A powerful short film is challenging prejudice against asylum seekers.
Xenophobia has arguably never been more rife in this country, and much of it is directed at small boats. Anti-immigration campaigners paint a picture of an armada making its way towards UK shores, dehumanising those who are fleeing their home countries.
Max Burgoyne-Moore and Salvatore Scarpa’s short film, Largo, hopes to change this narrative.
Zack Elsokari plays Musa, a child separated from his parents on the bleak south English seaside. Tamsin Greig plays his foster parent, strained and worried over the kitchen table with a cigarette in hand.
Musa, desperate to be reunited with his parents and alienated by both the bullying local children and the equally infantile adults (including a gruff Kevin McNally playing the role of the bitter Angus), hatches a dangerous plan: to build a boat and escape these unfriendly isles, back to wherever in the world his parents are.
But Greig is on hand to show the kindness humans are really capable of, standing up to some of the unfriendly people Musa encounters and bonding with the clearly traumatised child.
The simple and arresting plot is brought to life with deft, delicate performances from all involved - especially Greig - and makes notably lovely use of light and dream scenes.
In one particularly moving moment, a cold pebble beach is scattered with red lifejackets as Musa’s parents stand staring out to sea, just out of reach.
The film, produced by the Academy Award-winning team at Slick Films, was released earlier this year and has been on the festival circuit since July. It was screened at a Stoke Newington school on 13 November and is due to be shown in Parliament on 25 November.
Next year, it is due to be played in schools as part of Refugee Week, which begins on June 15.
There are around 6,000 unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in care across the UK - a concerningly high number of lonely children. Just 19 minutes is all it takes for Largo to unravel the fantasy of the “stop the boats” narrative.
