From Protest to Documentary: Fundraising Begins for ‘Everybody to Kenmure Street’
On May 13, 2021, a Home Office dawn raid on Kenmure Street sparked a mass protest, resulting in the release of two detained men after an eight-hour standoff. Filmmaker Felipe Bustos Sierra is crowdfunding to create an immersive documentary, Everybody to Kenmure Street, to capture the community's defiance.
Interview by Samar Jamal | Photos by Photos by BARRY CRERAR and Gavin Hopkins
On 13 May 2021, the Home Office led a dawn raid on Kenmure Street, detaining two men in their van. The raid was conducted later than usual meaning many residents were already out in the surrounding area for the school run or preparing for Eid festivities.
This also meant it wasn’t long before residents were made aware through local networks that a dawn raid had taken place in their neighbourhood, leading hundreds of people to gather around the van. The long eight-hour battle for Kenmure Street eventually led to the two men being released.
Filmmaker, Felipe Bustos Sierra, has launched a Kickstarter to raise £40,000 to help produce a feature length documentary called Everybody to Kenmure Street. The documentary retells the story of how Glasgow’s community rallied together that day and defied the Home Office.
What can the audience expect to see in the film?
It's quite exciting and takes a very immersive approach. We have footage that covers the entire day, captured by two cameramen who were there throughout, using broadcast-quality cameras.
We also sourced a lot of additional footage, which allows us to capture not just the big, newsworthy moments, but also the smaller, intricate details and mechanics of the protest. This approach is particularly exciting for me because I’m the son of a refugee.
It's through the people I've interviewed who are around the van, their testimonies and their lived experiences. People in the story are the experts.
There's this moment when the van arrives that brings everyone out. Initially, in the first two hours, many people joined out of anger at the situation and frustration with the government's response to ongoing issues, including the perception that the global Black Lives Matter movement didn't result in practical changes.
No one knew what was possible and what they were capable of. The main strategy was buying time. They were buying time for someone who might know more to arrive and resolve this peacefully. It started with the "van man," who slid underneath the van to prevent it from leaving.
Read more: ‘These are our Neighbours’: Three years on from Kenmure Street, what’s changed?
Gradually, more people began blocking the streets and reaching out. This collective effort is what made the protest successful. The title of our film, Everybody's to Kenmure St, reflects this shared commitment and solidarity that made the project a success.
Why is the film being funded through Kickstarter?
It's the kind of film that's not going to get funded through normal channels. Despite the people making it, like myself who made Nae Pasaran, which was very well-received. And my producer is one of the top emerging producers in Scotland, it is still a film that generates a lot of controversy. I don't really agree with that.
So we're trying to fund a section of the film that would allow us to deliver a rough cut. Then we can go back to all the funders and international broadcasters who've seen what we're making and want to fund it. If 4000 people gave a tenner we’d reach our goal.
We are partly funded through Screen Scotland already, which has enabled us to research the story extensively, get into pre-production and pitch the project at Sheffield DocFest. The feedback has been great. Many of the cinema docs coming out of Scotland in the last few years have used crowdfunding, particularly those reflecting working-class or migrant perspectives. This is more a reflection of the state of UK arts funding in general.
Why is it important to tell this story?
I think it's the best moment to make a documentary because everybody's still around, the memories are fresh plus the documentary needs to be part of a conversation, an intelligent conversation, rather than just a bunch of headlines.
Read more: A Sea of Solidarity: The Standoff of Kenmure Street
No narrator or commentator is guiding the story. This approach makes the film more exciting and allows us to present it at ground level, immersing viewers in the crowds throughout the film.
It's quite thrilling, I suppose, to give the audience a chance to place themselves there. While most people know it ends well, this adds another layer of reflection to the film. Amid so many difficult stories today, telling this tale in this manner allows viewers to deeply question our actions in the moment.
What are you hoping audiences gain from watching “Everybody on Kenmure Street”?
People often ask themselves, "What would I have done in that moment?" because the answers are challenging. Moments change quickly, leaving us wondering how we would respond. It's quite a rollercoaster of emotions.
A lot of young people in particular I've interviewed so far have said they had no connection with the guys in the van. They just felt angry that this was happening and they felt angry that nothing was being done about this.
From the footage we could see another thread in the film, which is why do people turn up? That allows, on one hand, to tell the story of collective actions in Scotland. Actions that have inspired people to join the person of the day.
To donate to the campaign visit Kickstarter by clicking here or for updates follow the Instagram.
Throughout June, we are taking part in the 'No News is Bad News’ campaign – which is founded on the belief that a well-informed community is more able to act together to shape its own future, that local news is fundamental to a healthy democratic society and invaluable in helping to create strong communities. As part of this campaign, any money we raise for the project during June will be doubled by an Indie News Fund.