Recently released on DVD by the BFI are two Black British films Playing Away (Horace Ove, 1986) and Young Soul Rebels (Isaac Julien, 1991).

 

For anyone interested in Black British film history Studio Canal have recently released two classics on DVD: The Proud Valley (1940) starring Paul Robeson and Cry, the Beloved Country (1952) starring Canada Lee. He was one of the screen's greatest actors whose handful of appearances - Hitchcock's Lifeboat and Body and Soul - are worth seeing. Cry, the Beloved Country was his final screen outing. He died shortly afterwards. It is a magnificent performance, and deserves greater recognition. He is supported by a young newcomer called Sidney Poitier and - hurrah - a largely non-American supporting cast including Trinidad's Edric Connor and the South African Lionel Ngakane. No disrespect intended to our American friends, but this is a rare example of an early British film that cast non-American Black actors.