Part documentary, part personal essay, this experimental film combines archive imagery with the striking wintry landscapes of Alaska to tell the story of immigrant experience coming into the UK from 1960 onwards.
Backed by audio of famous literary texts, it’s a demanding, high-brow watch, yet ably conveys the rootlessness and dislocation of the immigrant experience.
Spoken word, music and imagery come together to create moments of transcendent beauty. Wise and rather wonderful.
White society is blamed for a lot in this film. But apparently it still has the last word on culture and history, white or black.
A thoughtful cine-essay.
It is worth watching alone for the faces of children and adults just arrived in the country, bemused yet hopeful – these are Akomfrah's fantastic discovery, and the centrepiece of his haunting meditation.
An open essay film which lingers long in the memory. A success.
A beautifully composed but intensely frustrating docu-essay.
A haunting odyssey on immigration could have been among the last of its kind – but a funding review may well bring a reprieve for 'arty' movies.
A handsome, restful, thought-provoking film.
John Akomfrah: migration and memory
General release. Check local listings for show times.
RSS feed of Cinema reviews