traditional motifs and famous personalities. and we reflect the life of people who are living here in the beautiful times that they were living in. and we also reflect the simple baghdad life body. a simple life from history, now restored in brilliant color. one brush stroke at a time. julian wolf, al jazeera. ah, it is good to have you with a fellow adrian to get a hearing though how the headlines and i was just 0. the world health organization says that only cron has been detected in 38 countries up from 232 days ago. it's called on countries to focus on preparing health systems. instead of imposing travel restrictions. as we're talking about ami con, let's also not forget that the predominant variance right now still remains the delta variance. so micron may be on the rise and we may come to

a point where it takes over to be the dominant variance. but at this point, the very dominant variant remains delta. that's all health official in the us, as the vaccine manufacturers are already working on contingency plans. including the possibility of an army, kron specific booster variance been confirmed and at least 9 states. they do have plans that have multiple contingency. one is to wrap up the production of the vaccines that they already have. the next is to make, for example, a by valence where you have the, a vaccine against both the ancestral strain and the new variant. and the other is to make a variant specific boost, the degree to which they're going to be doing that they are now assuming they may have to do that and are being prepared for that. iran chief negotiator has told al jazeera that well, powers cannot reject dropped proposals that it's submitted during talks in vienna.

that association is aimed at bringing the u. s. back into the pact and ensuring that iran is once again complying with it. the u. s. as again warning that is preparing to take prepared rather to take action against russia. if it invades ukraine. the number of russian troops has been rising along the border, but the kremlin says it's nothing to worry about. it crane know believes that russia could not an offensive. as soon as next month, libya's foreign minister has accused europe of pushing its migrant crisis on to the north african country. language says that european leaders criticize libya, treatment of refugees, while offering only superficial solutions. a decade of instability has made libya a crossing point for people trying to reach europe. and those were headlines won't be as few here on i was 0 right after studio be unscripted coming up next. frank assessments, this crisis is continued to weaken a look. i shall go up even on campus. he believes in the beginning,

very thankful for informed opinions. i think politicians will now be under incredible pressure from their young people. that is one of the most hopeful things to come out of this critical debate. do you think that they should be facilitated not show kids to grow? it's a really simple question. let's give samuel a child. once the inside story on al jazeera, ah, in those early days, it was a real battle to do something other than what i was supposed to do. because i wouldn't feel as a faith that what music should have. my name is skin m m, the leasing it. and so i saw a multi 1000000 selling, pretty short band skunky nancy, and i'm also a degenerate. and one of the few black women in the rock in history, i passionately believe that music is a force that can break down barriers and move beyond stereotypes about race and gender. the biggest surprise,

even after 30 years filmmaking is people's expectations of what you can actually do. yeah, that's what they think you can do. i'm going to chatter. i'm a writer, director, producer, the wider mac cameras. lovely with the clouds. i have spent my career making films about people that looked like me who are under represented all the screens and often on the margins of our industry jobs. hm. and the whole reason i came into making films was because i wanted to challenge the fact that we were absent from the screen. and therefore absent from history for me, writing about politics or writing about kids can things really was just writing about my perfect spirit. we are the recorders of our voices as people, the diaspora and because they're, they're, they can't be taken away. ah,

so you have said that music has no boundaries of the sea. you were a bit of an anomaly at that time. no one could put you in a, in a category. you would be jazzy, you would be ballads, you would be punky, you'd be natalie, you'd be everything. right. and did you find that you were able to channel some of your political sort of anger into music? i mean, you know, for me the way i will talk about music and politics and why we do one about why some of our songs of list goes. because for me, the most effective political so come from per se experience like i saw a little tiny swastika half way up wall. and in my head, i'm my cooper little baby. forced to go on the wall. and that was our very 1st little single because the question is, who put little babies for school? it looked like it was the 1st one could be more than 4 years old. and in that way i

