Pauline Black: A 2-Tone Story (2024)

Doc'n Roll Film Festival is coming to Amsterdam, with an electrifying lineup of Dutch film premieres celebrating the legendary stories behind the music.

In this film Pauline Black, lead singer of 2-Tone hit band The Selecter, tells her extraordinary life story in the same frank manner that helped shape her as an iconic, era-defining female musician. Before the film she does in introduction and after the film The Selecter performs in the Max!

Pauline had a difficult upbringing and joining the 2-Tone music movement in 1979 was the perfect catalyst; enabling her to explore and express all sides of herself. Looking back at her own ground-breaking experience in this feature documentary, Pauline traces how her legacy came about and how it is relevant to the world today, especially where society pushes the boundaries of gender, politics, race, and identity. 

Pauline, of mixed Nigerian and Jewish heritage, was adopted into a white family in Essex in the 50s. Her upbringing was defined by casual racism from within her own family. Pauline went on to find her own identity in the Coventry 2-Tone music scene and The Selecter was a reflection of working-class life in Thatcher's Britain, their music as social reportage and with an ethos of anti-racism and anti-sexism. 

This is a cinematic and visceral documentary mixing intimate actuality, archive and interviews, and a storming soundtrack. Contributors include Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, Don Letts, Skin, Damon Albarn, Rhoda Dakar, Lynval Golding, Mykaell Riley, Sonia Boyce, and Jools Holland.

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.