This film is part of Rentals
Sound Business
Molly Dineen’s directorial debut presents a fascinating look into sound system culture, as well as an important document in the history of Black British music.
Director: Molly Dineen
Overview
Dineen’s cult documentary follows two British sound systems, the legendary Sir Coxsone Outernational (featuring a young Blacker Dread) and the (then) up-and-coming Young Lion, both based in south west London.
Sound system culture was never only a music scene. As DJ Country explains in the film, he would use his sets to also provide news to the community. In a performance shown in the film he speaks about the New Cross Fire, which killed 13 young black people in 1981, the same year that Dineen made Sound Business. Feeling that there was a cover up over how the fire broke out, Black people came together to march in the first Black People’s Day of Action, a precursor to the cross-cultural Black Lives Matter marches in 2020 following the killing of George Floyd by police officers in America.
Related
South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic
Documentary 1919 81 mins Silent Director: Frank Hurley
An extraordinary story of survival in the wastes of Antarctica.
The Ballymurphy Precedent The Ballymurphy Precedent
Documentary 2018 108 mins Director: Callum Macrae
John Pilger's film on the conflict in Northern Ireland is a skilful mix of investigative journalism, documentary storytelling and reflections on contemporary history.
Utopia Utopia
Documentary 2013 111 mins Director: John Pilger and Alan Lowery
John Pilger's portrayal of the oldest continuous human culture is also an investigation into a suppressed colonial past, and rapacious present.
The Coming War on China The Coming War on China
Documentary 2016 113 mins Director: John Pilger
John Pilger’s prescient 60th film for ITV is both a warning and an inspiring story of resistance.
Supersonic Supersonic
Documentary 2016 117 mins Director: Mat Whitecross
Relive the stratospheric rise of the kings of Britpop in this rousing nostalgic trip from the producers of Amy.
Gascoigne Gascoigne
Documentary 2015 87 mins Director: Jane Preston
Documentary portrait of the mercurial football genius who inspired the game’s modern renaissance while battling personal demons.
Heart of the Angel Heart of the Angel
Documentary 1989 40 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen’s wry, humorous and sometimes touching look at the trials faced by the staff and passengers of London’s dishearteningly dilapidated Angel tube station, before its modernisation.
Being Blacker Being Blacker
Documentary 2018 89 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen’s acclaimed documentary about renowned Brixton-based music producer Blacker Dread.
Geri Geri
Documentary 1999 91 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Geri Halliwell, the most colourful and outrageous of the Spice Girls, has dramatically left the band. Two days later acclaimed documentarian, Molly Dineen, joins her in this fascinating glimpse of fame and celebrity.
The Lie of the Land The Lie of the Land
Documentary 2007 75 mins Director: Molly Dineen
As the country clamours for a ban on fox hunting, acclaimed British documentarian Molly Dineen uncovers the unpleasant truths of life in the British countryside in this BAFTA-winning film.
The Ark: Survival of the Fittest The Ark: Survival of the Fittest
Documentary 1993 58 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen reveals the inner workings of London Zoo as the institution is rocked by uncertainty and change in the first in a BAFTA-winning series of four films.
The Ark: Tooth and Claw The Ark: Tooth and Claw
Documentary 1993 60 mins Director: Molly Dineen
The fourth and final episode in documentary filmmaker Molly Dineen’s BAFTA-winning series The Ark.
Born in-a Babylon Born in-a Babylon
Documentary 2000 35 mins Director: Nicolas Chaudeurge
A portrait of Rastafarians living in Tottenham at the start of the new millennium.
In the Company of Men: The Brotherhood In the Company of Men: The Brotherhood
Documentary 1995 60 mins Director: Molly Dineen
This third and final film in Molly Dineen’s three-part series builds towards the ‘The Prince of Wales' company of the Welsh Guards’ symbolic victory parade in Brussels.
In the Company of Men: Commander In the Company of Men: Commander
Documentary 1995 59 mins Director: Molly Dineen
The first episode of Molly Dineen's three-part series follows Major Crispin Black as he considers the course his life could have taken if he hadn't joined the army.
The Ark: Survival of the Fittest The Ark: Survival of the Fittest
Documentary 1993 58 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen reveals the inner workings of London Zoo as the institution is rocked by uncertainty and change in the first in a BAFTA-winning series of four films.
The Lords' Tale The Lords' Tale
Documentary 2002 86 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen’s astute political documentary follows the abolition of hereditary peers and the resulting upheaval in parliament during the New Labour era.
My African Farm My African Farm
Documentary 1988 40 mins Director: Molly Dineen
Molly Dineen’s uncompromising portrait of spirited 78-year-old widow, Sylvia Richardson, on her farm in the foothills of Mount Kenya.
The Ark: The Political Animal The Ark: The Political Animal
Documentary 1993 59 mins Director: Molly Dineen
The third episode in documentary filmmaker Molly Dineen’s BAFTA-winning series The Ark.
Special People Special People
Comedy 2008 74 mins Director: Justin Edgar
Justin Edgar's pioneering feature comedy about a neurotic filmmaker enlisted to make a film with a class of wheelchair-users.
Timestalker Timestalker
Comedy 2024 89 mins Director: Alice Lowe
What if unrequited love spanned the centuries? Alice Lowe's time-jumping fantasy rom-com is a colourful, darkly funny treat.
South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic
Documentary 1919 81 mins Silent Director: Frank Hurley
An extraordinary story of survival in the wastes of Antarctica.
Night Courier (Mandoob) Night Courier (Mandoob)
Comedy 2023 112 mins Director: Ali Kalthami
A desperate delivery driver gets caught up in the dark underworld of Riyadh in Ali Kalthami’s gripping, pitch-black satire.
The Ballymurphy Precedent The Ballymurphy Precedent
Documentary 2018 108 mins Director: Callum Macrae
John Pilger's film on the conflict in Northern Ireland is a skilful mix of investigative journalism, documentary storytelling and reflections on contemporary history.
Utopia Utopia
Documentary 2013 111 mins Director: John Pilger and Alan Lowery
John Pilger's portrayal of the oldest continuous human culture is also an investigation into a suppressed colonial past, and rapacious present.