David Oluwale: Award-winning documentary about infamous death of black man in Leeds is 'an anthem' to city

‘Oluwale - The forgotten story of Leeds’ first black homeless man’ has been written and directed by Leeds local Jeremiah Quinn, who described the work as an “anthem” to the city.

The documentary tells the story of David Oluwale, who travelled to the UK from Nigeria in the 1960s but was targeted because of his mental health, homelessness and race. He tragically drowned in the river in 1969 in a racially-motivated incident after being chased by police through the streets of the city.

His death led to the first ever prosecutions of British police involved in the death of a black person.

The documentary is the first of its kind about the death of Oluwale will be screened at the Everyman in Leeds on October 14 as the opening film of the BAFTA-qualifying British Urban Film Festival and then immediately published on YouTube.

The film uses a mixture of archive and newly shot footage of Leeds to create a portrait of the city. Yorkshire Film Archive gave blanket access to their archive – so it’s a feast for the eyes of anyone who knows Leeds.