New film retells the 1985 Handsworth Riots story

Nearly 40 years since a two-day riot devastated part of Birmingham, the story is being reimagined in a film set to premiere in the city.

In 1985, raised tensions and friction between the police and the community erupted into unrest and destruction.

The Tiny Spark project combines Benjamin Zephaniah's poetry and filmmaker Pogus Caesar's artwork to shine a new light on the events.

A free screening will be held on 6 September.

The unrest, based mainly along Lozells Road, was reportedly sparked by the arrest of a black man and a police raid on a pub in the same area.

For director Mr Caesar, the film holds additional poignancy as he found himself in the middle of the riots as they unfolded.

Wanting to capture the moment and retell the stories from both sides of the conflict, he used his camera to document the chaotic surreal scenes.

"It was a truly terrifying adrenaline-fuelled experience," he recalled.

"I'll never forget the smell of smoke from burning rubber and materials, bricks, bottles and a host of projectiles flying through the air.

"Cars being overturned, set on fire and flipped like dominoes."

In the aftermath, more than 1,500 police officers were drafted into the area and 50 shops were either burnt or looted. Damage to property was estimated at hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The artist and filmmaker, born in St Kitts, West Indies, and raised in Birmingham, was working nearby when the riots started on 9 September.

Mr Caesar added: "Where possible it was vital to document, however I had to be thoughtful as the camera could only take 36 photographs at any one time.

"The media has a way of portraying these type of events, I needed to document my truth."

He added: "This film is an alternative and poetic way of telling a story of inner-city eruptions, it's easy to portray people of colour in difficult situations, this film doesn't seek to tell that type of story."

Taking place at the Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum from 18:00 BST, the premiere features performances from spoken word artists Juice Aleem, Chauntelle Madondo and Samiir Saunders.

The music for the film was specially composed by artist TaberCayon.

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