‘We found Love in the 80s’: Hidden Love.

Film Screening and LGBTQI+ Panel Discussion on Saturday 13th February 2021, 1-2.30pm.

The 80’s gave us leg warmers, spandex, big hair and some of the greatest love songs and love stories! Acclaimed Wolverhampton artist Dawinder Bansal paired up with musician Martyn Ware - founder of The Human League and Heaven 17 - to celebrate couples who found love in the 1980s in film, podcast and photo archive project called ‘We found LOVE in the 80’s’. wefoundloveinthe80s.com

During the summer of 2020, Dawinder Bansal and Martyn Ware launched the project and interviewed a range of people across the UK. The film represents the diversity of people, love and relationships in 1980s Britain. They feature a traditional arranged marriage, mixed heritage/faith, inter-caste relationships and gay/queer couples. The film is about celebrating what unites us despite our differences. That thing is love.

Following the film screening, we will host a panel discussion on the theme of hidden love and forbidden gay relationships in the 1980s. We will discuss the AIDS epidemic and the impact of Section 28 and Margret Thatcher’s attack on the Queer community in the 1980s.

You will hear from the amazing real-life love stories of couples that found each other in the 1980’s who share their secrets to a long-term relationship while navigating a turbulent decade. Joined by Birmingham locals Helen & Deirdre, who discuss their 25-year relationship and share how they navigated the 80’s as a bi-racial couple whilst also exploring and coming to understand their own sexuality, often found in literature and books in secret bookshops for queer people. Also joining the panel are a London based gay couple called Ian and found love in 1984 at a nightclub called Heaven, during the height of the hedonistic gay club scene in London.

The panel discussion will be co-chaired by Dawinder Bansal and Dr Ranjit Khutan (Head of Public Health Department at Wolverhampton University) discussing the creation of this project with Dawinder Bansal and Martyn Ware.

They will also explore the role of art in healing British communities in a contemporary context through a lens of love, relationships and adversity.

If you enjoyed watching the recent Channel 4 television series, Its A Sin by Russell T Davies - then please do join this event.