Rocks by Sarah Gavron is a sad and joyous film about the resilience and spirit of girlhood – sisterhood at its most powerful.
The Way I Live Now
by Alexa DalbyRocks
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
CAUTION: Here be spoilers
Rocks is both sad and joyous. Schoolgirl Rocks (irrepressible Bukky Bakray) is unexpectedly left to cope with caring for her sparky little brother (D’angelou Osei Kissiedu), carry on going to school and avoid being taken into care. It’s heartbreaking. But she and her friends, a multiracial inner-city group, also have the capacity to be exuberant and burst with joyful life.
Directed by acclaimed British filmmaker Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane and Suffragette) and written by Theresa Ikoko (winner of the Alfred Fagon award in 2015 for her play Girls) and Claire Wilson (Little Drummer Girl, Gangs of London), the film was uniquely crafted in collaboration with their mostly first-time actors, Bukky Bakray, Kosar Ali, Shaneigha-Monik Greyson, Ruby Stokes, Tawheda Begum, Anastasia Dymitrow and Afi Okaidja.
This eventual core group of British girls, who all come from differing cultural backgrounds including Nigerian, Somali, Polish, Bangladeshi, English and Congolese-Ghanaian, emerged out of extensive workshops in which they generously shared their experiences of growing up in the UK, friendship, their cultural identities, social media, and their school life.
The film follows teenager Rocks (Bukky Bakray), who fears that she and her little brother Emmanuel (D’angelou Osei Kissiedu) will be forced apart if anyone finds out they are living alone. With the help of her friends, she evades the authorities and navigates the most defining days of her life. Rocks is a film about the joy, resilience and spirit of girlhood.
Rocks is a really special British film that needs our love and attention and we’re giving you a little something extra to make the experience special…
There’s an exclusive pre-recorded introduction and post screening discussion with director Sarah Gavron, associate director Anu Henriques and writers Theresa Ikoko & Claire Wilson for audiences to watch.
The introduction and Q&A will be available on selected shows at Barbican and the introduction will be available on all shows at Curzon Aldgate, Curzon Bloomsbury, Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho, Curzon Victoria and Curzon Wimbledon.
These screenings are part of RECLAIM THE FRAME’s mission to bring ever-greater audiences to films by women, showcasing wider perspectives of the world – join us to help make the film the absolute success it deserves to be.
Also Riverside Studios:
Following the 1740pm show on 18 Sept Riverside Studios will host a live Zoom Q&A with the filmmakers behind the acclaimed new drama Rocks: Anu Henriques (associate director), Theresa Ikoko (writer), Claire Wilson (writer), and Faye Ward (producer).
Rocks premiered at the BFI London Film Festival and is released on 18 September 2020 in the UK.
