A Moving Image (2016) - full transcript
An artist returns to her gentrified community where she explores her social position and complicity in the rapid changes.
- Brixton!
Right, drink?
Yeah, cool.
So how was your holiday?
- Oh yeah, it was so good.
I loved it, like, Istanbul
is pretty amazing.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Especially 'cause I was working
for like
four weeks solid before I went.
- Yeah.
- So it was a really well
deserved break.
- I'd love to go,
it sounds amazing.
- Oh, I know,
we totally should, like--
- Hang on.
What happened to caff?
- Yeah, man, they had
to close down.
- What?
- Yeah.
- Last time I was here you said
they were doing all right.
- I think he's got some
kind of online thing going.
Let me go.
No.
You can't stop me
from leaving.
- I know.
- So let me go.
No, no, hang on, wait.
- Sorry.
- Sorry.
What's the problem?
- Well, it's basically rape,
isn't it?
I don't get your point.
- Well, one minute she's saying
let me go,
and he doesn't let her, and,
and then the next minute they're
having hot, rough sex
on the floor.
She doesn't know what
she wants.
- Well it seems like she wants
to leave.
That's what she says.
What she wants is to have
hot, rough sex on the floor.
- I'm having problems getting
from the no to the yes.
- Yeah, that's okay,
that's okay.
Just um...
just think about it.
Have you ever said something
but meant something else?
Not in a rape context,
no.
- Stop, stop calling it that.
- John.
Maybe we can take a break.
- Yeah, that's all well
and good but
will we have enough time
with 12 girls to see?
So what's it gonna be?
- Look, you don't have
to do it, it's fine.
- No, it's fine,
we'll try again.
- Good.
That's the spirit.
Let's take it from
"Let me go!"
I just wanna hear the
words of truth.
I like truth.
- Let me go!
- No.
- You have to let me go.
Whoa, whoa,
what's wrong?
- I just can't.
What the fuck, Mickey?
- Sorry.
She's fucking up
the vibe.
- It might be a script issue.
- I think we're done here.
- Okay, thank you.
- What you doing?
Hey!
Hey, hey!
Hang on a second.
- What?
- Look, he's just really tired.
I'm just not
feeling it.
- Look, will you give
me a second?
Look, you know I get to
have a bit
of a say about what happens
on this project, right?
- Yeah, I know you're famous.
- That's got nothing to
do with it, come back.
Let's workshop it, we
can make some changes,
I know that character
needs some work done on it.
- Yeah, it doesn't make
any sense.
- Well look, let's do it.
We've seen a load of girls
this week.
Look, I shouldn't really
say it but
you've been the best by far.
We could meet up tomorrow.
Just you and me, we could have
a look at the script then.
Where are you based?
Brixton.
- Brixton.
Really?
I've literally just
moved into a flat there.
Rushcroft Road.
John's got your number, right?
Can I text you later?
- If I say yes
will you let me leave?
- Yes.
Then move.
Nice jacket,
by the way.
That's what
I remember.
I remember!
I remember getting stripped,
I remember getting beaten.
I remember them laughin',
laughin' in my face,
spittin' on me!
- So, how did it go?
- One character was called
Brown Vixen.
What?
- It's a step-up from Hood Girl.
- Yeah, I suppose.
Do we have to go out?
Yes, we have to.
- Why?
- Because I've set you up
on a date.
- What, you said we were going
to a gig.
- We are.
We're gonna see my mate
Ayo play.
- No!
Oh my God, Isha, why?
- It's not really a date.
It's more like two friends
hanging out
in a bar with drinks
and soft lighting.
- No.
- Come on.
No, no.
- One drink, Nina.
One drink, I promise.
And then we'll leave.
Please?
- One drink.
I can't believe you.
I can't believe you.
Let's do this.
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
- And then I finally picked up
the phone.
The end, show's over.
Thanks for coming, guys.
- Let's just go.
- No, no, let's go say hi!
Hey, homie!
- Hey!
Thanks for coming down.
- Of course.
- What you think?
- Yeah, it was good.
It was intense,
but what happened to your band?
- Fuckin' with the process,
I had to fire them.
Hey.
What'd you think?
- Oh, um ...
I didn't get it.
Really, what didn't
you get?
- Any of it?
- Well, were you listening?
- Guys, introductions.
Ayo, this is Nina, Nina,
this is Ayo.
As you both know, I'm
hooking you up tonight,
so how about we don't talk about
the show?
But I'll see you guys later
with babies!
- So what didn't you get?
I don't think we're
allowed to talk about that.
- Why, because you
weren't listening?
- No, no, I think I was,
that's how I figured out
that I didn't get it.
- I specifically asked Isha
for someone who's into art.
- So, because I didn't get
your show,
I'm not into art?
