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Hidden Herstories

Innovative documentary binds generations and inspires young people.

A documentary film that uncovers four of history’s most significant, yet unsung heroines has been made by 20 young people in an extraordinary community project featuring big names including Gurindha Chadha, Ms Dynamite and Tristram Hunt.

‘Hidden Herstories, women of change’ unveils how the achievements of Octavia Hill, Claudia Jones, Amy Ashwood Garvey and Jayaben Desai had significant international impact on the issues of race relations and social poverty.  While their names are known to few, their legacies are anything but unsung.

The film exposes the plights and determination of Octavia Hill, a pioneer in social housing and one of the founders of the National Trust; Claudia Jones, a pivotal figure in establishing the Notting Hill Carnival; Amy Ashwood Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and the Association for the Advancement of Coloured People; and Jayaben Desai, who made unprecedented advancements for workers rights by leading the famous Grunwick strike.

The women have inspired many of Britain’s biggest success stories today including Bend it Like Beckham Director, Gurindha Chadha,  Hip Hop revelations Bashy and Ms Dynamite and local figureheads Colin Prescod and Bob Crow, all of whom feature in the documentary.

While the premise of the film has already impressed enough to earn it a screening tour across the Capital, the real story lies in the making of the film itself. With funding (£50,000) from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the documentary is the brainchild of the Octavia Foundation, a local charity who offered 20 people aged 13 to 24, some disabled, the chance to research, direct, film and edit the film themselves.

Hidden Herstories is a follow-up to Grove Roots, a similar film, set up by the Octavia Foundation, which saw 8 novice young film-makers produce a documentary  about the history of Ladbrooke Grove and the 1958 race riots.  One year on, the crew of Grove Roots have grown from shy, inexperienced young people to award-winning confident film makers capable of  accepting requests to speak in front of the likes of the Mayor of the RBKC and local MPs. Now Hidden Herstories, has given them the chance to mentor other young people.

Hidden Herstories the project, has also given the young people the chance to acquire other vocational skills in producing a supplement magazine and website but more importantly the project has required the young people to understand the value of history, interview individuals from all generations and has seen the most diverse group of young people from all ethnicities and  backgrounds including disabled and non-disabled people, to work together.

Stephanie Vaz, one of the young people involved said:

‘We have had the chance to be involved in every aspect of film making…we are learning so much. The group work really well together, it’s really professional.’

‘Hidden Heroes’ will be brought to the wider community through a free screening tour of theatres, cinemas and education centres beginning with the public premiere at the London School of Economics, a conference where the public can view the films and engage in a question and answer session with the young people.

Councilor Pat Mason, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea said:

‘I wholeheartedly support the "Hidden Herstories" project, that explores the history of great women and activists who either lived or were active in North Kensington. There is a great thirst in the people here to learn and to preserve the history of North Kensington - an area that has historically been poor and deprived but an area that has been rich in great community activists like Claudia Jones who not only helped to start the Notting Hill Carnival, but whose actions helped to change the face of race relations in this country.’

Sue Bowers, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund London, said:

“This project focuses on the lives of four groundbreaking women whose desire for a more equal society played a hugely significant role in our country's history.  It's important that young people today remember the sacrifices that these remarkable figures made on their behalf.  'Hidden Herstories' gives them the perfect opportunity to do so whilst also helping them develop a whole new range of skills - interviewing, researching and film-making - which they can take into the future.”

 

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