''We Are Four Lions'') is a 2010 British political satire black comedy film directed by Chris Morris (in his directorial debut) and written by Morris, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong. The film, a jihad satire foll ...
"/"
Ill Manors ''Ill Manors'' (stylised as ''ill Manors'') is a British crime drama film written, co-scored and directed by Ben Drew AKA musician Plan B. The film revolves around the lives of eight main characters, played by Riz Ahmed, Ed Skrein, Keef Cog ...
"/"
Shifty (film) ''Shifty'' (2008) is a British urban crime thriller film, written and directed by Eran Creevy. Set on the outskirts of London and filmed in Borehamwood, ''Shifty'' follows themes of friendship and loyalty over the course of 24 hours in the life ...
") was among the official festival ambassadors. On 25 December 2013 it was announced that
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
will be hosting the opening 3 events of the 9th annual British Urban Film Festival in September 2014, ensuring that they "continue to seek out the very best creative voices. Voices that represent the diversity and cultural richness of contemporary British life. 2013 featured the inaugural BUFF screenplay competition. The three recipients were Jeff Nottingham for ‘Lost in Mozart’, Yvonne Ossei for ‘Face Up’, and Donna Marie Dowelled for ‘The Office’. There were live performances of all three winning screenplays at the Channel 4 headquarters at the end of the first day of the festival. The event was introduced by actress Shereen Miranda."


2014

On 7 July 2014 it was announced that "The Trials of Muhammad Ali" was to premiere in the UK as part of the 2014 British Urban Film Festival. Two gala screenings were scheduled to take place at the
Prince Charles Cinema The Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) is a repertory cinema located in Leicester Place, 50 yards north of Leicester Square in the West End of London. It shows a rotating programme of cult, arthouse, and classic films alongside recent Hollywood relea ...
in Leicester Square (4 September) and the Genesis Cinema in
Whitechapel Whitechapel is a district in East London and the future administrative centre of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a part of the East End of London, east of Charing Cross. Part of the historic county of Middlesex, the area formed ...
(7 September). It was also announced that the
Sky Sports Sky Sports is a group of British subscription sports channels operated by the satellite pay television company Sky Group (a division of Comcast), and is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It ...
boxing pundit Spencer Fearon was to present the opening night gala in London's West End. On 13 August 2014, it was announced that BUFF would screen two film festival selections for the first time on network television with the terrestrial premieres of "Driftwood" & "Sunny Boy" on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
as part of the Shooting Gallery short film strand. Overnight figures (released on 26 August 2014) revealed that 120,000 viewers tuned in to the 25 August broadcast. On 21 November 2014, the inaugural BUFF Africa Season was officially launched at the headquarters of The Africa Channel International in Central London where it was announced at that BUFF will screen the world premiere of "Mum, Dad meet Sam" at the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel on Saturday 6 December.


