Project Detail

Beyond The Rush

"The Final Stance" - Natasha - Carnival Dancer

Synopsis

A poignant and poetic exploration of the rise and decline of Luton’s once vibrant Caribbean culture. Through intimate personal stories, rich historical context, and a cultural lens, the film traces how a thriving legacy rooted in migration, music, resistance, and community has been gradually eroded over the years.
From the golden days of sound system culture and bustling youth clubs to the bouncing spirit of Luton Carnival formerly Europe’s largest one day Caribbean carnival, the film reflects on how these vital cultural institutions have been systematically dismantled through decades of underfunding, neglect, and shifting priorities.
These weren’t just events or social spaces, they were expressions of identity and anchors of community.
With vignettes/reenactments shot on 16mm film and interwoven with candid communal conversations, this documentary offers a poetic and thought provoking insight and invites audiences from all backgrounds to engage in deeper reflection on the value of heritage and the fragility of community spaces.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2025

The film ends on the question of: How do communities reclaim their space, their voice, and their future?

Details

Year
2025
Type of project
Shorts
Running time
16 min 18 sec
Format
Digital and 16mm Film
Director
Niyadre
Producer
Christina Wiafe-Toppin
Executive Producer
Hannah Bush Bailey
Editor
Niyadre, Charlie Williams
Screenwriter
Niyadre
Director of Photography
Henry Gill, Laura Aguilera, Zik Udenze, Niyadre
Sound
Joel-Blaise Williams
Composer
Prokhor Kuznetsov
Other Lead Creative(s)
Alex Wilson Thame (senior sound designer)
Colourist
Katie Dymmock
Poetry
Haneefah Muhammad
Props Buyer
Rita Ade
Art Assistant
Kenechi Carmel Amamgbo

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Plus Another One

Unit 2, Print Village
58 Chadwick Rd
London SE15 4PU

Page updates

This page was last updated on 7th October 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Spacewoman Spacewoman

Director: Hannah Berryman

Year: 2024

A landmark feature documentary about astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle. Eileen’s incredible journey starts with her smalltown beginnings, sees her smash through many glass ceilings, and culminates in four dramatic space shuttle missions, the last being possibly the most dangerous and most important of them all. At its heart the film is the moving human drama of one family, where a mother’s extraordinary career takes us straight to the big philosophical question of what is the level of acceptable risk in human endeavour? This film celebrates Commander Collins’ trailblazing NASA career which opened the way for women to become spacecraft pilots and commanders, and proved a perfect riposte to a previous generation of male astronauts who thought there was no place for women to lead the way in space. Official Selection DOC NYC 2024 - World premiere Official Selection CPH:DOX 2025 - European premiere

Shoot the People Shoot the People

Director: Andy Mundy-Castle

Year: 2025

Photographer and activist Misan Harriman, documents the global impact of protest movements, capturing the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice in the year he was nominated for an Oscar for his short film THE AFTER. A documentary capturing photographer and activist Misan Harriman’s journey documenting global protest movements that drive social change. Following Harriman as he highlights the resilience of grassroots activists fighting for equality, civil rights, and social justice, the film showcases the intersectionality of these movements and their collective power. With historical context, interviews with activists, and explorations of digital activism, the documentary reveals how Harriman's lens brings the world's activism to light, inspiring viewers to recognize their own power in shaping a more just society. Official Selection SXSW London Film Festival 2025 Official Selection DOC NYC 2025

Captured Souls: In Conversation with Graham Humphreys Captured Souls: In Conversation with Graham Humphreys

Director: Chris Collier

Year: 2025

Told in Graham Humphreys' own words and through a series of intimate conversations, this film explores the life and legacy of the UK's most iconic horror illustrator. From a childhood marked by a haunting Ladybird skeleton to the gouache-drenched goth era of EVIL DEAD and NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, Humphreys reflects on a career that has defined horror for generations. Featuring discussions with Reece Shearsmith, Andy Nyman, Madeline Smith, Alan Jones, and more, the film charts a vivid timeline through banned video sleeves, goth clubs, iconic posters, and the rediscovery of a lost original.