22/03/2022 - In their first feature, Darragh Carey and Bertrand Desrochers take a modern approach to subtly explore the issues of everyday racism and class privilege

A Brixton Tale [+see also:
trailer
interview: Darragh Carey, Bertrand Des…
film profile], the debut feature film by the young Irish and Quebecker directorial duo Darragh Carey and Bertrand Desrochers, walked away with the Cineuropa Award at the 37th Mons International Film Festival where it was screened in a Belgian premiere.

In this eponymous area of London, young YouTuber Leah (Lily Newmark) walks around camera in hand, filming the city and its people and seeking out authenticity. Fascinated by the screen presence of Benji (Ola Orebiyi), an intriguing, sweet and charismatic young man who resides in a working-class neighbourhood in the area, Leah ends up growing close to her subject and becoming a part of his story. As the two youngsters fall in love, they seek out audacious images, helping to fulfil Leah’s desire to make an authentic documentary. But as they depict their lives together, Leah, who’s single-handedly in charge of the narrative, favours an arty portrait of Benji, reducing her subject to tired stereotypes which reassure fans of the genre.

The tendency of well-off classes to fetishize urban areas is tackled head-on in the film, but in a rather modern fashion. The various screens we see, through the protagonists’ camera footage and the mise en abîme of the film editing process, act as mirrors of our own projections and privileges. Despite the film’s low budget and very short production time (18 days), there’s a certain accuracy to the screenplay which holds up well throughout, while the form and the world of images serve their purpose for the duration of the story.

On this note, special mention should be made of the approach taken by the directors and screenwriters (Rupert Baynham, Chi Mai and Darragh Carey) who worked directly with members of the Brixton community while making their film, some of whom, professional or other, ultimately appear in the film. The angle adopted by co-writer and executive producer Dennis Gyamfi, who also hails from Brixton, has proven especially vital. Judging by the result, it’s all made a real difference and has helped sidestep the pitfalls the film seeks to denounce.

Jostling alongside the movie’s central themes are various other burning issues relating to tricky neighbourhoods and modern-day youth, such as police brutality or sex tape blackmail. It’s an urban tale which ends in tragedy, highlighting people’s different realities when up against the law and encouraging us to reflect upon how we can live together.

It’s a laudable feature film (lasting 76 minutes, which is all the budget allowed, according to the directors) offering up beautiful moments and acting performances. Ola Orebiyi, who carries the film, proves himself to be as charismatic as his character and delivers a wonderful debut performance. We’re sure to see him very soon in other eye-catching productions.

A Brixton Tale is production by British firms Paradox House and Reprobate Films alongside Germany’s BWGTBLD, and is sold worldwide by Parkland Pictures.

(Translated from French)