Special preview screening of Martin Luther King film

14th January 2015

Students at Sheffield Hallam University are being given a special preview screening of a hard-hitting Hollywood film, which tells the story of Dr Martin Luther King's fight for voting rights for African-Americans.

Selma tells the story of Dr King's campaign, which culminated in the epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in March 1965, to secure voting rights for African-Americans. The film is directed by Ava DuVernay, who directed Middle of Nowhere, and its executive producers include Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt. The preview screening at the University's Void cinema is one of only a handful of chances for people to see the film before its general release. Maxine Greaves MBE, an equality and community engagement expert at Sheffield Hallam, has organised the screening. She said: "We're very fortunate to be hosting one of the few preview screenings of this highly acclaimed film about Dr King's struggle for equality. "The film portrays an era of the civil rights movement which had a significant impact on the rights of people across the world, and still resonates today. "The film will give our students a moving account of the struggles of ordinary people for freedom, social justice and the implications for contemporary times. For anyone interested in politics and society, it's a must see." The special preview screening of Selma has been organised by staff in the Faculty of Development and Society, as part of the University's ongoing equality and community engagement initiatives. The screening is being held in partnership with Pathé and human rights organisation Journey to Justice. Selma will be screened at 11.00am on Saturday 31 January 2015, in Sheffield Hallam's The Void cinema, room 123 Owen Building, City Campus. Tickets are £7, available at www.ticketsource.co.u/date/144547