The BFI’s BLACK STAR season will be the UK’s biggest ever programme of film and television celebrating the range and power of black actors. Involving events at cinemas across the country, the season will explore the relationship between the stars and the audiences who look up to them.

At mac between 26th October and 30th December a short season called From Comedy to Classics will feature some of the biggest and funniest films starring black actors. Jackie Brown, Attack The Block, Africa United, Carmen Jones, The Wiz and The Colour Purple are just some of the films that will be shown. Ending with a tribute to Prince with a screening of Purple Rain (30th December) alongside DJ and live music by Trope.

mac will also host: Adrian Lester – Master of Contained Power Retrospective, highlighting Lester’s career as an award winning star on screen and stage, which began at mac as a member of the Birmingham Youth Theatre. The screenings will include earlier films such as Primary Colours and more recently Jimi: By My Side.

Ian Sergeant, Cinema Producer at mac birmingham said: “We are proud to be delivering a season of films, discussions and wider events to inform and entertain our audiences as part of BLACK STAR. Whilst it is a celebration of the enormous wealth of black acting talent, local to international, past and present. It is also an opportunity to address key issues of diversity and representation on screen, which is at the heart of the BFI’s strategy, which mac wholeheartedly supports and welcomes.”

Ben Luxford, Head of UK Wide Audiences, BFI said: “It’s fantastic to see FAN’s ambition growing year after year, and this collaboration with the BFI on the UK’s biggest-ever celebration of Black screen acting talent promises a real treat for audiences.

“Not only is it timely and important, it’ll also be fun and accessible, mixing traditional cinema screenings with house party weekenders in Bristol, a screening of Car Wash in a Sheffield Car Wash, and even a trip to jail with Richard Prior in Belfast. We’re eager to get going and bring BLACK STAR to new audiences all over the UK, giving them the chance to watch some classics and seek out many new discoveries.”