2015

On 26 January 2015, it was announced that the BAFTA award-winning producer Damian Jones was appointed to the board of the British Urban Film Festival. On 2 March 2015, it was announced that the award-winning writers of ''Run'' Daniel Fajemisin-Duncan and Marlon Smith were appointed as script judges for the British Urban Film Festival. On 1 April 2015, it was announced that the first ever British Urban Film Festival awards (supported by
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
) will take place in London on Thursday 17 September. On 5 June 2015, it was announced that the award-winning film and TV producer Charlie Hanson was the latest industry figure appointed as a patron to the board of the British Urban Film Festival. On 21 August 2015, London Live will begin screening films previously shown by the British Urban Film Festival in a 2-year broadcast deal. As part of the festival's 10th anniversary in September 2015, Abrantee Boateng Capital Xtra & Larushka Ivan-Zadeh ''Metro'' will be hosting BUFF's first ever awards ceremony at the
Cinema Museum (London) The Cinema Museum is a museum in Kennington, London, and a charitable organisation. Its collection was founded in 1986 by Ronald Grant and Martin Humphries, from their own private collection of cinema history and memorabilia. Its current buildin ...
. The 2015 British Urban Film Festival will also screen 4 UK premieres at the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel including "That Daughter's Crazy" starring
Rain Pryor Rain Pryor is an American actress and comedian. Her television credits include sitcoms ''Head of the Class'' and '' Rude Awakening''. She is the daughter of comedian Richard Pryor. Early life Pryor was born in Los Angeles, California, the daugh ...
, "Lapse of Honour" starring
Lady Leshurr Melesha Katrina O'Garro (born 15 December 1987), known professionally as Lady Leshurr (), is a British rapper, singer, songwriter and producer. She is known for her ''Queen's Speech'' series of freestyles, the fourth of which became popular i ...
,
Louis Emerick Louis Emerick Grant (born 10 June 1960) is a British television actor. Biography He was born in the Toxteth area of Liverpool to a Liberian father and British mother. He is the youngest of ten children. He is best known for his portrayal of Mic ...
and Gary McDonald, Brash Young Turks starring
Julian Glover Julian Wyatt Glover (born 27 March 1935) is an English classical actor with many stage, television, and film roles since commencing his career in the 1950s. He is a recipient of the Laurence Olivier Award and has performed many times for the ...
and "Invisible Men" starring Abrantee Boateng. On 8 October 2015, the festival announced the addition of 2 script judges and 8 new BUFF patrons including the BAFTA award-winning actor Adam Deacon,
Femi Oyeniran Femi Oyeniran is a Nigerian-British actor and director who started his career in the cult classic ''Kidulthood'', playing the role of "Moony" in 2006. It was followed by the 2008 sequel ''Adulthood''. His first feature film as a director "It's ...
and director
Mo Ali Mo Ali ( so, Maxamed Cali, ar, محمد علي) is a Somali-British film director. Biography Ali was born in Saudi Arabia. He began his movie career in 2010, making his directorial debut in the drama film '' Shank'', set in a futuristic Lon ...
.


2016

On 27 January 2016, highlights of the British Urban Film Festival awards were broadcast on
Sky (United Kingdom) Sky UK Limited is a British broadcaster and telecommunications company that provides television and broadband Internet services, fixed line and mobile telephone services to consumers and businesses in the United Kingdom. It is a subsidiary of ...
and
Freeview Freeview may refer to: * Freeview (Australia), the marketing name for the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia * Freeview (New Zealand), a digital satellite and digital terrestrial television platform in New Zealand *Freeview (UK), ...
via Showcase TV. On 18 April 2016, the festival announced the appointment of Adeyinka Akinrinade as its new festival director succeeding Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe who was the festival director from 2005 - 2015. On 25 April 2016, it was announced that the 2016 British Urban Film Festival will be hosted at
Odeon Cinemas Odeon, stylised as ODEON, is a cinema brand name operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Norway, which along with UCI Cinemas and Nordic Cinema Group is part of the Odeon Cinemas Group subsidiary of AMC Theatres. It uses the famous name ...
