Black Stories Star at 60th London Film Festival

African stories and black protagonists show diversity is on the rise at the 60th London Film Festival which kicked off on Wednesday, according to a Reuters report (watch video below).

The opening film – “A United Kingdom” – tells the true story of an African king and white British woman whose marriage triggered a political crisis involving South Africa.

David Oyelowo stars as Seretse Khama, a tribal king who would go on to become the first president of Botswana, and focuses on his interracial marriage to a white British woman (played by Rosamund Pike from ‘Girl Gone’) which had ramifications around the world.

Speaking on the eve of the festival Oyelowo said the film’s inclusion in the programme was important: “In our society those relationships, those marriages are everywhere but you very rarely see them on film.”

Also showing at the London Film Festival is Ugandan story ‘The Queen of Katwe‘ (see trailer below)… which had its South African premiere this week.

Oyelowo again co-stars in this true story, alongside Oscar-winning Lupita N’yongo who was in Johannesburg this week for the SA premiere.

“The Birth of a Nation“, the acclaimed drama that tells the story of slave preacher Nat Turner and his role in American history, is also playing at the film festival.

Watch the trailers below.

The 60th BFI London Film Festival runs until16 October 2016.

London Film Festival:

Watch Queen of Katwe official trailer

Watch ‘United Kingdom’ official trailer

Watch ‘The Birth of a Nation’ official trailer

#AboutLastNight at the @QueenOfKatwe premiere in Johannesburg, South Africa! #QueenOfKatwe @Balmain pic.twitter.com/3GUUiFumrR

— Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) October 6, 2016