That's pretty pretentious.
Look, Isha set this up,
clearly neither of us
is interested,
but let's just humor her
and get a drink, shall we?
Alright.
What you do?
- She didn't say?
- She said you were talented.
- Really?
- Nah.
- You really can't take
criticism, can you?
I mean, when you were screaming,
"And it rang, and it rang"
like a fucking maniac,
who was ringing?
- God.
God?
- Yeah.
- And what did he want?
- He wanted me to pick up
the phone.
- Why, so he could tell
you to rehire your band?
Why did you fire them anyway?
- Creative differences,
I evolved, they didn't.
- Well, it takes some guts to
switch out like that, so ...
- Thanks.
So, Isha says you
live in Brixton.
- Mm-hmm.
You going to reclaim?
- Yeah, definitely.
- Cool.
Fuckin' hate what's going on
down there,
they kicked me out of my squat.
So, do you wanna
tour this place?
- What, now?
Yeah.
- Okay?
Look, run your
idea past me again.
- Look, I want my next project
to be about the changes
in Brixton.
- Why?
- Half the people we
used to know
don't live anymore, the shops
we used to go to when we
were kids,
they're all closing down.
I mean, you can tell,
there's this
weird atmosphere around
here now.
I just think that
this project is what
I've been looking for.
What?
- I just think it's a really
complex situation, Nina.
- Yes, but
do you remember how no-one
used to wanna come here?
How we would lie to people
at school
about where we live 'cause
we were so embarrassed.
I've seen those people
by the way,
and they live here now.
- You know how much I hated
that place,
but I mean,
why were we even there?
Why was everything we
were told to aspire to
as far away from this place
as possible?
Can we really be mad at
people for valuing it now?
- I think we can.
I mean, Reclaim has
5,000 people signing
up to attend the event.
I'm gonna go, film,
see what I can get.
- Look, cool.
What do you need?
Like, what kind of
project is it?
- Well, I haven't put a label
on it now,
but I, I'm gonna get some
interviews, and
I don't know, could you edit?
- Sure.
What's the budget?
- Bitch, please.
We need to
close down the prisons!
We need to erase people
from retention!
We need to support the
women on hunger strike!
All those scum are the ones ...
We take London,
and we take Brixton!
- Hiya.
Excuse me, I'm doing
a visual arts project.
And I was just wondering if
you'd like
to do an interview.
- So, which organization
are you from?
It's just me.
It's kind of like a
visual arts project.
It's my own thing where I'm just
exploring the subject and
what reclaiming Brixton
means to you.
What do you think?
It's just two questions.
- Go on then.
Cool.
All right so, if you just
stand there.
Yeah, we'll get your sign
as well, that's cool.
- The reason why Brixton
is so popular
is because it's so diverse.
Anything that you want to buy,
you can come to Brixton
and you can get it.
It doesn't matter where
you are in the world,
you can come to Brixton
and you can find it.
- We were a part of the riots,
we are part of that story of
the building up of Brixton,
and so it's very, very important
for me to be here and
for me to show my presence,
and to support reclaim Brixton.
- Here in Brixton right now,
the real people, the people that
are part of this community
are being forced out.
This is years back in the 70's
and 80's,
there was wholesale
redevelopment,
whole communities were destroyed
and pushed out, it wasn't
so much about money,
but now these developers
don't give a flying fuck
about, they don't have
a social conscience.
They don't care about
these communities,
whether they be
social or living,
all they're interested in,
one thing,
and that is this, right?
It's how big this money is.
And they say, oh right,
we'll give you a new home,
you can go to Hastings,
you can go
halfway across the country.
It's destroying whole families,
and communities, and I
actually live in Peckham.
I live in Nunhead near Peckham.
Right, and people are saying,
oh,
Peckham's gonna become trendy,
and I say, for fuck's sake,
don't let Peckham become trendy!
Like Brixton has become.
Because the thing about Peckham
it's got the largest Nigerian
population in London.
It's down-to-earth, what
you see is what you get,
there's no Costa fucking Coffee,
or Foxtons, it's
straightforward, down-to-earth.
Please don't make Peckham
trendy like Brixton!
Thank you.
- These are the journals of God.
Therefore, our dearly
loved children.
The word can only attend these
if we live according to
the word of the Bible.
In the name of the Father
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
Live a life of love just
like Christ loved us,
he gave himself up for us.
And as a sacrifice to God.
And you have all the power,
the all-conquering all-merciful,
all graceful God.
You will have the power
when the holy spirit
comes unto you.
This is where you live?
- It's temporary.
- And it's just you here?
- Yeah, but it's just
for a couple of weeks
while I sort myself out.
- Sort yourself out?
- Yeah.