in Camden Town and Swiss Cottage from 14 to 20 September. On 9 May 2016, it was announced that actor
Wil Johnson Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Babyfather'', and on stage in '' Othello''. He played Dom Andrews in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 to 2014. Early ...
is to receive the highest honor at the 2016 British Urban Film Festival Awards on Sunday 18 September. On 10 May 2016, it was announced that London Live will continue to screen films c/o the British Urban Film Festival free-to-air until 2018. On 16 May 2016, it was announced that Adam Deacon & Femi Oyeniran are to host the 2016 British Urban Film Festival Awards from
Hilton Hotel Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton. The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...
Tower Bridge Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames clos ...
. It was also announced that
Heather Small Heather Margarita Small (born 20 January 1965) is a British soul singer and former lead vocalist of the band M People. Her subsequent debut solo studio album, ''Proud'', was released in 2000. Career 1987–1998: Hot House and M People Small ...
former lead singer of
M People M People (stylised as ''M''People) is an English dance music band that formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is taken from the first letter of the first name of band member Mike Pickering, who form ...
is to be the headline act. On 30 May 2016, the British Urban Film Festival came top of a global list of diverse film festivals worthy of attending in 2016. The festival came ahead of 4 American film festivals and was published on the website of Metro (British newspaper). On 7 June 2016, it was announced that
Colourful Radio Colourful Radio is a commercial radio station broadcasting on DAB across London, Birmingham, Manchester as well as online. Colourful Radio's output is split between news, current affairs and urban music hit-list. History Founded in 2002 by Kofi ...
signed an exclusive deal to provide live outside broadcasts of the BUFF 2016 press conference and Script Reading competition from
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
headquarters. On 4 July 2016, it was announced that ''To Dream'' is to open the 2016 British Urban Film Festival at the
Odeon Cinemas Odeon, stylised as ODEON, is a cinema brand name operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Norway, which along with UCI Cinemas and Nordic Cinema Group is part of the Odeon Cinemas Group subsidiary of AMC Theatres. It uses the famous name ...
in Camden Town. The film stars Ed Hayter, Freddie Thorp,
Diana Vickers Diana Vickers (born 30 July 1991) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and fashion designer, who initially came to public attention as a semi-finalist on ''The X Factor'' in 2008. Vickers signed a record deal with RCA Records and, after to ...
and Adam Deacon. On 14 July 2016, it was announced that
BBC Films BBC Film (formerly BBC Films) is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It was founded on 18 June 1990, and has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including '' Truly, Madly, Deeply'', '' Alan Pa ...
is to sponsor the BUFF Awards 2016 (in the "best emerging talent" category), the showpiece event in its annual British Urban Film Festival. On 21 July 2016, it was announced that 'Residential', a London-based Yardie drama is to close the 2016 British Urban Film Festival at the
Odeon Cinemas Odeon, stylised as ODEON, is a cinema brand name operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Norway, which along with UCI Cinemas and Nordic Cinema Group is part of the Odeon Cinemas Group subsidiary of AMC Theatres. It uses the famous name ...
in Swiss Cottage. Former Radio 1 disc jockey Chris Goldfinger is amongst the movie's producers. On 8 September 2016, it was announced that Trace Urban is to sponsor the BUFF Awards 2016 in the "best movie" category. It was also announced that Ghanaian hip hop star Fuse ODG is to attend the ceremony along with Trace CEO Olivier Laouchez to present the "best movie" award. On 7 November 2016, the festival announced the appointment of 4 new BUFF patrons and one new BUFF script judge. The line-up includes actors Arnold Oceng &
Wil Johnson Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Babyfather'', and on stage in '' Othello''. He played Dom Andrews in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 to 2014. Early ...
, award-winning director Jesse Quinones, award-winning producer Cass Pennant and producer/screenwriter Michelle Blake.


