Idris Elba has gone behind the camera for his directorial debut Yardie, based on British writer Victor Headley's best-selling novel of the same name. “Yardie” is slang for residents of “government yards” or social housing with very basic amenities. Although the film is set largely in 1980s Hackney, it begins in 1973 in Jamaica when a young boy witnesses the murder of his older brother. What ensues is a path of vengeance that spans continents. Produced by Sheffield-based Warp Films – the hands behind This is England and ’71 – Yardie carries the same realistic grittiness and attention to detail. It is also boasts an dynamic score with a soundtrack of vintage soul, reggae and dancehall cuts.
Before the film opens on general release, head down to the Showroom on Thursday 23 August for a special preview screening complete with a Q&A with director Idris Elba and performance from a surprise music act live via satellite.
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