Introduction
Town Joolz is an experimental documentary following a poetic journey through the city of Bradford by award-winning poet and writer Joolz Denby.
The programme, produced by new filmmakers from Bradford, focuses on the people living in the city and how their lives are affected by the current regeneration.
Bradford
Bradford was once the wool capital of the world, with more millionaires per square mile than anywhere else. Unfortunately the decline of the trade has left the city with large levels of unemployment. To spur the economy, the council is regenerating the entire city centre.
This isn't the first time. In the 1960s a mass regeneration happened in the city. Many beautiful older buildings, still solid, were knocked down to make room for cheaply built concrete shopping plazas. Now that the concrete has starting to decay, new buildings with 20 year lifespans are being put in their place.
Joolz Denby
Joolz Denby is considered to be the UK's foremost spoken-word artist. Her epic poem, Bradford, drives the documentary forward as she meets Bradfordians and talks of her plans for a more lasting city centre.
Joolz has lived in Bradford her whole life. Her memories of the city have fuelled her enthusiasm for it, and her frustration with the Council's unwillingness to accept new ideas lead her to become involved with this film.
The future
What do the people of Bradford think about the Council's contraversial 'Alsop Plan'? Will Joolz Denby convince the citizenry that a park is preferable to a shopping mall?