talked about the rise of fascism and rise of white supremacy about time. i mean some of those issues i'd grown up with because in bricks and they will come down no bars. that's right. the black people up where they could see them. yeah, i'm in there been a whole big fight in the middle of the street. yeah. and so it, it came from matt, and for me, writing about politics or writing about political things really was just writing about my purse experience force. first. one of the things i'm really interested about is if you've done some hugely popular movies at the same time, the method of your work, it remains strong and prevalent in every thing that you do. i mean, how have you managed to stay radical in the mainstream? just by being a director yeah. in our business is a radicals things, but it may present for me, prisoner and whenever i write to film and then try and get it made. if the lead

is a person of color, it was a struggle. yeah. it would be much easier for me. it's my, it feels about white people. yeah. but of course, that's not what i'm going to do because the whole reason i came into making films was because i wanted to challenge the fact that we were absent from the screen and therefore absent from history so many ways. now i think that the films i've made of love that years have been a recording of our life and our presence in britain. so my 1st film, i'm british part, that really was just me wanting to express the fact that, you know, we come from a long history in a long relationship with britain. and it's not just our parents coming off the boat as it were with their whole colonial macy. i'm higher. exactly. and then with bunch on the beach, i made a decision that i wanted to make commercial films. i didn't want to my art house films because i felt art house films were only going to be seen by academics and

yeah. and certain people who are all in the same circle. yeah. and i wanted to create films that would be seen by everybody because i wanted to show our stories basically. and so with barge on the beach or decided to tackle black in asia, chris h, it shit about which has to be at the time. and i can only imagine the arguments are full for, for you to get those movie made and get those topics. keep us up exam not get water down. yeah. i mean, even been delight beckham in m, i may say is such a struggle to get made 3 years and yeah, people just didn't believe that it was commercial that anyone beyond other indians who might like football, would be interested in it. but as a keep saying that phil is not about football, and that is a film about racism and what the father went through and how he's trying to protect his daughter from racism. whereas the daughter saying, you know,

well i got to go out and fight it myself and do my own stuff. you know, i think sometimes the story that gets told is how hard it is and how unsupported by parents. but at the same time, to load the paper incredibly supported here. well that and to my dad, beth of my parents, my mom was just obsessed with me, letting us go indian food throughout my childhood. but i was my dad and in some ways that was me. but what was important about that film was the fact that it was a seek family. yeah. and the film came out just after 911 and it, i think, i really do believe that it, you know, it did a lot in terms of race relations. certainly in britain, i remember before the film was a hit. i was the screening in manchester and i'd gone up to introduce the film and it was a really interesting audience because his weren't that many asians there. but the people were there, i notice of families who bought their own crisps thing is people pool. right. and

anyway, they all sat there watching the film and then after a people smiling at me and then this one women, i'll never forget her english women. she came up 3. she was wearing white shirt and white stilettos. and she said to me, you think you made a comedy avenue? and i said, well, i try and use it. but she said, you then what you've done, what you've done for people around here was previous or they just had the older riots, whether it been completed for atlanta community and the english community. and it had been at loggerheads there and she said, what your film taught us is that everyone wants the best for their kids. exactly. does it matter who you are? yeah, it was supposed the kids that woman had stayed with me because in a way that is what i was trying to do, you know, with, with my film like just the wow. if i never make another film again,

you done. you don't, i, i did get want to make you feel that was a very hard feel for me to make and it was cool, my choice house. and it was about the partition of india. yeah. so i wanted to move a bit away from england, which is, i mean, people really don't know a lot about by why it was done and how it was done. yeah, 9047 was independence and then partition was happening. 47, it basically britain before britain left divided the india and created pakistan. and in my film, i put for the theory as to why that happened. it was to do with the beginning of the cold war and american and british interests. the film was quite a tragic film because it was about refugees. and what happened to my ancestors and my grandparents and making it as a british person was also interesting because it is a british film. and i did have the mouth battens as well. and most of the film was about partition made in india, you know, are very violent and very angry. yeah. rightly so. you know,

