Please continue signing and sharing the 16,000 strong petition to your social media/contacts. There are also 25 memes you can share with a QR code that links to more details. See image above.
As of 20 March 2025 the BFI, at the most senior level of CEO Ben Roberts and Chair of Governors Jay Hunt, is still refusing to answer the 8 simple questions put to them 8 months ago. The questions are:
1. Who is responsible for the restructure?
2. Who decided not to conduct a Race Equality Impact Assessment, and what are their qualifications? When was that decision made?
3. Why does BFI Flare have eight times more staff than African Odysseys?
4. Why has Flare received a BFI-produced trailer annually for 10 years, while African Odysseys has been denied one for 17 years?
5. What is the budget for African Odysseys?
6. What is the racial composition of BFI’s Sight & Sound staff by rank and length of service?
7. Why has Sight & Sound excluded African Odysseys for 17 years despite its significance?
8. Was ‘What If’ informed about the Steering Committee the 2020 and 2023 complaints of racial discrimination to CEO Ben Roberts when they were involved with diversity training of BFI staff?
The BFI has never met the African Odysseys Steering Committee to discuss the now, 16,000 petition, which was launched in September 2024. The only meeting to discuss the petition was cancelled by senior managers Stuart Brown and Jason Wood, unilaterally, two hours before it was supposed to start on 17 January 2025. HERE
In the last week of January Ben Roberts and Jason Wood asked to meet the committee. The committee told them that after months of appalling treatment and disrespect, if they were serious about solving systemic racism at the BFI, the very least they could do is answer the 8 questions. Those questions featured in an eight-page letter sent to them on 19 February. They were asked to respond within one week, as they had previously and repeatedly taken three months to respond to queries, and such delay is an indicator of systemic racism.
As of 20 March 2025, they have not responded and there are no African Odysseys films at the BFI. The 17-year-old, popular, profitable, anti-racist and educational Black film programme has simply ceased to exist, despite 16,000 people requesting it continue.
African Odysseys had only one staff member who ran the programme. The BFI chose to make him redundant on 31st January and delete his post entirely so no one could take over the work. The BFI states this was ‘to cut costs and promote diversity’. Given the audience and proven popularity this decision makes no sense for a tax payer funded cinema especially when audiences are declining and there is a rise in racism.
It also shows a massive double standard as the BFI Flare programme had 8 staff to run it last year and has 8 staff to run it this year. It is on right now HERE. Flare will show at least 50 films over a 12-day period whereas there are absolutely no African Odysseys titles for the rest of the year. This does not seem fair.
The BFI states it wants to listen to its audience. This is what that audience has to say about the situation:
“I am shocked, upset and angered by this decision. African Odysseys is an important initiative that the BFI should be promoting and advertising as a unique and integral part of its programming. When there is a right wing rise internationally it is crucial that the BFI is seen as an organisation that supports and fosters diverse, rare and innovative works that would otherwise remain hidden and unseen. This surely is the role of a dynamic organisation dedicated to the preservation, promotion, production and distribution of film in all its forms” Maggie Warwick
“African Odysseys recently offered us a platform for a study day on the Sudanese artist filmmaker Hussein Shariffe. We had a full house, with members of the Sudanese diaspora gathering to celebrate a forgotten pioneer of African experimental film. This is just one example of inspired programming that does more than any other BFI programme to foster audience diversity. Most audience members for our study day were new to the BFI. They left celebrating its openness and inclusivity. The reputational damage of the BFI’s decision to shut down AO will be irreparable. It shows the BFI’s commitment to diversity to be hollow indeed.” Erica Carter
“This is an incredible resource built up over many years It provides recognition and celebration of black film and culture. This must not be lost as they provide vital information and encouragement for modern filmmakers at a time when black narratives are tentatively finding more outlets for expression.” Amma Kyei Mensah
“This is an important cultural and educational resource for the Black community. Access to historical films collections and documentaries connects us to our history and needs to be encouraged and supported by contributions and sponsorship from the wider local authorities, Governments and Corporations.” Michelle Grant
“As a BFI Member (thanks to Afrikan Odysseys) I love the medium of film, but so rarely does it reflect me, my communities, Afrika or the people of the Diaspora. Indian films have whole cinemas across Uk & latest Bollywood also featured in every Vue or Odeon. My own children grew up knowing the words songs actors & even directors of Indian film industry but have rarely seen a Film by an Afrikan director… – Save Afrikan Odessey’s until Afrikan Film industries become mainstream.” Liz Okokon
“The BFI’s statement “we want to reassure everyone that we have no desire or intention for it [African Odysseys] to end and we remain committed to it” regarding African Odysseys’ future, while making the co-founder, David Somerset, redundant has concerning tones of a white middle class led institution colonising the 17 year industrious and diligent work by the African Diaspora for the African Diaspora and wider communities. This is further exemplified by the BFI’s response to Faisal Querishi’s complaint of racism at the BFI by stating that they have since; “Introduced mandatory inclusion training for all BFI employees, and over 100 senior leaders have participated in an intensive inclusivity programme.” This is nothing to be proud of and is a shocking revelation that indicates the severity of the cultural and class disconnect of BFI’s decision makers – who receive significant funds from public tax-payer sources. That there is an apparent admittance of a failure of representation of Black and Brown voices and experience, while erasing and eradicating from the BFI the very people who have brought Pan-African audiences to a venue that was exclusively white led and patroned is unacceptable and should be taken out of the hands of the BFI and placed firmly in the public arena for scrutiny.” Paul Richards
“When I first became a BFI member, films shown as part of the African Odysseys programme were some of the first films I saw and some of the first BFI talks I attended. Over many years, I have attended countless African Odysseys film screenings and talks at the BFI and have learned so much from them about Black History and met wonderful people. It really would be a huge loss if the programme were to be discontinued, as is currently threatened. I am supporting this petition because I believe this programme, which is one of a kind, should continue to exist. I know cost savings need to be made, but this programme should not be sacrificed as a way to save money. Continuing the African Odysseys programme is one of the best ways that BFI can show (not just talk about), its commitment to Black histories, cultures, and experiences.” Tashweka Anderson
End quotes
The 88% white executive BFI management team, in a London that is 46% Black and Asian, is ignoring 16,000 global majority voices crying out for African Odysseys. The publicly funded BFI are saying that the African Odysseys budget must be cut, to the extent that it does not exist, but refuse to tell the public what that budget is after eight months of asking.
That is quite apart from the fact that the Steering Committee that set up African Odysseys is all voluntary and have contributed, at the very least, £1.5 million of work to the BFI. There is no other group at the BFI with this track record and yet the BFI choose to devastate the programme.
Additionally, the BFI management on two separate occasions refused to meet the Steering Committee to discuss economic solutions to the African Odysseys situation. They also refused to run a Race Equality Impact Assessment despite having had to apologise to filmmaker Faisal Querishi for systemic racism in 2024. HERE
Bizarrely as of 20 March 2025 the BFI website is still stating :
The African Odysseys event series has been a valuable and vitally important part of the BFI Programme for 17 years, and it remains so. We have no desire or intention for it to end and we remain committed to it. As it approaches its 20th anniversary we have been discussing a celebratory season, and exploring ways to further our commitment to the strand..HERE
The words here totally contradict the actions taken by the BFI. There are no African Odysseys films and clearly no commitment. This was pointed out in the previous update of 23rd February 2025 HERE . Additionally the BFI were made aware by the committee in June and July 2024 that there could be no 20th anniversary if the cuts went ahead. Eight months later, the BFI have yet to even answer the 8 questions far less have a discussion.