This film is part of Free
Kanga
Early 90s London gets a vibrant dose of African culture in this mini odyssey fusing dance, music and fashion.
Drama-documentary 1992 15 mins
Overview
Early 90s London gets a vibrant dose of African culture in this mini odyssey fusing dance, music and fashion. We join a young black couple who, embracing their African heritage, search Brixton market for traditional wedding clothes. Funded by the Arts Council as part of the Black Arts Video Project, Ian Watts' film offers a potted history of African cloth and design (the kanga is a versatile East African garment) and a showcase for stunning outfits by Tanzanian designer Farouk Abdillah.
Another film from the Black Video Arts Project, Cedar Wood & Silk, is also available on BFI Player.
Subjects
Related
Nineties Shorts
The Body Beautiful The Body Beautiful
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1990 24 mins
Autobiographical account of a mother-daughter relationship, exploring beauty standards and female sexuality.
Piccadilly Circus by Night Piccadilly Circus by Night
Drama 1995 19 mins Location: Westminster
The sights and sounds of the Capital at Christmas form a romantic backdrop for this brief meditation on loneliness and love.
21st Century Nuns 21st Century Nuns
Documentary 1994 10 mins
Street protest tranvestite nuns perpetually indulge in this 1993 doc featuring Derek Jarman.
Sundial Sundial
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1993 1 mins Location: Bethnal Green
The literal and metaphorical shadow of Canary Wharf spills over all that surrounds it.
Red Red
Drama 1995 26 mins Location: Kilburn
Beautiful, bittersweet tale of love, longing and Elvis. Xiao Mei leaves China for marriage in Britain. But her true desire is to find her family.
Eerie Eerie
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1992 1 mins
A vertiginous lesbian kiss in a mountain cablecar inspired by German expressionism.
New
Fun on the Clothesline Fun on the Clothesline
Comedy 1896 1 mins Silent
A deft music hall act adapted for film, featuring the only known appearance of pioneer filmmaker Robert Paul
Saab: New Delivery Saab: New Delivery
Advert 1985 2 mins
Take a fighter jet, a Top Gun pilot with sunglasses and a brand new SAAB 900 and you have a sure-fire vehicle to launch a Hollywood career.
The Lost Highway The Lost Highway
Promotional 2019 10 mins
A wandering warrior dreams of a new form of expression, in this promo for UNKLE’s album The Road: Part II / Lost Highway Pt. II directed by Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones.
Colour on the Thames Colour on the Thames
1935 16 mins
A rare glimpse of 1930s London in colour: the Thames has never looked lovelier.
After Eights: Terrace After Eights: Terrace
1965 1 mins Location: York
A world away from zany humour, Richard Lester shows he can also capture the easy opulence of the upper class nibbling After Eight mints.
What's Missing from this Picture? What's Missing from this Picture?
Advert 1946 1 mins Silent
Life is looking up! The war is over and the “Corona” Man can visit his “Corona” families once more, door-to-door.