A clash between imperialism and human dignity — heard, at last, through the intimate voices of filmmakers.
For me, Windrush has never been only a British story. It is part of a much larger global movement. Across Africa, the Caribbean, Asia and the Americas, colonised peoples challenged the systems that had sought to define and contain them.
I explored this wider story in HERO: The Extraordinary Life of Ulric Cross, about a young man from Trinidad who travelled to Britain during the Second World War and later to newly independent Africa, where he became part of the great transformations of his time.
When HERO travelled the world, audiences everywhere recognised themselves in Ulric's story. People shared their own memories of migration, resistance and belonging. I realised there were so many more stories waiting to be told.
That is why, in 2020, I created the Windrush Caribbean Film Festival with UK-based community partners. After six successful years, the festival has now evolved into a truly global platform, connecting Windrush to wider stories of migration, identity, resistance and belonging.
Today, migrants, racialised communities and nations of the Global South are once again being displaced, blamed and dehumanised. The times change, but the struggle for human dignity remains.
WICFF is our response. We want to tell history through the intimate voices of filmmakers and the lives of ordinary people who cross oceans, build communities, challenge injustice, love, survive and transform the world around them.
Frances-Anne Solomon
Founding Director · CEO, CaribbeanTales Media Group
“Our stories of migration are also stories of families that stayed connected across oceans.”
Mandisa Pantin
Programmer, WICFF
“In Southwark, I see the living legacy of migration all around me.”
Nicholas Okwulu
Pempeople / Lex2
“The work that we're doing is all about the history of resistance against racism, anti-imperialism, Black Power, activism.”
Tony Warner
Black History Walks · African Odysseys
“Our role is to harness and celebrate the evolution of creatives and creative enterprise today.”
Joy Coker
Editor & Founder, AltAfrica
◆ The Voyage · Program 2026
Film Schedule.
Pre-Launch · Reparations Now
01Presented in partnership with Black History Walks & African OdysseysSept 24 · 18:30–21:00
WICFF is built on year-round collaboration with the organisations, venues and collectives that have long championed Caribbean and African-diasporic stories.
London · UK
Black History Walks
A collective of educators, historians and guides leading walking tours, talks and film screenings revealing the hidden Black history woven through London's streets.
A seminal film series originally launched at BFI Southbank in London in 2007. Co-founded by community activists, it shows films from Africa and the global diaspora that challenge stereotypes and highlight Black history.
A two-story sustainable community and cultural hub at 567 Old Kent Road, London (SE1 5EW). It grew from a grassroots project by Nicholas Okwulu, founder of Pempeople, which turned old estate garages into creative workspaces.
WICFF has access to an extensive catalogue of films that reflect the Windrush moment. We will announce here monthly screenings across the diaspora.
Dates · TBA
◆ Join the Network
Would you like to join our network of partners screening Black films?
We work with cinemas, community spaces, universities and cultural organisations across the diaspora to bring Windrush-era and contemporary Black cinema to new audiences year round.
WCFF 2020The First Annual · Media Launch Sept 29
WCFF 2021Jun 22 – Aug 29 · 2021
WCFF 2022From Empire to Commonwealth · Legacies of the Windrush Generation
WCFF 20234th Annual · 6–30 June, 2023 · The Journey Starts Here
WCFF 20245th Annual · 13–30 June, 2024 · Transitions & Travels: The Journey Continues
01Presented in partnership with Black History Walks & African OdysseysSept 24 · 18:30–21:00
02Presented in partnership with Black History Walks & African OdysseysSept 26 · 14:00
04Sat Oct 3 · 18:00
05Presented in partnership with Black History Walks & African OdysseysOct 10 · 14:00
06Presented in partnership with Black History Walks & African OdysseysOct 10 · 17:00
07Tue Oct 20 · Time TBA
14Presented in partnership with CaribbeanTales Media Group and Dundas West StudiosFri Nov 20 · 18:00
