Sequins, Soca and Sweat at Wimbledon Odeon

Wimbledon Film Club has teamed up with the Njoya Foundation to present Sequins, Soca and Sweat followed by a question and answer session with its director next Thursday.

Stephen Rudder's film, which will be shown at Wimbledon Odeon as part of Black History Month, is his debut documentary and will also be accompanied by heritage short films and pre-film storytelling entertainment by Jeanette Angela Barrett.

Sequins, Soca and Sweat follows six Mas camps in the weeks leading up to Notting Hill Carnival and captures the unique atmosphere of camp life.

The diverseness of the camps ranges from the forefathers of carnival tradition such as Lawrence Noel, who brought the first costumes to the streets of Notting Hill in 1973 and represents the original essence of Carnival, to Poision UK, a camp increasing in popularity who have brought the wave of younger, progressive partying carnival spirits to the forefront.

Rudder’s interest in making a documentary on Carnival was sparked in 2003 when he saw a young boy at the festival with a horn in one hand and the other around the shoulder of his grandmother as they danced together in costume, intriguing him as to how it brought different generations together.

What he found when he looked behind the mask of the masquerade, was a small group of artists, designers, innovators and pioneers who managed to nourish their communities and inspire the younger generations, whilst also forming the backbone of the largest street festival in Europe.

Sequins, Soca and Sweat is their story.

Rudder, who has won Soho Images audience award for best film and best film by BBC Talent will be joined in the Q&A session with the films producers.

Barrett's story-telling session before will draw from her African and Caribbean Heritage and its rich oral/musical tradition and will be punctuated with bits of singing.

The Njoya Foundation was set up in memory of Christian Njoya Diawara Small, a victim of the London terrorist bombings on July 7, 2005, as a charity to advance the life and education of black boys and teenagers of African and African-Caribbean descent.

Sequins, Soca and Sweat: The Hidden Heart of Notting Hill Carnival, Wimbledon Odeon, The Piazza, The Broadway, , October 29, 8pm, £7 (children £3). Call 08712 244007 or visit wimbledonfilmclub.com.

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