FARMING

UK, 2018, 104 minutes, Colour.

Damson Idris,, Kate Beckinsale, John Dagleish, Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje, Gugu Mbather Raw.

Directed by Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje.

No, this is not an agricultural film as the title seems to suggest.

Rather, it takes us back to the 1970s and 1980s in the UK, the particular phenomenon of African families, in this case from Nigeria, bringing a child to the United Kingdom, entrusting the child to foster care so that it will be educated and have a future.

The film announces that it is based on a true story – in fact, it has been written and directed by

Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje who has had a prominent film and television career. The director plays the role of his father in this film.

Audiences are introduced to the African setting, life in Nigeria, the difficulties for a family, wanting the betterment of their children, going to England, going to Essex, and finding a foster carer. However, the caring is more than a touch Dickensian in the 20^th century, Kate Beckinsale playing Ingrid, the matriarch who at some stages has 10 children in her care. She can be harsh, care-less, sometimes caring, comparing notes with the other mothers in the town.

The boy grows up, racially abused, verbally and physically, resenting being black, a powerful scene where he scrapes himself to remove the black colour and covers himself with talcum powder. But, not what the audiences might have been expecting, he actually identifies with the local gang in Tilbury who have been persecuting him, becoming part of the gang, the gang leaders pet, trying to prove himself as violent and racially hostile as the gang itself. There does not seem to be a redemption.

However, there is a sympathetic character in the film, Miss Dapo, played by Gugu Mbathe Raw, very sympathetic, almost too good to be true, not seeming to make headway with the boy but eventually an influence which leads him to breaking out of his entrapment, further education, career, and in a collage at the end, an honour from the Royal family.

1. Based on a true story, actual events? Based on the writer-director’s own experience? His memories, interpretation, ultimate success?
2. The situation in the UK, the 1970s and 80s, the experience of racism, migrants from Africa? Policies of assimilation? Racial superiority?
3. The background of Nigeria, Nigerian society, difficulties, poverty, lack of education?
4. Parents, wanting the better for their children, going to England, farming their children, paying substantial amounts of money, the fostering parents and families?
5. The experiences of Enitan, in Nigeria, his age, young, with his parents, family, needs? Possibilities for education? His being taken to Essex, his parents, handing over the money, their hopes, Ingrid, the many and foster care? The home life? Enitan growing up in this context?
6. Ingrid, as a person, as a foster mother, sometimes harsh, sometimes caring, the many children, her treatment of them, assumptions about them? The other women in the town, the meetings, the discussions?
7. The police, in the town, discussions with Ingrid, dealings with the gang?
8. Enitan, into adolescence, the racial prejudice, at school, verbal attack, the physical attack, violence? The consequences for an adolescent boy, the scene of scrubbing himself, the white talcum powder, wanting to be white?
9. The group at school, the local gangs, Levi and his leadership, the other members of the gang, there are attacks on Enitan, this taking its toll? The personalities of Levi and the gangs, the racial attitudes, their behaviour, moral and amoral perspectives?
10. The treatment of Enitan, brutal, the effect on him, his gradually identifying with them, wanting to be part of the gang, Levi taking him on, almost making him a pet, his moves with the gang, the range of behaviour, breaking the law, brutality?
11. The possibilities for saving him? The visit of his parents and their concern?
12. The importance of Miss Dapo and her influence, as a person, her role, official, society, concern, compassion for Enitan? Trying to deal with him, the various reactions on his part? Her perseverance?
13. The overwhelming portrait of racial hounding, persecution, humiliation, the effect on Enitan? Ultimately destructive? But the possibility of some kind of redemption, the final collage of his change, education, degree, the royal family? The fact that the fictitious Enitan is now the writer and director, an actor of the father’s role, in this film?