Celebration Day: Poet Hussain Manawer performs ‘Soft Heart’ in honour of his late mother

Hussain Manawer, the Sunday Times bestselling poet and author of Life is Sad and Beautiful, reads an original poem titled “Soft Heart” in memory of his late mother on what would have been her birthday. The short film, directed by Oliver Parker and shot at Dr Johnson’s House in London, is part of a series to commemorate Celebration Day – a nationwide movement that encourages Brits to take a moment and remember those we have lost who have shaped our lives. Curated by Allie Esiri, the films will be published exclusively on The Independent in the lead-up to Celebration Day on Monday 25 May.