So what do you think of my plan?
- Your plan has one major flaw.
What's that?
- You.
- What?
You're essentially
gentrification.
I grew up here.
- Look, you might have grew
up here back in the day,
but things have changed.
And now you're occupying space,
like this.
- It's a favor, it's just for a
few weeks.
- I wanna help.
I fucking hate what's
going on here
with people like you.
I joke.
I don't hate you.
But if you wanna
do this project,
you seriously have
to acknowledge
your part in all this.
- My part?
- I'd say the thing to Isha.
- Wake up Brixton.
Wake up, this isn't Thorston,
this isn't Shoreditch.
It's not all about
wheat-free, gluten-free,
frappuccinos, yeah, yeah,
you drink your coffee,
but you understand that we're
still here,
the real Brixton is still
here that we need to respect,
we need to be recognized,
we need to be understood.
It's all the same to you,
isn't it?
You just ignore,
but we're still here,
we're still part of this place.
You try and buy us out,
you try and beat us out,
but we might just have to
burn it down.
- These developers--
So what do you think?
- I'm gonna need some more time.
- No, about him blaming
us for gentrification.
- Don't you have to be white to
do that?
- Just 90 % of the time.
- I was born and raised here,
I think it's bull to
put me in that bracket.
- Exactly.
- But he has a point with you.
- What?
- I mean, you left.
You left for a while,
to make it worse
you went to East London.
Everyone knows that's ground
zero for
the hipster apocalypse.
- It's not my fault
my mum was uppity,
you know what she's like.
You got me this place.
At a rate
I couldn't afford.
- So what, do you think I look
fucking stupid doing this?
- Look, just acknowledge it in
the work.
Your new
home, you can go to--
Okay.
What are you doing there?
- I'm just eating kale.
I can see that.
Why?
- Just what I do all day.
After pilates and yoga, and
a little trip to Pret.
Couldn't you
get a little bit of a
protein or carb with that?
I mean, nobody just eats kale
like that.
- How would you know?
I don't.
- Sure you don't dabble?
Absolutely not.
I don't even touch foods with
the letter O in them in case
it's organic.
- Very deep of you.
I know.
Taste good?
- I put so much seasoning on it.
I'm gonna gag.
I don't even know
how you can eat that stuff.
I'm more of a spinach girl.
- I get what you think of me,
and I accept it, I've spoken to
Isha, and
I wanna approach
this in a sensitive way.
I wanna meet people, I
want to get their stories,
I wanna see how they feel,
and I think that you
are the person
that is gonna bring me
to those people.
- Let me think about it.
- What is there to think about?
- They're my people.
It's not just putting
you in contact,
it's vouching for you.
- So vouch for me!
- Well let me think about it.
So, I was thinking.
I want someone to record
my next performance.
- Oh really?
- Yes, really.
- I guess I'll think about it.
So what is
your next performance?
You've had a call from God,
you've resurrected Christ.
What's next, bum-raped by Satan?
- Do you know,
I don't think you're engaging
with my work.
- I guess ...
I think that you hide behind it.
I mean, yeah,
it's a big spectacle,
but I ...
I guess I struggle to see
what it's all about, really.
- I think I could say
the same thing about you.
I think it's really
important to figure out
why you're trying to
create this project.
Is that cool?
- Yeah.
I don't think it'll make
the final edit though,
'cause ...
I just don't feel
that comfortable
with sharing that side.
That's fine, but
I think it'll be really
good for your own records,
and it'll help.
- Okay.
So tell me about your
experiences of depression.
- I've struggled with
depression since I was a teen.
What does it look like?
For you.
- I don't think I wanna
say much more than
that to be honest.
I think that's fine, like.
I think it's important.
If you want people to
share themselves with you,
I think it's important for you
to share yourself with them.
- Yeah, but we're talking about
a subject, a very
specific subject.
I wanna talk ...
Just, just stick to ...
I think it's
relevant to the subject,
I mean, we're talking
about gentrification here,
and the changes, you know.
How do you know the people
that you're not talking to
don't, or aren't affected by
the same things that you are?
- I'm just hoping to
discover that.
Look, just stop asking me, okay?
I don't really wanna go
much further with that,
I've given you as much of
an answer as I wanna give.
Yeah, but I think
your depression's important
to why you're doing
this project.
- Isha, you've never asked me
this before,
and you're asking me now.
With a camera there.
That's okay.
I'm being honest with you now.
- You're sick!
What are you doing?
Just leave it!
I'm just trying
to work out
why you're trying to
create this project.
I'm trying to get to know
- Yeah, but--
Where you're at.
- That, it doesn't have
anything to do with it.
It doesn't have anything
to do with it, okay?
I was looking for something.
I get my inspiration from
the street, that's it.
