Everybody to Kenmure Street, a new documentary by Felipe Bustos Sierra and executive produced by two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson, will open the 22nd edition of the Glasgow Film Festival on February 25. The film chronicles what has been described as one of Scotland’s most spontaneous and successful acts of civil resistance in recent history.
The documentary will have its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival before screening in the U.K. for the first time at Glasgow. The film revisits events from May 2021, when a U.K. Home Office dawn raid in Pollokshields, one of Glasgow’s most diverse neighbourhoods, prompted residents to take to the streets to prevent the deportation of their neighbours. As word spread during early-morning Eid celebrations, a small group of protestors grew into hundreds, blocking Kenmure Street and preventing an immigration enforcement van from leaving. The peaceful eight-hour stand-off made international headlines.
The film combines crowd-sourced footage captured on the day with archive material and specially staged scenes shot by cinematographer Kirstin McMahon, featuring actors delivering verbatim testimonies from contributors who chose to remain anonymous.
Bustos Sierra previously premiered his debut documentary Nae Pasaran as the closing gala of the Glasgow Film Festival in 2018. The film, which explored the role of East Kilbride Rolls-Royce factory workers in opposing Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, went on to win Best Film at the BAFTA Scotland Awards.
Everybody to Kenmure Street was produced by Ciara Barry of Glasgow-based company barry crerar, in association with Bustos Sierra’s Debasers Films. The project received support from the National Lottery via Screen Scotland, with Mark Thomas serving as executive producer alongside Thompson. The film features an original score by Barry Burns of the band Mogwai.
The film will be released in U.K. and Irish cinemas on March 13 by Conic.
Reflecting on the project, Bustos Sierra said, “This film is a snapshot of a day, of a neighborhood, and of gestures repeated through time, for the right to have a voice and to live in peace. Glasgow’s long history of civil disobedience and meaningful change has been a barometer throughout the making of this film.” He added, “I cannot wait to watch it at the GFT with its hometown audience, for whom we can only hope it’ll be a joyful reminder of what a beacon they can be in uncertain times.”
Paul Gallagher, head of programme for the Glasgow Film Festival, said: “I’m delighted that Felipe Bustos Sierra will be returning to GFF to open our festival with this hugely inspiring film. Everybody to Kenmure Street tells a story that is pertinent for the whole world right now, focusing on a very specific moment in Glasgow’s recent past to offer a deeply moving vision of community action and resistance to injustice. With this film Felipe has captured an essential aspect of Glasgow’s people-loving heart; I can’t wait to share his vision with the world.”The festival will close on March 8 with the U.K. premiere of James McAvoy’s directorial debut California Schemin’, marking the second consecutive year the Glasgow Film Festival has opened and closed with Scottish films.
About Author
Leave a Reply