but being british filmmaker i had to take it and it was different. yeah. energy. her different and also i think the other thing is being a mother as well, by that point i've had my children so that maternal thing came in where i just felt like enough already enough hatred and pain and division. and so i try to make a very healing film in film and music in writing all the creatives. the point is to try and get to be better. and sometimes you have to highlight that in ways that make people feel very, very uncomfortable. and certainly within some of the songs i've done that kind of wary, you know, is because it's like, yeah, this is, you know, this is our reality and in some of our magazines so that people can try and understand how it is from our perspective. yes, i think in terms of being radical in terms of making it mainstream, you know, it's a song spoke on hooky little bit populous to it. yeah. when you're kind of in the preaching to the converted. yes. watch here on the ones that you're trying to reach,

you know, trying to reach a broader spectrum of people. so you can actually the songs and if mattered, can get out there and can have a really strong effect. it just, when people feel uncomfortable, they call it radical, a slave like black women, they think were aggressive because we have a strong point of view or because we tend to stand there and demand off space there . and she stand by the fact that i don't think any of complementary thoughts about radical or very extreme from a cry for help. and some of the kind of like look what's going on was always you, can you not see, we're trying to find a different way to express something that has been expressed since bob dylan, you know, so yeah. marvin gaye, you know, yeah, public enemy, there's so many bad. so many artists that have written things in political ways. how do you touch people? and i think again, it's just to find a unique in a personal way to talk about actually my last film. blinded by the lights were based on a memoir by suffering,

missouri who grew up in the island just sort of 25 miles after looted an industrial town. and it's based on job. it's a kid who's feeling really kind of c in luton with his parents, with the national front. and so many people come up to me and said, how much they cried through that film because it's sort of expresses something that you can't put down. it expresses all reality because there's so few people to do that in the, in our industries and in the world of art, if you like, you know, when you see it there and people respond to it is it's an emotional experience. i think the one thing about bri springfield, he's a wonderful translate of emotions. yes, i find may. he's the difference between me, aubrey spring too, is that is how we translator. well, i remember when i showed him the film, i was very nervous. but at the end of the film, he came out when he gave me a big hug and a kiss. and he said, thank you for looking after me so beautifully. so i was kind of nice. yeah. the

ultimate thing really is that when we were doing it, when we were creating, we were struggling and we were angry with like, why can't we does, why cali, where's our space now to have our space? yeah. yeah, but a lot of energy doing that. but now looking back and seeing the work and like you writing the book, you know, i have this tremendous sense of achievement because at she we did, we were subversive. we made in road and was, and still it was not the thing is, is to just acknowledge for a minute that we are the recorders of our voices as but as people of the diaspora and, and, and because they're there, they can't be taken away. exactly. i mean, in those early days when i'm, i'm, you know, i'm the skinny black go leasing on a rock band. and i was looking at me like really,

really because what i think what music is is by some authenticity, be reeves got be true, risk or be cool. i'm so i, in those days people would look at me think, well it can't be authentic, it can't be real because this isn't the face of rock music that we want to have. so it's like a big boulder and you're like handing me your boulder rate is for me to carry. yeah . my i to of, i don't know. you get that back? yes, exactly. you remember my shoes are clean and clear. you know, i always tell you that i have to carry the weight of your races. yes, that's so true. i finally got to this plan of joy and happiness. you know, 26 years old is quite late. really trying to record label i'm. i was really happy, i'm fun. i'm funny. not mean a backup singer is what has come being pushed into. i'm and i that was my approach to it. and i will say this when i work with kids, i would say, just don't take you on into your own here. it. yes. and the book when i was writing the word i was pitching a young go like

a young version of myself. what was she want to be totally in the book is all about you know, the lessons, i've learned the things i've, i've been told and that was one of the major things i want to face it to kids. now it was like, you know, you're fine. they have the problem, i don't carry other people's wait a minute, you get way down, you stop what you're doing and make one. exactly a my point of that where i learned that was in 2002. yeah. and bend it, like beckham, came out in america, and the new york times describe the film as at this isn't the authentic voice of living in britain today. if that's because they, the idea they have of asians in, you know, is not playing football. how would really have the goal is in new york? her blue is all about to say, to an asian woman who made a film about our upbringing. i mean, i talk about it because i think he's probably quite mortified yet. he wrote her quite mod for the i repeat it quite a lot. yeah. but that was

