Glasgow Documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street Becomes One of GFT’s Biggest-Ever Hits

Glasgow-made documentary Everybody to Kenmure Street has become the second-highest-grossing new release in the 52-year history of the Glasgow Film Theatre, marking a major milestone for Scottish independent filmmaking.

The achievement comes as the powerful documentary continues its successful cinema run eight weeks after release and ahead of a special anniversary Q&A screening on Wednesday, 13 May, commemorating five years since the dramatic events that inspired the film.

Directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Felipe Bustos Sierra, best known for Nae Pasaran, the documentary first premiered as the sold-out Opening Gala of the 2026 Glasgow Film Festival, then went on to win a Special Jury Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Since then, audiences have continued to flock to screenings at the Glasgow Film Theatre, making the film one of the venue’s most successful new releases ever.

The documentary revisits the events of 13 May 2021, when a UK Home Office dawn immigration raid in Glasgow’s Pollokshields sparked one of the most significant acts of community resistance seen in Scotland in recent years.

Hundreds of residents gathered on Kenmure Street after immigration officers detained two men from the local community. Protesters surrounded the enforcement van, refusing to allow it to leave. The stand-off lasted for more than eight hours before the men were eventually released, with scenes from the protest gaining national and international attention.

Using crowd-sourced footage, verbatim testimony and carefully constructed re-enactments, Everybody to Kenmure Street places viewers in the centre of the action, capturing the emotion, urgency and solidarity that defined the day.

The upcoming anniversary screening will feature a live Q&A with prominent lawyer and campaigner Aamer Anwar, Kenmure Street resident Mohammad Asif, community member Tabassum Niamat, and actor Kate Dickie, known for roles in Game of Thrones and The Witch.

Tabassum Niamat, whose live-stream footage became central to the documentary, reflected on the emotional impact of revisiting the day through film.

“I was one of the first people there when the immigration van arrived, and I began live-streaming what was happening,” she said. “Even though I lived through it, watching the film brought everything back. It captures the tension, the waiting, and what it felt like to stand together as a community.”

She added that seeing local voices and community-recorded footage on screen had been a source of pride and showed the importance of documenting events as they unfold.

“To see the film resonate like this means a lot,” she said. “It shows how important that day was, not just for those of us who were there, but for people across the city.”

Director Felipe Bustos Sierra said the film’s success had exceeded expectations and demonstrated audiences’ appetite for local stories with global relevance.

“Two months after release, I keep hearing people say this story feels like an antidote to the times we live in,” he said. “Thank you to everyone who chose to watch a Scottish documentary in the cinema. I hope many more local filmmakers and stories receive this kind of support.”

Tickets for the anniversary Q&A screening are available through Glasgow Film Theatre. The documentary continues screening at cinemas across Scotland.