The evening will include an exclusive film screening of two of Fontaine’s films Beat This! A Hip Hop History and Bombin’ and will take place at Cornerhouse on Fri 13 November from 8.30 pm. The screening will be followed by a half hour Q&A session with Fontaine himself.

Beat This! A Hip Hop History was originally commissioned by the BBC in 1984, as part of the Arena series, this seminal documentary about Hip Hop culture, stars Afrika Bambaataa and DJ Kool Herc and features authentic footage from Herc’s renowned bloc parties. The film is also featured as one of the exhibits within the HomeGrown exhibibiton at Urbis.

Bombin’ (1988) also a documentary film brings Bronx graffiti writer Brim Fuentes to meet with UK counterparts 3-D (the Wild Bunch) and Drum and Bass icon Goldie (above), then known as a prominent Graf artist.

Dick Fontaine’s latest film Handsworth Calling has just be shown to industry professionals at Sheffield’s DocFest. http://sheffdocfest.com – and is a montage of short films made by cast members of 1 Day – Penny Woolcock’s film billed as the UKs first Hip Hop musical. All the filmmakers worked under the supervision and direction of Dick Fontaine and the National Film and Television School. Four of the short films were shown on C4 as “3 Minute Wonders” two weeks ago, under the headline “1 Day in Handsworth”. The films are thought-provoking, humorous and human. Together they present an insight into a community in Birmingham through local eyes.