Soho, has always been the queer heart of London for decades. Even as the LGBT community has spread its wings to other parts of the Capital, the gritty rawness of Soho has always provided a haven and a really warm welcome to such a diversity of queer artists and souls. Now the developer’s bulldozers are threatening to change all that with plans of wholesale gentrification that will destroy the unmistakable cultural impact that Soho has on the city.
The closure in 2014 of the legendary Madame Jo Jo’s an outrageous night club and burlesque venue served as rallying call and inspired filmmaker Aro Korol to document what was happening, and the result is his new film ‘Battle of Soho’. It features contributions from Stephen Fry, Jenny Runacre, Lindsay Kemp, Peter Tatchell and a host of Soho glitterati.
An added irony is that the film will be premiered at Curzon Soho one of the country’s leading independent cinemas that is itself under threat from developers who are eying their premises as a Crossrail Ticket Hall and a luxury apartments. There incidentally has been a cinema on the site of the Curzon Soho for over 100 years!
Change is good, but wholesale destruction of the vital culture of the nation’s capital is a tragedy that should be avoided at all costs, particularly for the LGBT community.
The Battle of Soho Premiere December 16th @ 6.30 p : details/tickets http://www.curzoncinemas.com/film-info/rff-battle-of-soho
