Samira Ahmed – A Hard Day’s Night
21st October @ 12:30 – 13:30
How did a film made to capture a pop phenomenon in real time become a genuine cinematic classic?
Journalist and broadcaster Samira Ahmed explores how this beloved film captures both the band’s coveted charisma and the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s Britain.
A life-long fan, Samira first discovered the film at the age of 11 and then in 2023 she uncovered the earliest known complete concert recording of the Beatles, taken at Stowe School in 1963 which made headlines around the world. Blending documentary-style realism with a subversion of class
norms, the film not only reflects the Beatles’ role in reshaping celebrity and social identity, but also shaped Samira’s understanding of fame and the media as she embarked on a career in journalism. Samira examines its lasting legacy, showing how its portrayal of Beatlemania influenced generations and continues to serve as a powerful metaphor for modern celebrity culture.
Samira Ahmed is a journalist, writer, and BBC broadcaster. She presents Front Row on BBC Radio 4, Newswatch on BBC One, and has made acclaimed documentaries including Art of Persia (BBC Four), Disgusted, Mary Whitehouse, and I Dressed Ziggy Stardust (BBC Radio 4). In 2020, she was named Audio Presenter of the Year by the Broadcasting Press Guild. Her writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Observer, and New Humanist, where she also writes a regular column. She is President of the Twentieth Century Society, which campaigns to preserve modern architecture and design. A Hard Day’s Night is her first book.
Tickets £14.00 (£10.00 Students)
