- Title: Race and diversity big topic at 'A United Kingdom' LFF premiere
- Date: 5th October 2016
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VARIOUS OF SIGN ADVERTISING 'A UNITED KINGDOM' SIGN ADVERTISING LONDON FILM FESTIVAL / FANS VARIOUS OF ACTOR, DAVID OYELOWO (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, DAVID OYELOWO, SAYING: "It's amazing for me specifically because the last time I was here was ten years ago with a film called 'The Last King of Scotland'. A very different kind of African story - a great film in my opinion. But I'm just so happy to be here with, as I say, a different kind of love and a different kind of African story and it's a love story which I...you know, I'm a big fan of those." OYELOWO (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR, DAVID OYELOWO, SAYING: "It has incredible relevance because I think films like this which exhibit injustices of the past can sometimes hopefully show us how far we've come but also how we still need to go. Prejudice is still very much still with us and you know any reminder of the fact that we are more alike than we are different is important. These two people fell in love and it had nothing to do with the colour of their skin and everyone else imposed this animosity on them. But they fought through it with the power of love which I think is very powerful." VARIOUS OF DIRECTOR, AMMA ASANTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, AMMA ASANTE, SAYING: "Yes, well the London Film Festival much like The Academy reflects the industry that we're in and i order to create real change we have to really start changing things from within the industry itself and that means we have to make more films from people from diverse backgrounds attached to them and then of course, yes, once we get to the London Film Festival, or any festival or The Academy those films then need to be judged on their merit in terms of being honoured and endorsed but first it starts with us making those films in the first place." VARIOUS OF ASANTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR, AMMA ASANTE, SAYING ON BEING FIRST BLACK DIRECTOR TO OPEN LONDON FILM FESTIVAL: "It's overwhelming in some ways. It's overwhelming. It's important. It's overdue. What I would like to be is not the exception that proves the rule. I would hope that this would show that the tide is turning and that we are now opening up a world of privilege in terms of filmmaking and in terms of screening films at prestigious film festivals so that that privilege is shared." BFI HEAD OF CINEMAS AND FESTIVALS, CLARE STEWART (SOUNDBITE) (English) BFI HEAD OF CINEMAS AND FESTIVALS, CLARE STEWART, SAYING: "Obviously in the wake of 'Oscars So White' and the real need not only to celebrate and recognise the achievements of black actors but also to unpack what are the barriers that prevent more diverse stories coming to the screen and of course the star of tonight's film, David Oyelowo, is set to do the headline speech at our symposium tomorrow which will look at some of those questions." VARIOUS OF PRODUCER, RICK MCCALLUM VARIOUS OF ACTOR, TOM FELTON VARIOUS OF ACTRESS, ROSAMUND PIKE, POSING FOR PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTRESS, ROSAMUND PIKE, SAYING: "Well, things have obviously changed. It's not as radical, but I think the act of love is always heroic to some degree because you make yourself very vulnerable and I think that when you choose to love outside of the box it's always that much more risky outside of what you know and what your family is. It's always bolder. And I think Ruth and Seretse Khama they really did break down barriers and I think that one of the most interesting things is that Nelson Mandela took their love as a real beacon of hope for his vision of what South Africa was." PIKE TALKING TO REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 20th October 2016 20:47
- Keywords: A United Kingdom London Film Festival movie Amma Asante Botswana David Oyelowo Rosamund Pike
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK / UNIDENTIFIED FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Film
- Reuters ID: LVA00252QDU8D
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The BFI London Film Festival kicked off 12 days of movie premiers, screenings and talks on Wednesday (October 5) with organizers this year focusing on promoting diversity.
"A United Kingdom", based on a true story about a British woman marrying an African prince in the 1940s and facing opposition, started the proceedings when its stars Rosamund Pike and David Oyelowo walked the red carpet in Leicester Square.
Oyelowo will also headline the festival's Black Star Symposium, which will look at the challenges black actors face in Britain and the United States, a topic in the spotlight after the outcry over the lack of diversity at this year's Academy Awards.
All of this year's acting Oscar nominees were white for a second consecutive year, leading to criticism with the social media hashtag #OscarsSoWhite. In June, the awards' organizers invited 683 new members to join, with a focus on female and minority talent.
Talking of the relevance of "A United Kingdom" for modern audiences, Oyewolo commented: "It has incredible relevance because I think films like this which exhibit injustices of the past can sometimes hopefully show us how far we've come but also how we still need to go. Prejudice is still very much still with us and you know any reminder of the fact that we are more alike than we are different is important. These two people fell in love and it had nothing to do with the colour of their skin and everyone else imposed this animosity on them. But they fought through it with the power of love which I think is very powerful."
Head of Cinemas and Festivals at BFI Film Festivals, Clare Stewart, also spoke of the #OscarsSoWhite issue and how the London Film Festival recognised the need for diversity.
"Obviously in the wake of #OscarsSoWhite and the real need not only to celebrate and recognise the achievements of black actors but also to unpack what are the barriers that prevent more diverse stories coming to the screen and of course the star of tonight's film, David Oyelowo, is set to do the headline speech at our symposium tomorrow which will look at some of those questions," said Stewart.
Amma Asante directed 'A United Kingdom' and also became the first black director to ever open the 60th annual London Film Festival, which she described as 'overwhelming'.
"It's overwhelming in some ways. It's overwhelming. It's important. It's overdue. What I would like to be is not the exception that proves the rule. I would hope that this would show that the tide is turning and that we are now opening up a world of privilege in terms of filmmaking and in terms of screening films at prestigious film festivals so that that privilege is shared," said Asante.
Other movies showing at the festival include "Birth of a Nation" about an 1831 Virginia slave revolt and "Queen of Katwe", about Ugandan chess player Phiona Mutesi, in which Oyelowo also stars alongside Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o.
Oliver Stone's "Snowden", about former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, and fashion designer Tom Ford's "Nocturnal Animals" will also be screened at the festival which runs until Oct. 16. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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