Babylon (1980) Screening

Quick Thinking presents a screening of Franco Rosso’s Babylon (1980), programmed as part of Scalarama Leeds Film Festival 2026 A strikingly honest portrait of Thatcher era racism in South London, Babylon tells the story of Blue (Brinsley Forde M.B.E), as he pursues his musical passions while navigating day to day systemic racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. Punctuated by Dennis Bovell and Aswad’s excellent soundtrack, the film’s emphasis on sound-system and reggae & dub culture as a form of powerful political resistance stands as a testament to its enduring relevance today, in both Leeds and the wider UK. After first debuting at Cannes in 1980, the film received an 'X' rating and was rejected by the New York Film Festival on the grounds that it was "too controversial, and likely to incite racial tension." This historic censorship highlights how important it is to continue to bring Babylon to audiences today, at a time when the issues of racism, anti-immigration, and censorship are still highly prevalent, and artists and musicians continue to use their crafts as resistance and resilience.