Burning An Illusion

A radical, meticulously crafted love story set in Thatcher-era England, featuring a reggae soundtrack that evokes the vibrant atmosphere of Black London between Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove. When 22-year-old Pat (Cassie McFarlane) falls in love with the unemployed Del (Victor Romero), she begins her political awakening in the Black Power movement and her journey toward emancipation in a society where Black women must fight for space to express themselves.

The feature debut of Barbadian filmmaker Menelik Shabazz is considered a milestone of Black British Cinema and was only the second British film directed by a Black filmmaker, following Horace Ové's *Pressure*. Though Shabazz was inspired by Ové’s work and even observed the filming of *Pressure*, he made a significant statement with *Burning An Illusion* by centering a Black female protagonist—a bold and unprecedented move at the time, and one that remains rare even today. (Anupma Shanker)

Courtesy of the British Film Institute

Photo: Austrian Film Museum