Project Detail

The Great North

A Black woman sings and dances in a Greater Manchester community centre

Synopsis

Black history and modern-day architecture intertwine in a meditative new film about Manchester. Created by the visionary British artist and filmmaker Jenn Nkiru, THE GREAT NORTH pays homage to the people and cultures that make up a city.
Taking Manchester’s industrial history as a starting point, THE GREAT NORTH moves through the city’s Black communities and spaces – from living rooms in Moss Side to social clubs and community centres in Hulme. THE GREAT NORTH is the story of Manchester told through its Black, Asian and Irish communities, spanning outwards to the North of England and the rest of the world.
Official Selection International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) 2025
Official Selection BlackStar Film Festival 2025

Details

Year
2024
Type of project
Shorts
Running time
52 min 1 sec
Format
Digital Video
Director
Jenn Nkriu
Producer
Aya Kaido, Nkem Nwaneri, Mikal Habteab, Nina Franklin, Steph Clarke
Executive Producer
Gabrielle Jenks, Hayley Pepler
Editor
Jermaine Quanioo
Screenwriter
Jenn Nkiru
Director of Photography
Fraser Rigg
Production Designer
Sami Khan
Composer
Lord Tusk, A Guy Called Gerald, Barry Adamson
Principal cast
Jordan Afi Lambert, Niall Cunningham, Adele Jones, Janette Martin, Michael McMillin, Stephen Mustchin, Nkita Potter, Gerald Rydel Simpson, Akil Scafe-Smith, Edmond Smith, Tim Williams, Kelise Gordon-Harrison, Riaz Ali, Dammy Aminu, Hope Bello, Reisso Bhaker, Gillian Bojang, Stephen Brown, Alfonso Buller, Annika Campbell-Hypolite, Esme Davis, Lilly Davis, Monique Dixon, Harry 'Hazza D Dolan a.k.a Hazza D, Tia Ellis, Kelise Gordon-Harrison, Mark Heselwood, Cleopatra Higgins, Yonah Higgins, Larry Highman, Andrew Jones, Jorden Afi Lambert, Zayne Macdonald, Feya Mattis, Patrick J. Maxwell, Jackie McNiesh, Tommy Nelson, Emilly Yeboah Obeng, Zia Opara, Aaron Orr, Luna Reid, Shameem Riaz, Trevor Roots, Rayal Rowe, Renee Rowe, Ann Sargé, Lucas Sharples, Rose Silver, Leon Smith, Denise Southworth, Eden Spencer, Elias Spencer, Ella Spencer, Joshua Spencer, Ronnie 'The General' Walfall, Juliet Williams

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

A Factory International, Mothership production

Factory International

Callum Kirkwood
Aviva Studios
Water Street
Manchester
M3 4JQ

Page updates

This page was last updated on 28th January 2026. 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.

Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean

Director: Barnaby Thompson

Year: 2026

An in-depth study of David Lean, the man and his films. David Lean was one of the greatest filmmakers. He redefined what films could be, but his singular vision and tenacious determination to film the impossible earned him a reputation as an obsessive maverick. He was a master of his craft, capable of creating love and beauty on screen, but whose personal life was often troubled, uprooted, and painful. Featuring interviews with contemporary filmmakers including Wes Anderson, Paul Greengrass, Alfonso Cuarón, Celine Song, Brady Corbet, Francis Ford Coppola, Denis Villeneuve, Nia DaCosta, and Joe Wright. Official Selection Cannes Film Festival 2026 - Cannes Classics - World premiere

Feast or Famine Feast or Famine

Director: Adrian Choa, Michael Boccalini

Year: 2026

There is a certain air of mystery around the famed Michelin stars sparsely given to the world’s best restaurants and chefs. Few people can explain the system as well as legendary chef Marco Pierre White, the first Brit to earn three of them - and the first to famously give them all back. This documentary lifts the heavy curtain of secrecy that surrounds high-end dining, with White demystifying the Michelin myth while the highly-regarded team behind East London’s buzzy Angelina restaurant chases their first ever coveted star. Official Selection SXSW London 2026 - World premiere

Life Support Life Support

Director: Daniele Rugo

Year: 2026

A group of international doctors breach the blockade of Gaza. What they find is the calculated dismantling of life itself. Official Selection Sheffield DocFest 2026 - World premiere