Hyde Park Picture House: Leeds cinema launches monthly screenings of films from the African continent

Hyde Park Picture House, in Brudenell Road, has been shut for nearly three years as it underwent capital redevelopment. It reopened this June after £4.8m restoration work, which included a brand-new 50-seat second screen in the basement.

It also reopened with a “permanent strand of African films” – and Hyde Park Picture House welcomed the launch of Cinema Africa! on Saturday, July 29 with a screening of the Nigerian blockbuster Wedding Party.

The independent cinema pledges to continue screening two films across all genres from the continent and its diaspora every month, including everything from blockbusters and commercial films to arthouse and contemporary films.

Mosa Mpetha, creative engagement officer at Hyde Park Picture House, said: “Africa is really coming to its own with its cinema offer and I just think its really important to be able to see ourselves represented on screen but also for our Leeds audiences to see a really wide range of the variety of life on the continent, with lots of different types of lived experiences.

“And also, to find the joy in Africa on the big screen. Quite often, some of the media representation of Africa can be quite negative or really focusing on the hardships of the continent whereas we want to reflect on the joy as well, the fun bits, the comedy, the fabulous outfits. There’s so many exciting elements of African cinema to enjoy. “

Mosa took a lead on making the project come to life with Leeds African Communities Trust, and said it has been two years in the making.

She added: “We had a conversation about the fact that there is a lack of representation of Africans on screen, and that it’s actually really hard to watch African films in the cinema.

“Quite often we are watching them on Youtube, Netflix or all of those kinds of spaces, but really, it’s not often that you get to watch it in a big audience and celebrate all together.”

A survey was put out to the African communities in Leeds and Hyde Park Picture House held pilot screenings in different spaces as it tested out how to run the project and what engaged the audiences the most.

“I am really excited about reclaiming the Hyde Park Picture House as a space for all people,” Mosa said.

She added: "We have always been a community cinema, we have always shown a wide range of films. We are very lucky to have a team in the cinema who is committed to showing a wide range.

“I want people to feel comfortable to come into the space, this beautiful heritage building that has just been done up, and feel like Africans can be here too, we can come wearing traditional dress. This is a collective space of enjoyment, love and being together.”

Hyde Park Picture House will be screening Keteke, a Ghanaian film, next as part of Cinema Africa! on Saturday August 26 at 6:30pm.