2017

On 26 May 2017, the festival announced that telecommunications giant BT Group, BT was to sponsor the 2017 British Urban Film Festival and Awards. The sponsorship also gives BT rights to share the broadcast of the BUFF Awards on BT.com, exclusive rights to host both events at BT Tower and the opportunity to screen films acquired from BUFF on the BT TV store platform. It was also announced that the movie ''Free in Deed'' starring David Harewood is to open the BT British Urban Film Festival (6-12 September) at BT Tower on Wednesday 6 September. On 25 September 2017, it was announced that the British Urban Film Festival is to curate six short films (previously shown at BUFF) to be screened at the BAFTA-qualifying ASFF Aesthetica Short Film Festival in November. ASFF is showcased annually in York and marks the 3rd time in 4 years that BUFF has been invited to take part in the event as a festival partner. On 30 October 2017, it was announced that the British Urban Film Festival is to attend DBUFF (Da Bounce Urban Film Festival) for the first time in November. DBUFF is showcased annually in Amsterdam and is the Netherlands' premier urban film festival.


2018

On 4 January 2018, it was announced that the 2018 British Urban Film Festival was to take place in the summer for the first time in its history with the BUFF Awards opening the six-day event on Monday 4 June. The festival was to run 5–9 June. On 8 January 2018, Robert Nisbet (journalist) (from Sky News) interviewed Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe (founder of the British Urban Film Festival) to discuss the Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey's "Time's up" speech, ''Mudbound (film), Mudbound'' and issues about diversity. On 6 February 2018, the BAFTA-recognised Aesthetica Short Film Festival announced that Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe (founder of the British Urban Film Festival) had been appointed to its jury panel. On 8 February 2018, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe introduced exclusive live coverage of the European premiere of ''Black Panther (film), Black Panther'' on
Colourful Radio Colourful Radio is a commercial radio station broadcasting on DAB across London, Birmingham, Manchester as well as online. Colourful Radio's output is split between news, current affairs and urban music hit-list. History Founded in 2002 by Kofi ...
. Airing as part of the Colourful Drivetime show with Julie-Ann Ryan, the broadcast featured interviews on the black carpet with Isaac Tomiczek and Jo Eluka (from "Meet The Critics"), Joel Campbell (From "The Voice" newspaper) executive producer of Black Panther Nate Moore, Femi Oguns (agent to Letitia Wright) and leading cast members including Michael B. Jordan, Michael B Jordan, Letitia Wright, Andy Serkis and Lupita Nyong'o. On 28 February 2018, it was announced that the British Urban Film Festival is to release its first UK feature film on 5 June. Produced by Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe and directed by Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, "No Shade" is told through the prism of love, relationships, dating and marriage and provides a raw perspective on the issue of colourism and what happens when looking for love in the right place, goes wrong. The film stars Adele Oni, Kadeem Pearse, Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, Algie Salmon-Fattahian, Sharea Samuels and Jade Asha. Also starring are Fred Lancaster, Lonyo Engele, Paula Masterton, Veronica Jean Trickett, Joel Grizzle, Chris Preddie OBE, Tenisha White, Zephryn Taitte, Justin Chinyere, Kele Le Roc and Judith Jacob. "No Shade" will open the 2018 British Urban Film Festival with a UK premiere screening at the Rio cinema in Dalston on 5 June. On 8 March 2018, the festival announced that director Amma Asante is to be honoured at the BUFF Awards in recognition for her film work as director of A United Kingdom (screened by the festival in October 2016) and also for her previous films Belle (2013 film), Belle (produced by BUFF patron Damian Jones) and A Way of Life (2004 film), A Way of Life (produced by BUFF patron Charlie Hanson). Asante will be the first female recipient of the award and the fourth individual to receive the honour following Ashley Walters last year, Wil Johnson in 2016 and Richard Pryor (posthumously) in 2015. It was also announced that the movie ''Two Graves'' is to close the 2018 British Urban Film Festival at London's Curzon Soho on 9 June. The film marks the directorial debut of writer Gary Young (screenwriter), Gary Young (who also wrote Harry Brown (film), Harry Brown) and stars Cathy Tyson, Katie Jarvis, Dave Johns, Josh Herdman, David Hayman, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Danielle Harold, Neal Ward, Shantelle Rochester-Henry (who also serves as producer) and Vas Blackwood. On 6 September, it was revealed that BUFF Originals - the production arm of the British Urban Film Festival - announced the streaming release of ''No Shade'' in HD on the Vimeo OTT platform and FilmDoo. On 23 October, it was announced that ''No Shade'' secured a UK theatrical release in Odeon Cinemas on 2 November. In doing so, director Clare Anyiam-Osigwe became the sixth Black British female director in history to release a feature film in UK cinemas. On 30 November, the film was released theatrically by Artmattan Productions at the Cinema Village in New York. On 19 December, director Clare Anyiam-Osigwe was awarded her first major prize for ''No Shade'', winning the women of colour filmmaker competition at the NY African Diaspora International Film Festival.


