A new black and African cinema and hub has officially opened in south-west London.
EbonyLife Place, based near Nine Elms, was unveiled with a ceremony attended by the Mayor of London Lord Khan, and its founder Mo Abudu.
Abudu, a Nigerian media mogul who was born in London, explained that the project was born from a desire to showcase and celebrate stories that she felt previously lacked a home.
“I do think there is a younger audience of young people now that just want to see great storytelling,” Abudu said.
She added: “We make great films, and I think we need to create experiences where people can come and they can see the great work that we do in black cinema, in African cinema.
“We don’t have enough spaces to serve black cinema in the United Kingdom… representation is so important to us.”
The 160-seat auditorium will have a full programme of black and African cinema
At the heart of the cultural centre is a 160-seat auditorium featuring a year-round film programme.
The screenings will primarily focus on Nollywood cinema from Nigeria alongside other movies connecting to the black experience.
In addition to film screenings, the venue will host masterclasses, industry panels, and live performances by established and emerging talent.
Beyond its cinema space, the multi-storey venue features a bar, a lounge called “Fàhinti” (a Yoruba word meaning to lean back and rest), a Nigerian restaurant, a boutique showcasing African and diaspora designers, and walls lined with African diaspora artwork.
The project, financed almost entirely by Abudu’s media group, mirrors the upscale lifestyle complex she launched in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, in 2019.
Speaking at Thursday’s launch, Lord Khan said: “London is the number one place in Europe to film,” adding that the capital sits just behind Los Angeles and ahead of New York in the global film production footprint.
“As long as I’m mayor, we’ll invest in culture,” he said.
The opening coincides with the London Film Festival.
Credit: BBC
