Digbeth Derailed Documentary

Currently in production

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Currently in production 〰️

A group of people filming and taking photos on a city street, with a large wall of scrapped car parts on the left and a blue brick building with graffiti on the right.

Bread Productions’ Digbeth documentary explores the people, venues and communities behind Birmingham's arguably most important creative districts, and the fight to protect its future. Through interviews, archive, live events and observational filming, the documentary captures Digbeth’s relationship with music, nightlife, independent business and grassroots culture while following the growing concern around proposals from the Midlands Rail Hub Alliance (MRHA). Plans to expand and widen sections of the historic Bordesley Viaduct could affect around 50 independent businesses and place some of Digbeth’s best-known music venues at risk, including The Night Owl, XOYO, Club Colette and Mama Roux’s.

Three people, two women and a man, are smiling and looking at a remote control, standing close together in a room with a white brick wall decorated with posters. One woman has blonde hair and glasses, the other has red hair and glasses, and the man has a beard and is wearing a baseball cap and a t-shirt with a character on it.

The film documents not only what could be lost, but the community mobilising to protect it. Bread Productions has been filming the venues, artists, DJs, promoters and campaigners at the heart of the story, including the Save Our Scene campaign and its major Save Digbeth events on Lower Trinity Street. Save Our Scene is calling for development that protects the cultural spaces that give Digbeth its identity, alongside a clear plan and fair support for businesses affected by the rail proposals. The documentary aims to add another voice to that campaign: encouraging audiences to learn what is happening, support Digbeth’s independent venues, contact decision-makers and join the call to ensure regeneration and improved infrastructure do not come at the cost of the culture and community they are meant to serve.

Email the Mayor of the West Midlands about the MRHA proposals

Save our Scene: Email the Mayor
A man with a beard wearing a black cap and hoodie is sitting in a dimly lit room, holding a pink cup, with a large poster of the movie 'Midnight Man' featuring a man with dark hair and a pink shirt in the background.
A woman with curly hair operating a camera on a stabilizer at an outdoor venue during nighttime. Behind her, a smiling person with short hair and earrings is engaging with others. The background shows a storefront with illuminated signs and decorations, suggesting a lively, social atmosphere.
A woman with blonde hair, glasses, and a white shirt leans over a DJ mixing equipment decorated with colorful string lights, while a man in a black cap and headphones works on the gear in a vibrant, colorful setting.
A person with glasses and a jacket sitting in a chair, facing away. The background has neon lights, a lit sign reading 'Free Yourself,' and stage lighting equipment illuminating the scene.
A person with medium-length dark hair taking a photo using a vintage camera, in a setting with colorful red and purple lighting.