Over 35 film screenings plus 3 masterclasses, The Live Script Readings and the BUFF Awards ceremony will all be hosted at the BT Tower from 6-12 September.

Urban independent cinema arrives at the BT Tower this September as festival director Addie Akinrinade announced this year’s selections and schedule for 2017, sponsored by BT.

Akinrinade confirmed that the London premiere of Free In Deed will open this year’s film festival at the BT Tower on Wednesday the 6th of September and will feature a live Q&A with actor David Harewood who stars in the lead role as a pastor with healing powers set in an American black church.

The premiere will be hosted by Metro film editor Larushka Ivan-Zadeh.

Also to be screened at the world famous venue will be the London premiere of Chapter and Verse on Friday the 8th of September. The movie centres around a reformed gang leader from Harlem, played by Daniel Beaty, and also stars Omari Hardwick and Emmy award-winning actress Loretta Devine. Both Beaty and director Jamal Joseph (a former black panther) will feature in the Q&A.

The premiere will be hosted by Paulette Harris-German.

Akinrinade also announced that the 5th annual renewal of the Live Script Readings is to take place on Thursday the 7th of September. The readings will be hosted by actor Wil Johnson.

The festival programme will also feature the London premieres of Blue Hollywood (directed by Francesco Gabriele), hair documentary Back to Natural, and Stay Woke (a documentary from B.E.T about the Black Lives Matter movement).

On Saturday 9 September, Africa features heavily in the line-up with the documentary Black Stars of Highlife and African rom-com Potato Potahto (starring O.C Ukeje & Joselyn Dumas).

The premiere will be hosted by Capital Xtra’s Abrantee Boateng.

Other festival highlights include an acting masterclass with Ashley Walters on Monday the 11th of September.

Actress Kim Vithana features on the panel of an agents masterclass with Sandra Thompson-Quartey, Shakyra Dowling and Nina Lee on Tuesday the 12th of September.

This years shorts include:

STREETS PAVED WITH GOLD – directed by Victor Richards

SEE YOU YESTERDAY – directed by Stefon Bristol

JOCELYN – directed by Rachel Wang and Mark Currie

CREAM – directed by Palesa Lebona

BLACKLAND – directed by John Sailsman

JUNIOR – directed by Pearl Gluck

STAY WOKE – directed by Laurens Grant

IN HUMANS WE TRUST – directed by Tim Kent

ADAM AND EVE – directed by Jermaine Wong

CATFORD JESUS – directed by Dan Jones and Chris Michael Fretwell

NEON – directed by Mark J Blackman

LEROY – directed by Marley Morrison

PARALLEL UNIVERSES – directed by Liran Nathan

WHEN KIDS GROW UP -directed by Shahaub Roudbari

AMBER – directed by Andi Osho

THE DEAL – directed by Johann Myers and Mark Oliver

ART OF LOVE – directed by Quason Matthews

BROKEN – directed by Daniel Alexander

REMEMBRANCE DAY – directed by Rob Woods

HUM – directed by Stefano Nurra

PADLOCK MEN – directed by Lewis T Powell

DEIRDRE – directed by Jo Southwell

WE LOVE MOSES – directed by Dionne Edwards

NEW NEIGHBORS – directed by E.G Bailey

MORNING GLORY – directed by Robert Bertrand

5 X 5 – directed by Kate Herron

THIS IS MY STORY – directed by Vicki Kisner

BLOOM – directed by Jesse Gassongo-Alexander

ARCADE GIRL – directed by Tze Hao Wong

THE DATE – directed by John Dunn

THE BT BUFF AWARDS

The nominees for the 2017 BUFF Awards were announced by actors Sam Benjamin & Kyla Frye who will be hosting the ceremony at BT Tower on Sunday the 10th of September.

Amma Asante’s A United Kingdom picked up 3 nominations along with critically acclaimed boyhood drama To Dream plus crime thrillers The Intent & Residential.

A United Kingdom received nods for best film, best actor and best actress for director Amma Asante, David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike.

To Dream picked up nods including best film, best actor and best male emerging talent for Nicole Albarelli, Ed Hayter and Freddie Thorp.

The Intent received nods including best film, best actor and best actress for co-directors Femi Oyeniran & Kalvadour Petersen, Dylan Duffus and Jade Asha.

Residential also picked up nods for best film, best actor and best actress for director KD Pascal, Aubrey Whyte and Juanita Ingram.

Noir thriller Panic picked up 2 nods including best actor and best actress for David Gyasi and Pippa Nixon respectively.

In the best short film category, Cover Me (directed by Jo Southwell) is up against Hush (directed by Alex Campbell), Signs of Silence (directed by RM Moses) and Lifeline (directed by Sam Jones).

Cover Me is also represented in the female emerging talent category picking up a nomination for lead actress Isis Davis who goes up against Maia Watkins (Soldier), Kate Lassman Long (The Backseat) and Krystine Atti (The Tinder Problem).

In the male emerging talent category, Aubrey Whyte (Residential), Freddie Thorp (To Dream), Elijah Baker (Signs of Silence) and Louis Chandler-Joseph (Questionable Prejudice) received nominations.

10 awards will be handed out on the night including 3 script awards and the BUFF honorary award which will be presented to actor Ashley Walters. Live music comes from Ayanna Witter-Johnson and Kele Le Roc.

The full list of nominations

Best Short Film

Cover Me (directed by Jo Southwell), Hush (directed by Alex Campbell), Signs of Silence(directed by RM Moses), Lifeline (directed by Sam Jones)

Blessing Anyiam-Osigwe Award for Best Actress

Pippa Nixon (‘Panic‘), Rosamund Pike (‘A United Kingdom‘), Jade Asha (‘The Intent‘), Juanita Ingram (‘Residential‘)

Best Actor

Dylan Duffus (‘The Intent‘), David Oyelowo (‘A United Kingdom‘), David Gyasi (‘Panic‘), Ed Hayter (‘To Dream‘)

Best Film

A United Kingdom (directed by Amma Asante), The Intent (co-directed by Femi Oyeniran & Kalvadour Petersen), To Dream (directed by Nicole Albarelli), Residential (directed by KD Pascal)

Best Live Script (winners)

‘Draw’ (written by Isis Davis), ‘Joe Pair’ (written by Adriel Leff), ‘Sara White and the Seven Socialities’ (written by Sinitta Monero)

Best Female Emerging Talent

Isis Davis (‘Cover Me‘), Maia Watkins (‘Soldier‘), Kate Lassman Long (‘The Backseat‘), Krystine Atti (‘The Tinder Problem‘)

Best Male Emerging Talent

Elijah Baker (‘Signs of Silence‘), Louis Chandler-Joseph (‘Questionable Prejudice‘), Aubrey Whyte (‘Residential‘), Freddie Thorp (‘To Dream‘)

BUFF Honorary Award: Ashley Walters

Most festival events will be charged at £15 and £20 with tickets for the BUFF Awards starting at £125. Full terms and conditions can be found at www.britishurbanfilmfestival.co.uk/tickets