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BBFC RatingDISPOSSESSION: THE GREAT SOCIAL HOUSING SWINDLE

CertificatePG
Year2017
GenreDocumentary
Director(s)Paul Sng
CountryUK
Running Time1HR 22MINS
Extra InfoFollowed by a panel discussion
SeasonMain Programme

Following its sold out screening in August, Dispossession returns for a second screening and post-film
discussion.

Directed by Paul Sng (Sleaford Mods: Invisible Britain) and narrated by Maxine Peake, Dispossession: The Great Social Housing Swindle explores the catastrophic failures that have led to a chronic shortage of social housing in Britain.

For some people, a housing crisis means not getting planning permission for a loft conversion. For others it means, quite simply, losing their home.

The film focuses on the neglect, demolition and regeneration of council estates across the UK and investigates how the state works with the private sector to demolish council estates to build on the land they stand on, making properties that are unaffordable to the majority of people. Dispossession is the story of people fighting for their communities, of people who know the difference between a house and a home, and who believe that housing is a human right, not an expensive luxury.

 

The screening will be followed by a discussion facilitated by PLACE.

Panelists:

Dearbhaille Heaney is founder of The Holding Project which seeks to build 20 compact, eco-friendly micro-homes in Belfast for young people. As the millennial generation become trapped in private rented accommodation for the long term, the project hopes to offer an alternative form of housing as a mechanism towards enabling social mobility. It also provides high quality, affordable and sustainable housing - which is currently under supplied in the city – and can utilise vital sites across the city which are currently vacant. The meanwhile use will provide new life to spaces previously neglected due to the historical troubles of the city.

Fionnuala Kennedy is a playwright and theatre-maker living and working in Belfast. Fionnuala’s first play ‘Hostel’ (produced by Kabosh 2011) has toured for three years to a range of hostels, community centres and theatres. This play exploring sheltered accommodation for young families has been commissioned by different organisations including Simon Community NI, First Housing and Welcome Organisation to raise sensitive issues about homelessness and human rights.

Seán Brady is an organiser with the Participation and Practice of Rights Organisation. PPR put the power of human rights at the disposal of marginalised communities and currently support campaigns led by homeless families, refugees and asylum seekers, travellers and people living in poor accommodation in three jurisdictions – north and south of the Irish border and in Scotland. Seán has also spent the last 18 months travelling to learn from housing campaigners in South Africa and North America.

Dispossession associate producer Kiran Acharya, from Northern Ireland, joined director Paul Sng's team to film with unprecedented access to residents, politicians and experts in the housing industry and media. Described as ‘An important and timely film’ by The Observer and ‘Perhaps the most important British film since I, Daniel Blake' by the Big IssueDispossession has enjoyed an extended sell-out run of cinemas in the UK and Ireland culminating in a Parliamentary screening at the House of Commons.

Chaired by:

PLACE Board Member Ciarán Cuffe. Ciarán is an architect and urban planner. He runs the Masters Programme in Urban Regeneration and Development at the Dublin Institute of Technology. He has served as Minister of State  with responsibility for climate change, planning and sustainable transport and travel. He is currently a city councillor for Dublin’s North Inner City and chairs Dublin City Council’s Transport Committee. Ciarán is a board member at PLACE.



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