Past Film/Video | Classics

Burning an Illusion

(Menelik Shabazz, 1981)

New Restoration

A Black man and a Black woman sitting next to each other in a restaurant booth turn toward and look at each other.
Feb 23, 2023 4:00 PM
Film/Video Theater

Free for all audiences with a ticket

View our current COVID-19 protocols.

ACCESSIBILITY
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you have questions about accessibility or require an accommodation such as CART captioning or ASL interpretation to participate in this event, please contact Accessibility Manager Helyn Marshall at accessibility@wexarts.org or via telephone at (614) 688-3890. Requests made by two weeks in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the Wexner Center for the Arts will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

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This classic of Black British filmmaking follows a young woman’s love life against the backdrop of 1970s London.

Only the second British feature made by a Black director, Menelik Shabazz’s Burning an Illusion follows a young British-born Black woman who longs for a better life. When her aimless boyfriend is beaten by police after a false arrest, their paths veer off in unexpected directions. The film is both a wonderful time capsule of late-1970s London and a searing critique of the institutional racism of the period. Sadly, the Barbados-born Shabazz, a pioneer of indie Black British filmmaking, died in 2021 and did not live to see this restoration. (106 mins., 2K DCP) 

See this year’s complete Cinema Revival lineup.

IMAGE CAPTION
Burning an Illusion, courtesy of the British Film Institute.

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"More than merely a window on a pivotal period in Black British history, the film remains a vibrant and liberating experience today."
British Film Institute
Tag(s)

A Janus Films Release. Remastered by the British Film Institute. Presented in high definition from a new 2K transfer with its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and original mono audio.

FILM/VIDEO PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Cardinal Health

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Rohauer Collection Foundation

WEXNER CENTER PROGRAMS MADE POSSIBLE BY
Greater Columbus Arts Council
The Wexner Family
National Endowment for the Arts
Ohio Arts Council
L Brands Foundation
The Columbus Foundation
Nationwide Foundation
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY
Mike and Paige Crane
Axium Packaging
CampusParc
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
President Kristina M. Johnson and Mrs. Veronica Meinhard
Nancy Kramer
Larry and Donna James
Lisa Barton
Johanna DeStefano
Jones Day
Alex and Renée Shumate

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Past Film/Video

Burning an Illusion

Feb 23, 2023 4:00 PM EST
Film/Video Theater

Free for all audiences with a ticket

View our current COVID-19 protocols.

ACCESSIBILITY
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you have questions about accessibility or require an accommodation such as CART captioning or ASL interpretation to participate in this event, please contact Accessibility Manager Helyn Marshall at accessibility@wexarts.org or via telephone at (614) 688-3890. Requests made by two weeks in advance will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the Wexner Center for the Arts will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.

Become a Member