Glasgow Film Festival Opens with Documentary on Community Resistance

Everybody to Kenmure Street, a documentary executive produced by two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson, will kick off the 22nd edition of the Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) on February 25, 2024. Directed by Felipe Bustos Sierra, the film chronicles a significant act of civil resistance in Scotland, focusing on a community’s response to a controversial immigration raid.

The documentary details events from May 2021, when a dawn raid by the U.K. Home Office in Pollokshields, one of Glasgow’s most diverse neighborhoods, sparked widespread protests. As local residents learned about the raid during what was a celebratory morning for many due to Eid festivities, a small group of protestors quickly grew to hundreds. They gathered on Kenmure Street, effectively blocking the immigration enforcement van for eight hours in a peaceful display of solidarity that garnered international attention.

Bustos Sierra’s film utilizes crowd-sourced footage from the day alongside archival material and dramatized scenes, shot by cinematographer Kirstin McMahon. These scenes feature actors portraying testimonies from community members who preferred to remain anonymous. This approach aims to convey the collective voice of the community involved in the protest.

Celebrating Resistance and Solidarity

Bustos Sierra previously directed Nae Pasaran, a documentary that highlighted the impact of East Kilbride Rolls Royce factory workers in ending General Augusto Pinochet’s regime in 1970s Chile. That film premiered at the Glasgow Film Festival in 2018 and received the award for best film at the BAFTA Scotland Awards.

Everybody to Kenmure Street is produced by Ciara Barry of the Glasgow-based production company barry crerar, in collaboration with Bustos Sierra through Debasers Films. The film has also received support from the National Lottery and Screen Scotland, with Mark Thomas serving as executive producer alongside Thompson. Additionally, the film features an original score by Barry Burns of the band Mogwai.

Scheduled for release in U.K. and Irish cinemas on March 13, 2024, the film has the potential to resonate with audiences beyond Glasgow. Bustos Sierra expressed his hopes for the film, stating, “This film is a snapshot of a day, of a neighborhood, and of gestures repeated through time, for the right to have a voice and to live in peace.” He emphasized the historical significance of Glasgow’s tradition of civil disobedience and its role in inspiring social change.

Festival Highlights and Closing Feature

Paul Gallagher, head of the program for the Glasgow Film Festival, expressed enthusiasm for the film’s opening night. He noted, “I’m delighted that Felipe Bustos Sierra will be returning to GFF to open our festival with this hugely inspiring film.” Gallagher highlighted the film’s relevance to contemporary global issues, emphasizing its portrayal of community action against injustice.

The festival will conclude with the U.K. premiere of James McAvoy‘s directorial debut, California Schemin’, on March 8, 2024, marking the second consecutive year in which the festival opens and closes with Scottish features. As the GFF prepares for its opening, anticipation builds for the stories of resilience and solidarity that will be showcased, particularly through Bustos Sierra’s poignant documentary.