A Sheffield cinema is set to spotlight underrepresented voices in the film industry with the launch of its first Working Class Film Festival this weekend.
Running from May 8 to May 10, the festival at Showroom Cinema will feature more than 30 short films from international directors who come from working-class backgrounds.
Nathan Makalena, creative coordinator at the cinema, said the programme moves beyond traditional portrayals often associated with working-class cinema and aims to broaden representation on screen.
He said: “Some people have the expectation that working-class cinema has to be downbeat or depressing. But this festival shows that inspiration can come from anywhere.”
The line-up includes science fiction films, experimental shorts exploring dreamlike realities and architecture, and comedy productions. One featured short, Gan Canny, follows two siblings honouring their late grandmother’s final wishes by taking her on a journey through their local village after her death.
The festival opens with a screening of Pressure, widely regarded as the first Black British feature film, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. The 1970s drama follows a bright schoolboy navigating life and identity in London.
The closing film will be Kes, Ken Loach’s acclaimed adaptation of Barry Hines’ novel about a boy who finds hope and purpose through training a kestrel.
This will be the first event at the venue dedicated specifically to working-class themes and filmmakers, although such stories have appeared in its wider programming before.
Makalena stressed the importance of improving opportunities for working-class people within the creative industries. Citing figures discussed by festival director Elle Short, he said fewer than one in 10 people working in the film industry come from working-class backgrounds.
“You’ve got to ask when people are making stories for all of us about Britain today, whose perspectives are they missing out? Whose perspectives get left on the cutting room floor?
“It’s just an opportunity for people to bring grounded perspectives. And I think film in particular does a wonderful job of laying out where to go next, potentially, what people should maybe pay attention to. I think it’s even more important for working class voices to be heard, to guide audiences.”
You can view the whole film timetable here.
Photo credit: Park Circus