THE GREAT NORTH

Tracing Black histories through the spaces, sounds and memories of a city.

What stories lie hidden beneath the streets of a city? And whose histories have been left out of the narratives we inherit?

In The Great North, acclaimed filmmaker Jenn Nkiru takes audiences on a visually striking journey through Manchester and the wider landscapes of Northern England, uncovering the Black histories, communities and cultural movements woven into the region’s identity.

Moving between industrial landscapes, archival imagery and contemporary life, Nkiru reveals the often-overlooked connections between people, places and generations. Through music, movement and unexpected visual associations, the film brings forgotten narratives into dialogue with the present, challenging conventional ideas of history, memory and belonging.

At the heart of Nkiru’s filmmaking is what she calls “cosmic archaeology”, an experimental cinematic approach drawing on Afro-surrealism, the Black Arts Movement and the transformative power of sound and image. Rather than following a linear narrative, she creates a rhythmic, layered experience in which past and present continuously intersect.

The Great North transforms the city into a living archive, revealing how Black creativity, resistance and cultural expression have helped shape the social and artistic landscape of Northern England.

More than a documentary about a place, the film is an exploration of collective memory, cultural identity and the stories that continue to shape who we are.