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Black Country Touring collaborates with Kuumba to bring Film Fiesta
Black Country Touring’s work has a focus on theatre and dance but quietly, simmering in the background, like an unwatched pot of water, was the Community Cinema Project.
This Community Cinema Project was funded by Film Hub Midlands and coordinated by Suki Sohi. This meant that Black Country Touring were able to reach out to various diverse groups, including Kuumba Centre to bring a real cinematic experience within community groups from the comfort of their spaces.
The project has interacted with many people from different walks of life and gave those the cinema experience that may not necessarily have the funds or confidence to go the cinemas. Here at Kuumba Centre, service users enjoyed a variety of films once a month on Friday – which gave them something to look forward to, socialise and get out of the house. Films screened were; Big Momma’s House, Norbit, Black Panther, Wakanda Forever and a Christmas Carole.
Corinne Morris, General Manager at Black Country Touring said: “From the get-go – everyone at the Kuumba Centre was warm, welcoming and embraced us and our cinema kit (including the pesky projector screen) like long lost cousins at a family reunion.
The cinema project enabled them to get their service users, young and old, to socially interact monthly, which gave them a regular social activity to look forward to.
There were various reasons why they couldn’t get to the cinema; either because of financial, locality or health reasons but this activity made it accessible for them to enjoy something that many of us take for granted. Moreover, all regular attendees became like family to each other on those Friday afternoons. Greeting each other with a fist bump, a hug, a tap on the back, a thumbs up…but each thing accompanied with a smile.
It was a joy to see and to be included!
The funding and the project were due to come to an end in March, this year.
Kummba Service user Tyronne said: “It was a really good experience, I got to watch films I haven’t seen before, and it felt like I was at the cinema. It gave me something to look forward to on Friday and I enjoyed the popcorn.”
So after all the comedies, dramas, romance, animations, action, teas, squash, the sweet smell of vinegar on chips and good old-fashioned popcorn, we started to say goodbye to our film friends.
It has been an absolute pleasure building this activity with SACMHF. And even though Black Country Touring won’t be involved in the same way, we hope that creating an escape in the form of happiness for the service users (and the staff) remains the focus of SACMHF’s good work and the film afternoons at SACMHF will continue. Thank you to all the staff at SACMHF (especially Chris, Suzanne and Marcel), the service users and the passers-by. You are all treasured blessing.”
We would like to say a massive thank you to Corinne and all the team at Black Country Touring who gave us the opportunity to experience the film showings – it has truly been a wonderful experience.
