Festival uncovers grim legacy of slavery

An international documentary film festival in Hull – which in 2007 celebrated the bicentenary of the abolition of the British slave trade, a campaign fought by city MP William Wilberforce – aims to open people's eyes to the legacy slavery has left round the world.

The event this Saturday at the Hull History Centre is open to the general public and has been organised with the Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation, University of Hull.

The five films show how the culture of Africa was brought to other countries round the globe through slavery. In Iran the descendants of African slaves maintain their traditions, their religion, music and dance.

Appearing at the event will be Hull filmmaker Jon Robson, who will talk about his work with young people in Sierra Leone and show clips from his films. The screenings will be followed by round-table discussions.

Organiser, Dr Kate Hodgson, said: "We're looking forward to bringing this extremely international documentary film festival to Hull – it has already travelled from Paris to West Africa and across the Atlantic to Brazil, Haiti and Canada, and this will be its first screening in the UK. We hope that showing these films will raise some interesting debates about the legacies of slavery all over the world today."

One of the films, Memories of Captivity, carries interviews with descendants of slaves in Brazil, who recall the stories of their grandparents and great-grandparents.

Dr Douglas Hamilton from the Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation, who will be taking part in the event said: "There's a level of underdevelopment or greater poverty in some of the areas where slavery was prevalent.

"The event shows how immediate even historical slavery was. When we think about slavery we think it was a really long time ago but their version of slavery is quite recent – in North America there are even recordings of people who were slaves."

Around the globe 27 million people still live in bondage, labouring in fields and factories for brutal employers, forced to work as prostitutes or beg or live virtually imprisoned in domestic servitude.

Proceeds from the 2 entry charge are going to the charity Anti-Slavery International.

Hull History Centre is on Worship Street. The event starts at 10am.