We Are Parable & BBC Film Present: SEEDS

We Are Parable, in partnership with BBC Film, presents SEEDS, a programme of films and events showcasing Black British shorts. From a British-Somali teenager navigating the complexities of grief and family, to three Zimbabwean ancestors on a spiritual quest to reconnect with their descendant, Seeds brings audiences a collection of deeply personal, often familiar stories from some of the UK’s most exciting creative voices. Featuring films from the BBC Film slate, the programme explores themes of identity, belonging, community, coming-of-age, and the question of who and what shapes us, both as individuals and as storytellers. Like seeds themselves, these short films contain rich worlds and creative vision within them, some marking the early steps of amazing filmmaking careers. Many of the directors spotlighted, all from varied artistic backgrounds, have since gone on to make their first feature-length films. Through SEEDS, we celebrate the artistry and cinematic power of the short film. In a series of events across the UK, We Are Parable will give audiences the opportunity to experience these films on the big screen, accompanied by spotlight Q&As with filmmakers and live performances. In association with Everyman. FILMS INCLUDED: AREA BOY (dir. Iggy London) An aimless teenager, Eli, has moved to the outer edges of a provincial town with his mother. As he settles in, he tries to escape the bleakness of life and the questions of self-identity by balancing his time between his delinquent friends and the church community. Torn between two worlds, Eli must find himself and embrace who he truly is. MUNA (dir. Warda Mohamed) British-Somali teen Muna is desperate to go on the school trip, but her parents aren’t so sure. Tragedy strikes when her grandfather dies back in Somalia, and Muna must navigate a confusing mourning period for someone she never really knew, all while still hoping to persuade her mother to change her mind about the trip. THE ANCESTORS (dir. Zodwa Nyoni) Three Zimbabwean spirits descend to Earth on a mission to connect with their descendant, a university student living in Leeds. Worried they are being forgotten, the Ancestors initiate her into the Ndebele culture through a long-lost ritual. But the sudden appearance of spiritual beings on the third floor of the university library sends Selina fleeing, rather than closer to who she truly is. FESTIVAL OF SLAPS (dir. Abdou Cissé) An action-packed tale straight from the palms of a Nigerian mother, who, on one fateful night, serves her son a set of slaps so powerful that his life flashes before his eyes. With twists, turns, and emotional highs, Festival of Slaps explores the misconceptions of Pan-African parenting and the clash with modern life.

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AREA BOY

FESTIVAL OF SLAPS

MUNA

THE ANCESTORS