This website uses cookies. Read more about our cookie/privacy policy.

Accept and Close

The Sheffield culture guide written by in-the-know locals

Soundtrack to a Coup d'État

In 1960, sixteen newly independent African countries enter the United Nations, a political earthquake that shifts the majority vote from the colonial powers to the global south.

In February 1961, the jazz singer Abbey Lincoln and drummer Max Roach gatecrashed the UN Security Council to protest against the assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first post-independence prime minister.

In a decade of seismic protest – a wave of decolonisation movements across the African continent, and the struggle for civil rights marching in the US – the assassination of Patrice Lumumba unites the Afro-Asian block, with a demand for the UN General Assembly to vote for immediate worldwide decolonisation.

This involving film, deeply researched and anchored by the rhythm of American jazz, interweaves archival records with the story of the Black jazz legends – including Louis Armstrong and Nina Simone – who defined the era in more ways than one. It reveals disturbing truths about the decolonial struggle between global political powers, and the fascinating connections between post-war jazz, US imperialism and the Pan-African decolonisation movement.

Winner of the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematic Innovation at the Sundance Film Festival.

Book now: The Light / Showroom

You might also like...

Bring Her Back

Mon. 14 July 2025 — Thu. 31 July 2025

A brother and sister find themselves at the centre of a terrifying ritual at their new foster mother's secluded home. A twisted nightmare around grief from the directors of the exceptional Talk To Me, with a standout performance from Sally Hawkins.

Spirit of Independence Film Festival

Fri. 26 September 2025 — Sun. 28 September 2025

The Light, The Moor, S1 4PF

A celebration of fiercely independent filmmaking, showcasing raw, bold and passionate films from around the world.

Masters of Cinema Presents: Trouble Every Day

Sat. 26 July 2025 — Sun. 27 July 2025

Showroom

A lyrical rumination on the pleasures of the flesh, Trouble Every Day is a remarkable work of extreme cinema that challenged critics and audiences upon its release before it came to be lauded as a modern classic.

Belle

Sun. 24 August 2025 — Tue. 26 August 2025

The Light, The Moor, S1 4PF

Lonely 17-year-old Suzu enters a virtual world, where she becomes world famous singer Belle. She embarks on an adventure to become her true self, in this fantastical and beautiful animated film from Oscar-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda.