Blinded by the Light, with Sarfraz Manzoor

About

One of the year's most hotly-anticipated films Blinded by the Light, based on the autobiographical book by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor, will be screened at Hastings Literary Festival 2019 alongside a talk by its author.

The film tells the story of a teenager of Pakistani descent growing up in 1980s England amid racial and economic turmoil, who draws solace and inspiration from the culturally unlikely source of Bruce Springsteen's music and lyrics.

The screening marks the first time Manzoor will talk about the film following its UK general release on August 14. Blinded by the Light - which takes its title from a Springsteen song and features many of his hits - has been endorsed by The Boss himself.

The film, by Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend it Like Beckham and ITV's Beecham House, stars newcomer Viveik Kalra alongside Holby City and Goodness Gracious Me star Kulvinder Ghir and Rob Brydon, well known for Gavin & Stacey and Would I Lie to You?

The film will be shown as part of Hastings LitFest on August 31 at Kino Teatr, St Leonards on Sea. Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah earlier this year, Blinded by the Light received standing ovations and the biggest release deal of the festival.

Sarfraz Manzoor is a journalist, documentary maker, and broadcaster. He is a regular contributor to The Guardian, presenter of documentaries on BBC Radio 4, and a cultural commentator who appears on programmes such as Newsnight Review and Saturday Review.

Tickets for Blinded by the Light, with Sarfraz Manzoor are available from Kino Teatr or by clicking the link on the Hastings LitFest site at https://hastingslitfest.org

Reviewer Owen Glieberman of entertainment news 'bible' Variety described Blinded by the Light as "an exuberant return to form for director Gurinder Chadha." He says: "Blinded by the Light takes you to that place where pop can be everything: the promise of a life you don't have yet, but the music says that you can get it. Bruce's lyrics touch the darkness, but they're also about a promise: that you can escape and find yourself."