"It's time to DECOLONISE your minds and RE-MOISTURISE your lives"
The Cocoa Butter Club proudly presents a zoom facilitated film screening, followed by question and answer for the film:
'BLACK VELVET' The Documentary; a film by Mimi Koku, starring Sadie Sinner The Songbird & The Cocoa Butter Club
Mimi Koku is a Nigerian-born filmmaker and artist currently based in London.
Last summer Mimi sought to make a film exploring London's black and brown burlesque scene while enrolled on a 2-month, documentary filmmaking course at the MET Film School in Ealing. This led her to The Cocoa Butter Club - an award winning cabaret collective of BPOC and LGBTQ+ performers - who were hosting a series of live showcases at the Underbelly Festival on the Southbank at the time.
"Black Velvet" is a factual film spotlighting this collective and their founder, Sadie Sinner The Songbird. This is a film that explores the necessity for representation in the performing arts and is a visual celebration of the exceptionally gifted and incredibly hard-working community of people coming together to make that happen".
More about this event
Following purchasing your ticket(s), on Wednesday 3rd June you will be sent further information regarding the zoom link for this Screening and Q and A.
During the Screening, all guests microphones will be turned off. Following the screening, there will be a short 15minute break, where you can enjoy some music provided by us. During the Q and A, guests are asked to use the "raise hand" function to indicate they have a question for the panel. Microphones will be turned on only for the guests asking questions and the panelist responding.
On the day, the zoom space will be open from 7:45pm, where we will welcome you with some music.
The Screening will begin promptly at 8:15pm.
ACCESSIBILITY: Subtitles will be available for the screening.
Panel for Q and A
Mimi Koku is a Nigerian born artist, filmmaker and musician. She has worked in film for 4+ years, mostly as a producer/freelance researcher + production assistant. Her directorial debut ‘Mosquito’ premiered in June of last year. ‘Black Velvet’ is her second directed project and her first factual film, which came about as a result of a short course at MET Film School in Ealing, completed in the late summer of 2019.
Cassie Leon a Theatre and Cabaret Producer and is focused on the success and recognition of The Cocoa Butter Club. She is of St Lucian background. Her work includes producing for Raze Collective, Cape Theatre and Mighty Hoopla Festival. Cassie has notably transformed The Cocoa Butter Club from a cabaret show to a touring production, funded in part by Arts Council England.
Sadie Sinner The Songbird is Founder and Curator of The Cocoa Butter Club. First generation British-born, she is of Zambian heritage. Sadie currently holds the place of 6th top performer in the UK for Cabaret and Burlesque (21st Century Burlesque). Sadie is commended for pioneering a change the landscape of UK Burlesque and Cabaret by founding the inaugural production committed to showcasing and celebrating performers of colour.
Demi Noire is a London-based Burlesque Artist. Hailed as 'The Sista of Soul', Demi is recognised internationally for her inimitable musicality. In addition to being a founding performer of The Cocoa Butter Club, Demi is a performer for the UK's top Burlesque production company, House of Burlesque. Demi is a duel heritage artist of Jamaican decent. Other performance credits include Cafe de Paris (London), Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival (Hebden Bridge), Jezzy’ Juke Joint (Chicago, USA) and Tronicat and Friends GOP Theatre (Hannover, Germany).