Birmingham's Magic City: Sun Ra's Afrofuturism

0:00It's April 1st, Birmingham News, today starts now, AI-powered and ready. Birmingham's gearing up for a special outdoor screening of the documentary, The Magic City, Birmingham, according to Sunra at Sloss Fernandez's National, historic landmark. This marks the film's official Alabama debut as part of the year of Birmingham Jazz initiative. It's free and open to all, happening under the water tower on the north side of the campus. The movie just had its U.S. premiere at the Big Ears Festival in Memphis, Tennessee. Director Guillaume MaPan highlights how Sunra, born and raised here, drew deep from the city's vibes, steel mills, civil rights struggles, southern. Roots, to craft his wild cosmic sound. Sunra's experimental jazz flipped Birmingham's story from Gritty History to a launch pad for Afro-futurism. His boundary-breaking tracks echo the city's transformation, turning everyday struggle into visions of freedom and identity that still resonate today.

1:01Doors open at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 2nd, 2026, with the film kicking off at 8 p.m. Stick around after for a Q&A with directors Guillaume MaPan and Pablo Guarries. This screenings a perfect chance to catch that spark where Birmingham meets the stars. Don't sleep on it.