2019

On 5 June 2019, it was announced that ''No Shade'' would be streaming on the Amazon Prime Video platform in both the U.S. and the UK. It was also announced that the film is to be licensed non-exclusively to MX Player, one of the biggest OTT platforms in India. The license also covers the other SAARC territories of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. On 4 July 2019, the British Urban Film Festival announced that actor, writer, producer and director Noel Clarke is to receive the BUFF honorary award for his 20+ year career in film and television. On 5 July 2019, the British Urban Film Festival was announced as a new partner festival for the Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival. From 1–6 September 2019, the 14th British Urban Film Festival was hosted at Met Film School, Ealing Studios. 52 films were screened in addition to 3 live script readings and 3 days of workshops and masterclasses. The opening night film was 'Lara and The Beat' (directed by Tosin Coker) and starring Nigerian actress and singer Seyi Shay (originally from Tottenham, North London). The closing night film was 'Faces' (directed by Joseph A. Adesunloye) and starring Terry Pheto ('A United Kingdom'), Aki Omoshaybi and Shingai Shoniwa (former lead singer of The Noisettes). On 7 September 2019, the 5th annual BUFF awards were held, also at Met Film School, Ealing Studios and hosted by radio personality Linda Egwuekwe & the actor & filmmaker
Femi Oyeniran Femi Oyeniran is a Nigerian-British actor and director who started his career in the cult classic ''Kidulthood'', playing the role of "Moony" in 2006. It was followed by the 2008 sequel ''Adulthood''. His first feature film as a director "It's ...
. Awards were handed out in 7 categories including best short film (sponsored by Met Film School) and won by 'Smack Edd' (directed by Greg Hall (filmmaker), Greg Hall); best actress (won by Terry Pheto for 'Faces'); best actor (won by Aki Omoshaybi for 'Faces'); best documentary (won by director Richard Etienne for 'The ID Project: My Dominica Story); best live script (presented by HBO and won by Jo Southwell for 'Loyalty', Eno Enefiok for 'Asylum', Malcolm J Solomon for 'Raped); best feature film (won by director Joseph A. Adesunloye for 'Faces'). Noel Clarke was presented with the BUFF honorary award for 20 years outstanding contribution to film and television. He received the accolade from actors Ashley Walters (actor), Ashley Walters and
Wil Johnson Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Babyfather'', and on stage in '' Othello''. He played Dom Andrews in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 to 2014. Early ...
. On 27 December 2019, it was announced in the New Year's Honours list that British Urban Film Festival founder and Chairman Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe is to receive an Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MBE for services to the Black and Minority Ethnic film industry.


2020

On 5 March 2020, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe was awarded with his MBE medal by HRH Charles, Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace. On 10 March 2020, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe was announced as 1 of the 100 most influential people in London in a list published by the London Power 100. On 2 June 2020, Pride Magazine Nigeria published a story in which Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe called out BAFTA for their hypocrisy on social media over a Black Lives Matter tweet the film charity published as a response to the death of unarmed Black American civilian George Floyd. On 29 July 2020 Niall Paterson (journalist) (from Sky News) interviewed Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe (founder of the British Urban Film Festival). The discussion centered on the UK Government's announcement of a £500 million pound scheme to help Film and TV struggling with COVID-19-related insurance costs. On 29 August 2020 Gamal Fahnbulleh from Sky News spoke with Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe in the hours following the untimely death of actor Chadwick Boseman at the age of 43. His comments were later used online in a Sky News article which was headlined "Why did Black Panther have such a huge impact". On 5 October 2020 it was announced that the British Urban Film Festival was granted BAFTA accredited status by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. As a Section B qualifying festival, British short films must be selected to screen at BUFF plus another Section B qualifying festival over a 12-month period before the film can be entered for BAFTA eligibility. It was also announced that BUFF was granted AMAA-qualifying status by the African Movie Academy Awards. On 8 December 2020, the opening virtual event of the 2020 British Urban Film Festival featured a 90-minute interview moderated by Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe. Entitled 'The Changing Faces of BAFTA', the guest panellists were BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar (the first person of colour appointed to the post in its 73-year history) and BAFTA film committee chair Marc Samuelson. On 18 December 2020, the British Urban Film Festival became the first UK film festival to host all of its official selections (71 in total) on Apple Inc., Apple with the launch of a room on the Apple TV app. An additional 16 films were screened as part of BUFF On Demand on the festival's official website. On 25 December 2020, the 6th annual BUFF awards were held at Met Film School, Ealing Studios and solo hosted by the actor & filmmaker
Femi Oyeniran Femi Oyeniran is a Nigerian-British actor and director who started his career in the cult classic ''Kidulthood'', playing the role of "Moony" in 2006. It was followed by the 2008 sequel ''Adulthood''. His first feature film as a director "It's ...
. Awards were handed out in 6 categories including best short film (sponsored by Goldfinch) and won by 'Hungry Joe' (directed by Paul Holbrook & Sam Dawe); best actress (won by Ruby Barker for ''How to Stop a Recurring Dream''); best actor (won by Stefan Davis for ''The Tale of The Fatherless''); best documentary (sponsored by Greenlit Fund) and won by director Stephan Pierre Mitchell for ''Deleted''; best live script (presented by First Flights) and won by Charlie Taylor for ''Chalice and Blade'', Brendan Kelly for ''Made in America'' and Tim Mallon for ''Hellwater''; best feature film (sponsored by Woolfcub Productions) and won by director Ed Morris for 'How to Stop a Recurring Dream' and best comedy 'Cleaning House' (directed by Shahaub Roudbari).


