TimeOut London decreed that One Mile Away “could well be this year’s most important British film.” I’d seen the film several weeks ago and would never have come to that conclusion, however due to a screening during the Barbican’s Framed Film Festival last weekend I had the opportunity to see it again, along with a screen talk with director Penny Woolcock and a selection of stars from the film. It was watching it for a second time that really altered my opinion.
One Mile Away is the latest feature film from controversial director Penny Woolcock. The documentary tells the story of two opposing gang members’ attempts to call a truce to the feud that has divided inner city Birmingham for years. Woolcock uses interviews, archive footage of last summer’s riots, and hip-hop performances to weave together the struggles each side faced in the journey towards reconciliation. The documentary highlighted the regular occurrence of gun crime and the devastating affects the post-code rivalry had on the communities, along with Dylan and Shabba’s uphill struggle to change gang culture from the inside out.
The film is a raw interpretation of an utterly hopeless situation. As the government continues to throw money at Birmingham in an attempt to curtail the gang culture, problems only seem to get worse: more people are killed as less people appear to care. This horrifying situation has become the norm, making it increasingly difficult to tackle and find viable solutions to stop the violence.
The use of music performances throughout the film was inspired, despite being jarring, out of place and a little distasteful at times. It provided a recurrent theme that united the opposing gangs, highlighting their similarities rather than their differences. However, it did partially glamorise gang culture despite the film’s best intentions not to, as more often than not the men on screen evidently saw themselves as Birmingham’s answer to 50 Cent, rapping in the suburbs and loving every minute of it. Nothing detracts from the uphill struggle of conflict resolution than a rap complete with the odd subtitle for explanation purposes. Shots of the men being greeted in the streets by admiring young boys and squealing girls clamouring for photos didn’t help their serious ‘non-celebrity’ cause.
Although important, the music was limited in comparison to the archive footage of riots from both last year and in 1985. Deviating from the path of gang rivalry quite significantly, Woolcock chose to include the effects of the riots in the film. Having erupted during filming, they were a clear example of the ridiculousness of the entire conflict: the 4 days of rioting bought about a temporary and unquestioned truce. United against a common enemy (the police) the two sides channelled their frustration and anger towards the establishment, with the belief that they were merely fighting a continuation of the “race war” that has divided Britain for decades. The complete change in plot line opened up provocative issues surrounding racism, corruption in the police service, and a general dissatisfaction with the government, while simultaneously emphasising the striking similarities between the Burgers and the Johnsons (the two warring factions).
If anything One Mile Away clearly highlights just how remarkable the actions of Dylan and Shabba are. By actively tackling the problem from the inside out, the two men laid their lives on the line in the hope that any change – no matter how small – would mean their children could grow up in a safer city. They inspired members of each side to become passionate about the future and make positive moves towards a peaceful solution. As a result, a social enterprise is being rolled out to local schools to educate teenagers about the dangers of gang culture, with 3 programmes focusing on music and drama, PSHE lessons, and about the documentary, all aiming to change the mind-set of the next generation. Given the environment several years ago, this development is pretty incredible.
One Mile Away is an emotive, interesting and illuminating film, shining a light on a “lost generation” and an absurd fight over a postcode. By the end you’re willing for a positive end to the negotiations, derailed temporarily by the riots. It’s an on-going process, still under scrutiny today, but in the words of Shabba, “it’s a journey that’s worth it.”
No comments:
Post a Comment