We’re proud to support our Associate Artistic Director and friend, Kesha Raithatha, in the launch of FACTORY GIRL, a new short dance film directed by artist Darrell Vydelingum.
Film launch: 20 August, 7pm, Old Factory: 87 Belgrave Road, LE4 6AS
Marking 50 years since the 1976 Grunwick Strike, FACTORY GIRL honours the South Asian workers who took a stand against poor working conditions, discrimination and inequality. Led by Jayaben Desai, the Grunwick workers’ campaign grew into a mass movement for union recognition and equal pay, attracting support from thousands of people across the UK and becoming a significant moment in Britain’s social and political history.
In FACTORY GIRL, Kesha embodies the experiences of South Asian factory women in mid-20th-century Britain. Through movement, she explores their resilience, everyday struggles and journeys, including those of women who migrated from East Africa to rebuild their lives in a country that could often be unwelcoming.
Set against the backdrop of Leicester’s Golden Mile in Belgrave, the film follows Kesha’s journey to work, dressed in a sari and cardigan, as she moves through memories of migration, identity, belonging and resistance.
By bringing these stories into the present through dance and film, FACTORY GIRL pays tribute to women whose labour and resistance helped shape Britain, while reclaiming space for voices that were too often silenced.
We’re delighted to celebrate and support Darrell’s work, and to see Kesha bring these powerful histories to life through her artistry.
Join the launch on 20 August at 7pm.
