We Are Here. Always on.
A nationwide programme dedicated to Black Cinema.
Four Films. Four Cities. Sixteen Events.
The We Are Here screenings for this iteration of the programme have now finished. Stay tuned for more news coming soon.
From November 2025 to March 2026, we're bringing immersive Black cinema programming to Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, and Leicester.
Each film will screen in all four cities with experience led celebrations of Black culture and cinema. These events will be put together by our regional cultural curators who will be creating bespoke regional activations around each film and bringing local communities together to celebrate Black storytelling.
Birmingham
Home to Europe's largest Black arts and business centre, the Legacy Centre of Excellence, and a thriving Caribbean diaspora.
Regional Cultural Curator: Anton Leon
Manchester
From Moss Side to Hulme, a city with deep roots in activism and culture, home to pioneering Black British storytellers.
Regional Cultural Curator: Khara Linton-Salmon
Bristol
A hub of Caribbean heritage in the South West.
Regional Cultural Curator: Nathan Hardie
Leicester
One of the UK's most diverse cities, with strong African and Caribbean communities.
Regional Cultural Curator: Leonie Bell
The Programme:
DREAMERS
November/December 2025
The directorial debut from Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor (Blue Story, Rocks, Boxing Day), also on general theatrical release in UK/Ireland via We Are Parable.
WASTEMAN
February 2026
The Directional debut from Cal McMau. A British prison drama film starring David Jonsson and Tom Blyth. Set for theatrical release in UK via Lionsgate UK.
SET IT OFF
30th Anniversary Screening / March 2026
Desperation drives four inner-city women to bank robbery in Los Angeles, then they start mistrusting each other.
THE WATERMELON WOMAN
30th Anniversary Screening / March 2026
A young black lesbian filmmaker probes into the life of The Watermelon Woman, a 1930s black actress who played 'mammy' archetypes.
The We Are Here screenings for this iteration of the programme have now finished. Stay tuned for more news coming soon.
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Everyman, Birmingham
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Phoenix, Leicester
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HOME, Manchester
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Watershed, Bristol
About the Films
DREAMERS (November/December 2025)
In a UK immigration removal centre, Nigerian migrant Isio finds hope in an unexpected love that gives her the strength to fight a broken system.
After fleeing persecution at home, Nigerian migrant Isio (Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́) is sent to Hatchworth Removal Centre, where she hopes her asylum plea will receive a fair hearing. Isio believes the only way out is to play by the rules, even when her charismatic new roommate, Farah (Ann Akinjirin), warns her otherwise. In the confines of detention, Farah’s friendship brings colour to Isio’s world. As their unexpected bond blossoms into romance, Isio must decide whether to continue trusting in a broken system that threatens to tear them apart or dare to follow Farah into a risky plan that could cost them everything.
Writer/Director: Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor
Producer credits include: Blue Story, Boxing Day
Distributor: We Are Parable
WASTEMAN (February 2026)
Taylor (David Jonsson) is branded a “wasteman” by society, his family and even in prison. In a world of drugs, parties, gangs and violence, so far, he’s managed to keep out of trouble. However, with the arrival of new cellmate Dee (Tom Blyth), the chance to make early parole and get his life back are put in jeopardy.
Dee takes a shine to Taylor and helps him reconnect with the son he’s never met, giving Taylor the chance to be a dad. But behind bars nothing comes for free, and with Dee’s ambition to rise up and run the prison as ‘top boy’, he’s not only risking Taylor’s parole, he is also risking their lives.
Director: Cal McMau
Writers: Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran
Distributor: Lionsgate UK
SET IT OFF
Lida 'Stony' Newsom, Cleopatra 'Cleo' Sims, Francesca 'Frankie' Sutton and Tisean 'T.T.' Williams are four female inner city Southern Californian childhood friends. Now adults, "Set It Off" focuses on life's series of unfortunate events and taking vengeance on life with an Uzi in hand. They embark on a series of robberies in the Southern California banking district to fund their escape from a life surrounded by tragedy, poverty and despair. That triggers an over diligent Detective Strode and his female partner, Detective Waller, on a hunt for the "armed and dangerous" women. That triggers another series of unfortunate that corners Lida 'Stony' Newsom into choosing between her new found love interest and friends.
Director: F.Gary Gray
Writers: Takashi Bufford, Kate Lanier
THE WATERMELON WOMAN
Cheryl is a young, African American lesbian who works in a video rental store in Philadelphia with her friend Tamara. They earn extra money by making professional home videos for people. Cheryl becomes interested in films from the 1930s and 40s which feature black actresses. She notices that these actresses are often not credited. She watches a film called Plantation Memories with a black actress who is credited simply as "The Watermelon Woman". Cheryl decides to make a documentary about the Watermelon Woman and find out more about her life.
Director: Cheryl Dunye
Writers: Cheryl Dunye, Douglas McKeown
The We Are Here screenings for this iteration of the programme have now finished. Stay tuned for more news coming soon.
Stay Connected
Follow the project:
Instagram: @weareparable
#WeAreHere #WeAreParable #ExperienceOverEverything