The Long Play Sessions : Samira Ahmed with 'A Hard Day's Night'

Join us at ICMP’s Queen’s Park campus for a special in‑conversation event with award‑winning journalist, writer, and broadcaster Samira Ahmed, as she discusses her brand‑new book in the BFI Film Classics series:

A Hard Day’s Night – her deep dive into the Beatles’ groundbreaking 1964 film.

In this intimate interview, Samira will explore how A Hard Day’s Night—originally created to capture the Beatles’ explosive rise—has become a genuine cinematic classic. Drawing from her lifelong love for the film and her remarkable 2023 discovery of the earliest known full Beatles concert recording, Samira examines how the movie captured the shifting cultural landscape of 1960s Britain and redefined modern celebrity.

Expect insights into:

The film’s innovative blend of documentary realism and playful rebellion

How Beatlemania transformed ideas of fame, identity, and media

The film’s lasting influence on generations of artists, fans, and filmmakers

Samira’s personal connection to the Beatles and how the film shaped her own journey into journalism

Presented by The Long Play Sessions.

This is an 18+ event