Right of Way: Three Films Explore Blackness in English Countryside

The Right of Way project, commissioned by the Independent Cinema Office, is a traveling film initiative that honors the history and heritage of England's National Trails. At LUX in London, three short films by Dan Guthrie, Arjuna Neuman, and Ufuoma Essi explore the portrayal of blackness within rural England. While non-white individuals represent 13% of the population, they make up only 1% of national park visitors. Guthrie's film, Black Strangers, features a voiceover dialogue with Daniel, a man interred in Nympsfield in 1719, referred to as 'a black stranger,' reflecting on centuries of racial exclusion. Neuman's Syncopated Green juxtaposes traditional pastoral art with rhythmic overlays, showcasing multiracial revelers in the countryside. Essi's Pastoral Malaise depicts three Black children in school attire at a West Country beach, accompanied by a Jamaican-accented voiceover and folk music by Dorris Henderson. The exhibition is open at LUX until 18 March and will continue touring UK cinemas until September.