a real turning point for me. as i said, i thought wow, you can't win. don't try and win. don't try to be on their level. yeah. be on your own level to and can on a, don't take it on and therefore i think out in what we create is really about ourselves. i mean, i think the simple, most difficult thing that's happening now is that we don't, we grew up in an environment where we didn't, you didn't have to read those. wasn't you picked up newspaper, social media, you cannot get away from people's opinion. yes. it's just in your face punch in your face, non stop. no wonder we could have having so much difficulty terminate mental issues dealing with this on to raj of negativity, people negative. how can you carry that way? i mean, i would just be like asked if i could, i could just leave the room when you come to me with your nonsense, with me doing cuz the room is in your pocket. yeah. and you harriet like a nic and wait with you wherever you are. so he, i'll, sir,

is meditation. the else is when 5 minutes a day, just meditating about your own strengths, who you are, what your purposes in life, what you're here to do, what you hear to cray, who you love, who loves you, do just the fat people and everything else. any haters out there, you know, i've been for the phone down the toilet. i. i more social believe in just not reading it because i mean, i even know you've been in the business for a long time. yeah. if you are, you still have quite a thin skin for things you do like easier. now do you think because things seem to be more diverse, you know, do you think is easier to make your fills? you know, as it is just a subtle, i think is just harder to speak, but so they're not going to corrupt you saying we're not making a film because your black asian writer. yeah, sure. our audience was going to like it. yeah, it'll just be. yeah, it will just be more unique. can we think about some different costing?

yes. can you me add another story as a way in for the audience that will just be different words talking of the audience who i did there? i think i think it's question time make a yes. hi. hi. my name is natasha. my question is it for grinda? i was wondering, did you write your characters and stories with complete freedom or do you feel maybe unfairly that they come to be represent tips and in that sense carry the burden of portraying south asian communities positively like defending the cultures or breaking stereotypes, the audiences and how do you cope with if you, if you do feel it? well, i think early on. yeah. i think i did feel what we call the burden of representation. but you just have to be authentic, i think. but as the years go past, you realize there are as in, as a writer in as a direct. so there are films that you want to make in their films that you don't,

you know, i don't necessarily like how uncertain t v station in england. there's always stories about, you know, how i was killed by my father, my brother type dramas, because in a there. so reductionist, i think, you know, so what i try and do is counteract what's already out there. that it's not to say don't hide from serious issues, but try and create 3 dimensional characters who are dealing with stuff. but i try and do it from a way that doesn't make us the victim. and i think that's the problem when you're working in a world in an industry that has so many ideas of who we are and what we represent, i e, backwards um, no educated or whatever my job is always to join a redress that. but what i also try and do is create characters that, that my own community can recognize and feel as authentic. but

also our universal is inno film is seen by everyone around the world. you know, so it's important for me that you know that you find that thing that makes us universal as well as specific hello my name is learning, gosh, i'm north africa. so my question is, as our youngest you, them, when in your begin is in your career, who was there present? would you look up to and you got this fired by? well, so i saw. yeah, i think the person, his voice, i think meant so much to me in her writing. was there maya angelou mean christ, the bravery and the poetry, but this amazing ability to deal with all the crosses she had to bear and come out, shining to me. she remains a huge influence for me. the 1st so could i have bore as she was in nina simone.

michael and i'm, i took it home and i was allowed to listen to it for a few few months because the local play was in a nice room of the house and my mom used to lock. you know, the good room. i sat them, i played it 10 times in a row, and then i followed nina. someone's career for my whole life. and i she ended up meeting her. i now some a little say birthday party. we sang happy birthday tests. i don't to sing down. i'm in the hotel bar off to with on this hung out with i will not. and i remember st where, you know, you the 1st record i have bull and you know, just in terms of has the math is the voice she didn't. so the thing is, you know, she was 19 years old because she was trained to the classical pianists and she couldn't get into the classical classical school that you want to get into. so she end up singing in bars and, you know, and she, later on, she can very political works from incredibly poignant political songs. i'm as an

