To mark the 30 years since the founding of the Anti-Racist Alliance (ARA) there will be a special Hackney film screening at Rio Cinema.

Founded by Marc Wadsworth in 1991, the ARA was the first Black-led British coalition campaigning against racism, antisemitism, islamophobia and far-right groups.

Among its many achievements, the ARA organised the first national anti-Islamophobia rally, helped the parents of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence set up their justice campaign, mobilised countless anti-racist demonstrations and set up ARAfest and then Respect and Rise music festivals for young people.

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The screening at The Rio Cinema in Dalston will showcase films by acclaimed directors like Zak Ové, who made the award-winning Wonderful World for the ARA.

Director Orson Nava's works The Protector and a short film on Hackney's Diverse Curriculum will also be shown, followed by a Q&A chaired by Dr Margaret Busby CBE, former chair of the Booker Prize.

%image(15007849, type="article-full", alt="Director Orson Nava's works The Protector and a short film on Hackney's Diverse Curriculum will be shown at the screening")

A special fundraising film screening for The Liberation Movement, will mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of its predecessor the Anti-Racist Alliance (ARA), on Saturday, November 20 at the Rio Cinema in Dalston.

All proceeds from the event will go to the the ARA's successor organisation The Liberation Movement.

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ARA founder Marc Wadsworth said: "I have fond memories of the Malcolm X-tribute ARA fundraiser held at the Rio in the 1990s, so it’s extremely fitting for the gig for its successor organisation, The Liberation Movement, to be held.

"Hackney had one of the most active ARA branches in the country, fighting racism in all its forms, which doubly makes it the right place for this screening of historically and culturally significant films associated with the campaign, which grew to become the largest Black-led movement in Europe."

%image(15007851, type="article-full", alt="ARA founder Marc Wadsworth")

The event is part of the council's Hackney Black History in the Making Season which runs from September to December.

Find out more at lovehackney.uk/black-history-season

To book tickets search BLACK RETROSPECTIVE AT THE RIO at riocinema.org.uk/RioCinema.dll/Home

To find out about community group discounts contact corrina.antrobus@hackney.gov.uk