2021

On 30 April 2021, following a newspaper report in the Guardian newspaper which documented the conduct of BAFTA and the alleged historical conduct of a previous winner of a BUFF award, The British Urban Film Festival revoked their status as a BAFTA qualifying film festival. Founder Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe and managing director Clare Anyiam-Osigwe also revoked their BAFTA voting memberships. BUFF also stripped Noel Clarke of the honorary award he received in 2019. On 6 May 2021, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe was interviewed on Sky News by arts and entertainment correspondent Lucy Cotter. In the interview, he called for resignations at BAFTA following their handling of the Noel Clarke sexual allegations. On 7 September 2021, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe was appointed to the jury of the Caribbean Tales International Film Festival (in partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival. Anyiam-Osigwe served as one of five jurors who oversaw pitches for five feature films from UK/Canadian/Caribbean co-productions which were developed as part of the 13th annual Creatives of Colour Incubator hub. On 10 September 2021, it was announced that Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe had been appointed as chief columnist for Screenlately.com, providing expert film and TV analysis on a weekly basis. On 16 September 2021, following an appeal by actors and filmmakers and a change of heart from senior management, the British Urban Film Festival was re-instated to Section B of the BAFTA Qualifying Festivals List. Speaking at a virtual Black History Month public lecture series hosted by Anglia Ruskin University on 6 October 2021, Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe announced that he will be stepping down as director of the British Urban Film Festival after serving 2 terms and 16 years. His successor was revealed as London-based actor Justin Chinyere ('Venus vs Mars', 'No Shade'). On 15 October 2021, it was announced that Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe is to produce his 2nd feature film 'Finding Forever' under the BUFF Originals banner (BUFF Originals is the production arm of the British Urban Film Festival). The film is to be written and directed by Clare Anyiam-Osigwe with Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe serving as Executive Producer. On 10 December 2021, George Russo won the Best Actor award for his performance in the short film ''Baby Boy'', which he co-wrote with director Greg Hall (filmmaker), Greg Hall. The film starred Dior Clarke as Russo's love interest.


2022

On 31 January 2022, highlights of The 2021 BUFF Awards ceremony were streamed exclusively on Bohemia Euphoria, a new UK streamer dedicated to showcasing diverse content. The ceremony took place at London's Peckhamplex cinema (in front of a live audience for the first time in 2 years) and was hosted by
Femi Oyeniran Femi Oyeniran is a Nigerian-British actor and director who started his career in the cult classic ''Kidulthood'', playing the role of "Moony" in 2006. It was followed by the 2008 sequel ''Adulthood''. His first feature film as a director "It's ...
for the fourth time in 6 years. Other guest presenters included director James Webber, actress Ruby Barker, actors Arnold Oceng, David Ajala, Andre Fyffe and Stephan Pierre Mitchell. The 3 live script awards were presented by lead judge Clare Anyiam-Osigwe. The recipient of the honorary award was Menelik Shabazz, a prominent Barbadian-British filmmaker and director of Burning an Illusion who passed away suddenly in June 2021. On behalf of his family, Menelik's friend, the actor and poet Victor Richards received the award which was presented to him by comedian and host Mr Cee. On 5 August 2022, festival director Justin Chinyere announced 94 official selections for the 17th British Urban Film Festival to be screened at Rich Mix from November 26 - December 3. The festival's opening night will be headlined by the World theatrical premiere of Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe's "Absolutely Marvellous", marking his debut in the director's chair. Filmed over a 5-year period, the documentary profiles the aptly named Marvel Opara, the visually impaired mother of British Olympic heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce (boxer), Joe Joyce. Featuring interviews with close friends, family and boxing figures including Frank Warren (promoter), Frank Warren and Spencer Fearon, cameras follow Marvel in and around Putney (where she has lived for most of her life) as well as at ringside to be present for Joe's fights to get a sense of how she comes to terms with her disability.


References

{{Reflist Film festivals in London 2005 establishments in the United Kingdom Film festivals established in 2005 Urban society in the United Kingdom