Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande
Synopsis
In the racially turbulent UK of the early 70s, a group of black musicians came together in South London with a common love of rhythms and a message of peace. Cymande – with the dove as their symbol – combined jazz, funk, soul and Caribbean grooves to form a unique sound. Despite success in the USA they faced indifference in their native Britain, becoming disillusioned and disbanding. But the music lived on, as new generations of artists imbibed and reworked their pioneering sounds in fresh ways. From Soul II Soul to De La Soul, MC Solaar to The Fugees, the Dove had spread Cymande's message far and wide, prompting their return after forty years. This is their story.
Official Selection SXSW Film Festival 2022 - World premiere
Details
- Year
- 2022
- Type of project
- Features
- Running time
- 89 min
- Director
-
Tim Mackenzie-Smith
- Producer
- Tim Mackenzie-Smith, Matt Wyllie
- Executive Producer
- John Battsek, Daniel Gordon
- Editor
- Matt Wyllie
- Director of Photography
- David Corfield
- Archive Producer
- Beatrice Read
- Music Supervisor
- Gary Welch
Categories
Production Status
Production Company
Crawshay Films in association with Ventureland and Very Much So
Crawshay Films
Tim Mackenzie-SmithPage updates
This page was last updated on 12th May 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.
A Distant Call
Director: Andrea Suwito
Year: 2026
In the ancient Bugis way of life in Indonesia, gender non-binary ‘bissu’ were once revered spiritual leaders. Eka, one of the last remaining bissu, decides to leave behind their identity, searching for belonging in a world that insists on definitions.
Island Nation
Director: Nikolai Galitzine
Year: 2026
When a church burns down in a storm, a remote arctic community come together to preserve their identity as they face an uncertain future.
Tops
Director: Ames Pennington
Year: 2024
A fun pastiche of chaotic, brash, self-deprecating and clueless 1990s/2000s British reality TV, TOPS sees self-proclaimed future award-winning filmmaker Ames Pennington present their landmark faux-documentary. Casting themselves as an invasive TV presenter, Ames goes on a satirical odyssey through the lives and homes of four unique individuals, exploring the crucial question that defines the transmasc experience: “What TOP did you want to wear after TOP surgery?” Official Selection BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival 2024 - World premiere Official Selection Kashish Pride Film Festival 2024 - International premiere