Festival:

BLACK to the FUTURE

Tue 24 Oct 2023 — Thu 14 Dec 2023

BLACK to the FUTURE is an Afro-Futurist celebration of outstanding Black artists, a space for visionary imaginings to thrive.

BttF begins as British Black History month ends; launching late October and running until US Black History Month in February 2024, to accompany the British Library’s upcoming major exhibition: Fantasy: Realms of Imagination. Curated, founded and directed by Irenosen Okojie MBE, in collaboration with the Royal Society of Literature and the British Library. The first iteration of BttF is themed ‘Black Phantasmagoria’, with a focus on invigorating dialogues and genres within which Black literature and art is flourishing, featuring storytellers working in books, video games, comics, theatre, film and music. The festival offers live-streamed talks, readings, performances, films and workshops by local and international creators, combined with a technological strand featuring thought leaders, entrepreneurs and cross-disciplinary innovators.

BttF’s line-up of screenings + events at the Garden Cinema are as follows:

24 October: Neptune Frost + Introduction

19 November: Mami Wata + Q&A

14 December: Hidden Figures + Introduction

More to be confirmed!

For the full BttF programme including events at the British Library and the Standard Hotel, visit the BttF website.

Past Screenings

BLACK to the Future Presents: HIDDEN FIGURES + Discussion PG

The screening will be followed by a discussion with Black the Future (BttF) Founder Irenosen Okojie and BttF Creative Director Sara… Read More
Theodore Melfi, USA, 2016, 127m.
This screening has now passed.

Black to the Future presents MAMI WATA (PREMIERE) + Q&A 18

The premiere screening will be introduced by director C J 'Fiery' Obasi, with a Q&A facilitated by BttF founder Irenosen Okojie.… Read More
C J 'Fiery' Obasi, Nigeria, 2023, 107m.
This screening has now passed.

Black to the Future presents Neptune Frost + Intro 15

The screening will be introduced by photographer David Kwah Mensah and Liz Chege, Festival Director, Africa in Motion with a conversation… Read More
Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman, Rwanda, USA, 2021, 105m.
This screening has now passed.