assay, she's the artist i keep going back to because there's always something more there. i'm. so for me, i would say that's probably the artist as most inspired me. hello. hi, my name is lindy where, so i really, really wanted to just hear your thoughts on what can be done to achieve a greater depth of anti racist colonial work in educational spaces. you know, all the way from early years through to university. i mean, i would say 1st and foremost, to not put up with it. you know, i think that live before, but my mother even with just the recent thing, there was a culture of like, oh, we'll just do with this. we'll just let this one go. and then the next time we'll try and slowly, slowly and i think now for us to fix, if things that we can do is just shut it down. if we see race is behavior, we want to have a conversation about that to actually expose it and to talk about it. i don't think

necessarily we used, we need to weapon isaiah. i don't think we need to do, you know, have a thing of destroying people and counseling people. i just think that it's good to highlight it, deal with it, put it forward, make it in front of the conversation. so people can understand what's wrong because sometimes people don't really get it straight away and there's a lot of unconditional that has to happen. so i think to do it in a lot like a productive positive loving way. but i think yeah, it need this the so much the rise of racism, fascism and why scripts is going up and up and up. i'm, i think is not the time to kind of almost, you know, tap around and do delicately. i think, you know, it's time we need to spot and shut it down and so that people can see about something's going to happen. and it makes people kind of think twice before they say, are they act. they do certain things. but i do think it as a said, it has to be in an open conversation,

a positive way. not just like jumping and pouncing something that was very aggressive way because sometimes people just make mistakes or they just don't understand or they're just not there. and in addition to was get is saying in terms of the teaching, i think it's up to educators now to start using the materials that are properly representative of the subjects that you're teaching. and i think that in terms of film, there are so many wonderful films that we're going back, revisiting lot battle of algiers, for example. either will you go back? can you talk about the issues raised in the film and how person that they are, for example, today and what's going on in france to day? so i think the film to feel made by filmmakers from different backgrounds about their own history is also a great way to combat prejudice and racism. or if you have been the most wonderful,

incredible experience. so taught you the money to scan. it's just been wonderful. i'm, i'm sad, we haven't met in the past, but it's been wonderful to share all these experiences, upbringings and, and time in london the year that we went miles apart from each other. exactly. so interesting to hear that will help you with, with so connected by a time in a period is like from your memories or music that you've talked about. yeah, some of your influences, i remember about 2 that was at this time. so i'm going to go and sing now in a recording studio from quite inspired for excellence. have the feeling of this moment that we've been able to talk with me. we come from a timer generation. when what matter? denart was to be radical. today, what the hell does radical meat arctic is, are being used to make cos satisfaction of the brochure war. our

society for the rich and the powerful picasso in his late life said something wonderful painting is not decoration for your living room. painting is oh. from the al jazeera london, rural consented to people in thoughtful conversation. large cannot be easily erased by, by the superpower with no host and no limitation. what matter do you know was to be radical. how can the thing that's radical be for say, part one of the highway underneath the pool? it's not about wanting to sell. you know about the message in the studio b, unscripted on outs is era. mm hm.

and the latest news, as it breaks, governments in the region are using security forces to climb down on protests. instead of protecting their countries against armed attacks with detailed coverage in the absence of any hard data on how widespread overland they all become variant is scientists urging caution from around the world. political observers argue his government has led dismantling of democratic institutions. the listening post cuts through the noise. let's hope you're not competing now with the modern day tools being used to perpetuate there's competing narrative separating spin from fuck all 3 versions of the story and some element of the truth

. but the full story of remains and coaching. unpacking the stories you're being told, it's not a science story at all. it's a story about politics. the listening post your guide to the media on a jesse utah, lou. at this point, the very dominant variant remains delta. the wildest urged to focus on all threats posed by the pandemic, while scientists work to answer questions about the new variant. ah, oh, i'm adrian for. this is al jazeera alive from go home. also coming up, iran's chief negotiator tells al jazeera that his science proposals of nuclear talks, mustn't be rejected. the u. s. europe. so.