Idris Elba directorial debut, Yardie, is based on the 1992 Victor Headley cult-novel of the same name. Yardie explores the story of D, a young Jamaican man who is brought into the underworld of London drug-dealing. Set mostly in the London Borough of Hackney, D is given the job of courier carrying cocaine from Jamaica to London, where he reunites with his lost childhood love and young daughter who moved there to make a better life for themselves. The term “Yardie” is slang referring to Jamaican descendants living abroad, often involved in illicit activities. Much of the movie is narrated in D’s voiceover, explaining how witnessing his brother’s murder as a child haunts him and forces him to grow up under the mentorship of a Kingston Don. (run-time 102 min)
Sembène Festival 2019 Full Schedule:

11/14 The Last of the Blue Devils
11/15 Yardie
11/16 Battle of Algiers
11/17 If Beale Street Could Talk
Sembène – The Film & Art Festival – is a group of scholars, activists and film aficionados. Our mission is to celebrate the life, showcase the work and honor the legacy of African Filmmaker Ousmane Sembène, through film and other complementary cultural events. The Festival serves both as a vehicle and catalyst: to honor the life, work and legacy of Ousmane Sembène and to showcase film makers and other art/cultural events that speak, unflinchingly, to the important issues facing the modern African Diaspora.