Movie Title: Farming
Runtime: 1hr 47mins
Where to watch: Prime Video (rent or buy)
Year of release: 2018
Director: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Genre: Autobiography
In the wake of the recent currently ongoing xėnophobic attacks and widespread violent riots on immigrants and their properties in the United Kingdom following the gruesome mürder of three little girls aged 6, 7 and 9 in Southport, England by a 17-year old, this British-Nigerian feature film based on the producer’s true life story couldn’t have been more apt as at the time of posting this review!
Apparently, there had been a predominantly not-so-palatable practice between the 1960s and 1980s set mostly in the South Eastern parts of England, where specifically, Nigerian parents would give out their children to white families with the hopes of a better future. This practice was known as FARMING!
Synopsis:
Enitan (Damson Idris) was farmed out by his father and mother (Genevieve Nnaji) to a British family.
Having his own personal struggles as a child with difficulty in maintaining a steady education growing up as a result of feelings of isolation and a wild temper, talented Eni found himself being tortured by a skinhead gang called “Tilbury Skins”
Traumatised at home by his British family making jest of him and brutalised outside by the gangs and school mates with abusive and ràcial comments, Eni would then yield and give into believing that he is what they say he is (cöon to be specific). He would later succumb and join the skinheads in their dirty, búllying, shamefully and cringey acts.
Is there really a place for an innocently bastardised child in the midst of a white criminal gang whose motto is “keep Britain white?” Does he really belong with them? Why not grab your popcorn and/or movie-pal and treat yourself to this?
It was traumatic watching this film told from the personal perspective of the director who had himself been subjected to a traumatic childhood. My adrenaline was running high.
In the part of the pig at the scrap yard (the hangout spot for the skinheads), I actually skipped it. Not sure what eventually happened there, I was already at an emotional climax…couldn’t be asked.
Personally, I find that the scenes with the skin heads was extended unnecessarily. Maybe to portray and establish in the minds of the viewers what the Adewale suffered, I think it was deliberate.
I would however have loved to see a much more detailed parts of how he rose up beyond his experience to carve a good life. That would have been more relieving
Initially, this started slow but picked up. The actors moreso, delivered. Damson on the other hand, he didn’t deliver…he lived and embodied his part.
His performance was beyond REAL and NATURAL. It appeared like it was his story. He took it quite personal. Dude ate that role and left no crumbs. An award winning act
Camera angles, injury details, costumes and all were incredible. A particular lesson to draw from this is that no matter how much suffering and hunger, no one would look after your child like you would. Also, contentment is great gain. The grass always looks greener on the other side till you cross over.
People should learn to appreciate their own and stop believing that other people are better than them. To me, everyone is absolutely unique as far as the HUMAN RACE is concerned. No race is more superior than the other!!!
Overall, I loved how educational and historical this is, giving us a pinch of a hint of what racism feels like.
