The award-winning British director Gurinder Chadha will be delivering a speech on race and religion in film – to be streamed live exclusively on The Big Issue’s Facebook page [EDIT: watch in full below].
Chadha will be making her speech this Thursday (February 9) at the inaugural The Power of Film and Moving Image Symposium, an international event that seeks to explore the growing influence of film in the modern world. The day-long symposium – which includes talks from Melvyn Bragg, Germaine Greer, Will Self, Yalda Hakim, John Simpson and keynote speaker Harvey Weinstein – is the first of several events to be held throughout the world during 2017.
Chadha’s CV includes a number of hits films – Bhaji on the Beach, Bend It Like Beckham, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, Bride and Prejudice – with her work often informed by her personal experience of being an Indian living in England. Her new film, Viceroy’s House, tells the true story of the final months of British rule in India. Chadha’s own faimly was caught up in the tragic events that unfolded as the Raj came to an end. During her talk, which starts shortly after 9am, she will show clips from the film.
The Power of Film and Moving Image Symposium is being held at The Royal Institution Venue in London, and hosted by Mariella Frostrup. The global, multi-event project is the brainchild of Charles Finch, the CEO of brand developers Finch & Partners, and will bring together leaders in the fields of politics, media, technology, film, TV, art and advertising.
“More than ever we have a responsibility to examine the power that film and moving image has to change the world,” said Finch. “Films and moving image can inform, move and entertain, but ultimately they can inspire change. The Power of Film and Moving Image has been created with the desire to put the spotlight on some of the world’s leading thinkers, activists and writers. And collectively achieve positive action. We hope this inaugural event will prove to be a powerful, thought-provoking day.”
