On a summer's day in 1958, fifty seven of the era's greatest jazz musicians gathered together in Harlem, New York City. The purpose - a now legendary photograph to be taken by top snapper Art Kane. This is the fascinating story of that day and the people, many of whom had never really met before, involved, with home-movie camera clips, some great musical interludes and interviews with many of the participants 35 years on. Narrated by Quincy Jones. find out more...

Adelaide, South Australia 1958, and a young Aborigine man is on trial for the brutal rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl. His initially reluctant lawyer, David O'Sullivan, sees no hope for either himself or his client, facing as they are the might of the legal establishment, the wrath of white public opinion and a signed confession. However, when it becomes increasingly clear that the defendant had an admittance of guilt beaten out of him by the local police an epic battle for justice ensues find out more...

This dramatic history of Chicago's Chess Records has a superb soundtrack(though it consists almost entirely of covers) and its insights into the relationship between white money making businessmen and poor black talent back in the stifling '50s more than makes up for its overwrought melodrama, historic inaccuracies and poor script. find out more...

Winner of four Oscars including Best Film and Best Actress. Jessica Tandy stars as Miss Daisy, the cantankerous Jewish widow who very unwillingly has to hire a black chauffeur. Over the years these two very different people have to learn to live together. Both humourous and touching. find out more...

Halle Berry won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Dorothy Dandridge in this engrossing biopic. As the first black performer to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar back in 1954, Dandridge should have had the world at her feet, but a combination of racism, treachery, drugs and her own weakness saw her career and life ruined. Not exactly a barrel of laughs, painting as it does a shocking portrait of the racism rife in '50s Hollywood, but fascinating stuff. find out more...

1950, rural Alabama; times are hard for 'The Honeydripper' a club where traditional blues music doesn't pull the crowds, the young cotton pickers and army boys prefering a rival bar with its juke-box, but help may arrive in the help of handsome young Sonny, his electric guitar and rock'n'roll. A lovely piece of independent cinema from the maestro John Sayles; a movie about myth, about family, about change and, above all, about music. find out more...

Spike Lee's mainstream take on the ex-petty crook turned Islamic preacher and leading 60s Civil Rights spokesman Malcolm X. Washington's performance is riveting in this epic. find out more...

A mesmerising dramatisation of one of the kings, Ray Charles. Unsurprisingly the soundtrack is pure bliss, but it is Jamie Foxx in the title role that pulls everything together, an hypnotic performance of a music legend, through all his highs and lows, and one of those increasingly rare examples of a leading actor Oscar that actually makes sense. find out more...