ABFF London Opens Its Biggest S.O.U.L. Fest Weekend Yet

S.O.U.L. Fest x ABFF London begins its flagship London weekend Friday, September 11, at BFI Southbank, bringing a major Black cinema program to audiences in the British capital. The eighth edition has expanded beyond its traditional London base to include Newcastle, Birmingham and a nationwide online industry program, making this the festival’s broadest geographic footprint to date.

The London opening features Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story, director Yemi Bamiro’s documentary about the Harlem photographer and activist whose images helped define a language of Black beauty, style and self-determination. The screening is especially significant because Brathwaite’s work connects photography, music, fashion and political identity across generations, with the film featuring reflections from artists and cultural figures including Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Gabrielle Union and Jesse Williams.

The weekend also treats Black entertainment as an ecosystem rather than a collection of isolated screenings. A Sony Pictures Entertainment and Crunchyroll conversation on Black talent, anime and the future of storytelling will examine how Black performers, athletes, fans and creators are shaping global fandom. The program includes rapper and manga artist Shao Dow, making the session relevant to the growing overlap between music, illustration, gaming and screen culture.

On Saturday, Gina Prince-Bythewood is scheduled to present a first look at Children of Blood and Bone, her adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s bestselling fantasy novel. The film’s ensemble includes Thuso Mbedu, Damson Idris, Amandla Stenberg, Tosin Cole, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba and Viola Davis. Alongside the screenings, the festival’s industry sessions and director-development programming underline its larger mission: creating meaningful routes into the business for emerging Black filmmakers.