BHMN filmvisning: Burning an Illusion (1981)

About the event

Afrikansk film – Levende historie: Burning an Illusion (1981) av Menelik Shabazz (reg.)

En ung svart kvinne i England blir stadig mer frustrert over livet sitt med sin late, krevende kjæreste. Med hjelp fra venner søker hun noe bedre og begynner å stille spørsmål ved sin holdning til kjærlighet, livet og ønsket om middelklasserespektabilitet og trygghet gjennom ekteskap.

Filmtrailer:  Link til filmtrailer

BIO

Menelik Shabazz (1954–2021) var en prisvinnende filmregissør, produsent og forfatter – en sentral pioner i utviklingen av moderne svart britisk film. Menelik ble født i St. John på Barbados, og bodde i Storbritannia fra han var fem år gammel. Fra ung alder så Menelik på mobilkino i landsbyen sin på Barbados, men tenkte ikke på ideen om å lage film før i tenårene. Det var da han ble introdusert for den første bærbare videoteknologien mens han studerte ved North London College.

Menelik Shabazz var mest kjent for sin kritikerroste debutfilm Burning An iIllusion, som vant Grand Prix på Amien International Film Festival i 1982. Filmen vant også beste kvinnelige hovedrolle, Cassie Macfarlane, Evening Standard-prisen for «lovende skuespillerinne»(1982). Den andre spillefilmen av en svart regissør produsert i Storbritannia, Burning an Illusion, vises fortsatt i dag og feires for sin kultstatus i svart britisk filmhistorie.

In English Burning an Illusion (1981) 105mins, Menelik Shabazz, Sentralen A young black woman in England becomes increasingly frustrated with her life with her lazy, demanding boyfriend. With the help of friends, she seeks something better and begins to question her attitude to love, life, and desire for middle-class respectability and security through marriage.

Menelik Shabazz (1954-2021) was an award-winning film director, producer, and writer – a key pioneer in the development of contemporary black British cinema. Born in St. John, Barbados, Menelik lived in the UK from the age of five. From an early age, Menelik watched mobile cinema in his village in Barbados, but didn’t entertain the idea of making films until his teen years. This was when he was introduced to the first portable video technology whilst studying at North London College. Menelik Shabazz was best known for his acclaimed debut feature Burning An iIllusion, which won the Grand Prix at the Amien International Film Festival in 1982. The film also won the lead actress, Cassie Macfarlane, the Evening Standard Award for Promising Actress(1982). The second feature film by a black director produced in the UK, Burning an Illusion continues to be shown today and is celebrated for its cult status in Black British filmmaking history.

Generell informasjon og invitasjon til foredrag

Støttet av Kulturrådet og Oslo kommune.

Bli med på et inspirerende foredrag med filmkurator Mosa Mpetha (UK), som gir et unikt innblikk i afrikansk filmhistorie og arbeidet med å bevare afrikansk kulturarv gjennom film. Foredraget er gratis og åpent for alle. Velkommen til Kunstnernes Hus 5. oktober kl. 18!

FB-arrangement: Link til Facebook-arrangementet

Foto: Burning an Illusion av Menelik Shabazz

Arrangør: Black History Month Norway

See where you can buy food and drinks

Here at Sentralen, there are several places where you can buy food and drinks – before, during, and after the event.

You can also bring drinks from all the serving areas into the event.

The bar in 
Hvelvet
 is also open during the event.

Below you can see the opening hours of the serving areas here at Sentralen. You can choose to view the opening hours for the event day, or for today.

Read about the venue’s accessibility for the event

It is possible to get to Hvelvet by wheelchair, but access is not as smooth compared to our other venues.

Hvelvet is located on the first floor and is wheelchair accessible via elevator. From the main entrance you need to take the elevator to the 3rd floor and then the rear elevator to the 2nd floor. Then you have to go through the backstage Biblioteket to get to the venue.

There is a large toilet on the 2nd floor right off backstage, but this is not an HC toilet. To get to the nearest HC toilet, you has to take the elevator up to the 3rd floor and past meeting rooms 301-304. This toilet also has a changing table.

Read more about accessibility at Sentralen
Free
Date
Sunday
 
12
October
 kl. 
16:00
Doors open
15 minutes before
16:00
Duration
October 12, 2025 16:00
September 12, 2025 17:45
[Varighet]
Age limit
15
Location
Location
Location
Content warnings/­restrictions

Info

Arrangementet er gratis, men du må hente ut gratisbillett.

Open bar
The bar in 
Hvelvet
 is open during the event
Share event
11:00-16:00
10.08.2025
10.08.2025
Cafeteria
17:00-22:00
01.08.2025
01.08.2025
Restaurant Hitchhiker
Stengt på grunn av været
16.07.2025
16.07.2025
Roof Terrace