‘Sometimes it’s not perfect, but it works’: film-maker Charles Burnett on his chronicling of Black working-class life

A newly restored version of Charles Burnett’s 1983 film *My Brother’s Wedding* is reaching audiences again after decades in which it was difficult to see. The tragicomedy draws on a real dilemma from Burnett’s life and explores the principles and maturity involved in caring for others.

Burnett’s film follows Pierce Mundy, torn between attending a wedding and the funeral of a childhood friend. Production problems left the film with an unfinished cut that was released against Burnett’s wishes; this year, he supervised a digital restoration with several film and archive organisations. The restoration follows renewed interest in Burnett after his 1978 debut *Killer of Sheep* was restored in 2025, and the new version is screening in the US and is due to reach UK and European cinemas later this year.