"Assertive and ebullient, BABYLON is as alive as a movie can be to the everyday mesh of liberating art, humorous camaraderie and hazardous political reality. Dennis Bovell’s reggae soundtrack is a master class of mood—a sonic heartbeat full of joy, pain and fury, the needle drops like matches struck and the music an insistent, scented flame you hear, see and feel." - Robert Abele, The Los Angeles Times
"It's no surprise why the film may resonate now—its themes of finding community through art and trying to exist in a society that doesn't want you are unfortunately both timeless and extremely current." - Jaya Saxena, GQ
Saturday, August 17, 12:45 p.m. | Franco Rosso's incendiary BABYLON had its world premiere at Cannes in 1980 but went unreleased in the United States for "being too controversial, and likely to incite racial tension." (Vivien Goldman, Time Out) Raw and smoldering, it follows a young dancehall DJ (Brinsley Forde, frontman of landmark British reggae group Aswad) in South London as he pursues his musical ambitions, battling fiercely against the racism and xenophobia of employers, neighbors, police, and the National Front. Written by Martin Stellman (QUADROPHENIA) and shot by two-time Academy Award winner Chris Menges (THE KILLING FIELDS) with beautifully smoky cinematography that has been compared to TAXI DRIVER, BABYLON is fearless and unsentimental, yet tempered by the hazy bliss of the dancehall set to a blistering reggae and lovers rock soundtrack featuring Aswad, Johnny Clarke, Dennis Bovell, and more. (Kino Lorber)
At MUBI FEST, watch a special selection of great music films, curated just for Chicago. Surveying the vital role music has played throughout film history, we’re shining a light on the transcendent and transformative power of song and dance as seen in contemporary cinema. Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu