Riz Ahmed at Contact (From Asian Image)

Riz Ahmed at Contact

11:05am Wednesday 27th May 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

Award-winning actor, MC and indie film star Riz Ahmed (a.k.a Riz MC) will be working alongside young, Muslim men from across Greater Manchester as part of the Salaam project, culminating in a night of sound, theatre and visual art at Contact Manchester.

Sharing his skills and experience Riz will be providing a residency at Contact, mentoring the participants to develop a special piece of spoken word performance that will feature during the event.

Riz will soon be seen playing the lead role in Eran Creevey’s new indie film, Shifty.

Following 24 hours in the life of a young drug dealer Shifty is already attracting rave reviews and earned Riz a Best Actor Nomination at the British Independent Film Awards 2008.

Riz records hip hop under the moniker Riz MC. His first single Post 9/11 Blues was released in 2006, but was temporarily banned from British airplay due to its politically sensitive lyrics. Not one to shy from controversy Riz followed up in 2007 with Sour Times, a musical sideswipe at the political fallout of the July 7th bombings.

The same year he was selected as a BBC Introducing artist, playing both the Glastonbury Festival and the BBC Electric Proms.

Last year he opened the Meltdown Festival with guest directors Massive Attack and was appointed Emerging Artist in Residence at the Southbank Centre. Riz is signed to Crosstown Rebels/Battered Records.

In addition to music Riz is also an acclaimed acting talent. He first found fame in Michael Winterbottom’s issue-fuelled 2006 docudrama Road To Guantanamo, before bursting onto our screens in Peter Kosminsky’s controversial Channel4 drama, Britz. Other starring roles in television series soon followed, including Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set and ITV’s banking thriller, Wired. Riz also starred in Asian Dub Foundation’s pioneering work for the English National Opera, Gaddafi.

A graduate of Oxford University Riz trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Directed by Kully Thiarai and Abdul Shayek Salaam will be a unique platform allowing young Muslim men an artistic voice to talk about the issues that confront their community.

From South Asian to Somali, Iranian to Iraqi Salaam will utilise the diversity of Greater Manchester’s Islamic community to create what is destined to be a challenging and intellectually provocative night.

Salaam will be held on Saturday 30th May at Contact at 8pm. All tickets £5. Tickets 0161 274 0600.

• Print
• Email
• Share