Time and Judgement

Shabazz's first feature since his 1981 debut with Burning an Illusion eschews narrative for the more direct, didactic methods of narrated documentary. A rich collage of archive footage presents a picture of riots, assassinations, wars, famines and invasions, in Africa, the Caribbean, the US and Britain, the saddening year-by-year analysis punctuated by secondary gains like the sporting success of Carl Lewis or the election of black MPs in Britain. Although its anger and urgency may well offend liberal sensibilities, it is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and substantial documents to come out of the independent black film-making community in recent years. A cogent, if non-consensual, political/religious agenda presented from the militant 'African' or Rastafarian standpoint, it is also something of a celebration of the range and creative abilities of British black poets (Zephaniah, Iyapo, Williams), painters and musicians.