It clearly bothers you,
so I think it's important.
Can we stop?
What's this project
about then?
- It's just about Brixton
and how much it's changed.
I've been away
for a few years, and
when I came back it was just
don't know, it was a shock.
- So the point still stands.
You wouldn't be in my film, but
you want me to be in yours.
- It's not really a film.
- Right.
Well, I haven't got anything
interesting to say about it.
Still a good investment,
that's it.
- That's the point, years ago,
that wouldn't have happened.
- Yeah, because I never
had any money.
- And because someone
in your position
wouldn't have wanted
to come here.
- Oh, right, so you wanna
class me as the villain now?
- Look, I'm trying to show
all sides of the argument.
Think about it.
It'd be great to have someone
with your profile involved.
- Right, if I do it, I'm gonna
want something in return.
- Like what?
- Wouldn't you like to know?
- So you're a filmmaker?
- Yeah, well this is more
of a visual art project.
But I'm really excited about it,
and I'm so happy that Ayo
put us in touch.
- Is that how you met,
through film?
- No, we were introduced
by a mutual friend.
- Cool, have you been filming
for long?
- A few years now.
But this project is
really fresh.
- Okay, so in a nutshell, what,
what are you trying to
achieve here?
- Well, Ayo said you
work in the community,
holding discussions
and protests,
and I was hoping to film
some of these,
or interview some
people involved.
- Yeah, I know that but
I think my question is why?
- I wanna address the changes.
- And what does that
really mean?
I don't get your politics.
I'm interested in how the
old community
gets sort of pushed
out and sterilized.
And all we've got left are
gourmet-fried chicken shops
and Bob Marley hats
but no black people,
you know what I mean?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I get you.
But, I don't think this
is just about race.
- Well, we're in Brixton,
there's no
real separating this from
race anymore.
I mean, take a good
look at what's going on.
- I am.
- You want to make this
piece of art, I get it,
you wanna make a difference, but
I need to protect the people I
work with,
and make sure
they're not exploited.
- Mmm.
I'm not trying to
exploit anyone,
I'm just trying to help.
- Help who?
Look, my advice,
do some research.
- Well, I mean,
this would definitely
be part of it, and I am,
I'm walking the streets,
I'm really observing what's
around me,
and to meet the people you know
would just be the next step,
it would be so helpful.
- Okay, but have you
done any groundwork,
like have you looked at sort of,
I don't know, case histories or
Brixton in the past,
photographs.
- No, but that's a great idea.
I really wanna explore
that route.
And you know, I'm from Brixton,
I'm from the area, I
feel very attached to it,
so yeah, I think I can
bring a really honest
and sensitive portrayal.
- So is it from your viewpoint,
or is it--
- Yeah, I wanna talk
about gentrification.
- Okay well, it sounds, dunno,
it sounds really interesting,
it sounds like an
interesting project.
- Cool.
♪ Past this street,
quarter to three ♪
♪ Heading to the all night
Turkish grocery ♪
♪ Girl in front of me
once she grabbed ♪
♪ Made me flash right
back to flap mou-chaff ♪
♪ Just the bowl of Brooklyn be
♪ Funny how little things
♪ Take you right back there
♪ Coming out Subway
at about 5 a.m., ♪
♪ Memory of this little jam
♪ Who's a veritable sign
in a crosshats sights ♪
♪ Makes my Wednesday evening
dream of Wednesday night ♪
♪ Came the Camberwell
from the pubs ♪
♪ Lost a little reserve
♪ Strutting like it's really in
the spug ♪
♪ The hipsters slop
the bathing ♪
♪ Talk to mates
and stay the walk ♪
♪ Swear I was in East New York
♪ East New York
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Jesus turned water into wine
♪ A plane ticket right
now would do just fine ♪
♪ Down the road in Dulwich
♪ They be living up nice
♪ Kinda life for me
♪ There's always two sides
♪ Things are changing anything
in Peckham ♪
♪ Not just the gangs,
normal buses ♪
♪ Bend it like Beckham
♪ Now be cage some blue,
some red ♪
♪ Both eat jerk chicken hard
dough bread ♪
♪ It's like a fountain
of an unf ♪
♪ When my spaceship hit
planet Brooklyn's turf ♪
♪ And I they welcome me
there too ♪
♪ Totem and bush with my
feedback soon ♪
♪ But it's June turn into June
♪ I can't lie,
some more Brixton held ♪
♪ And Crown Heights,
but sister Rasta ♪
♪ Still got the same vibes
♪ Oh my, sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ They just designed
all the time ♪
♪ In the people on
♪ Ain't just because
and the drugs ♪
♪ And the dealers
♪ Uh oh
♪ Aint just the bus put
your mind into a fever ♪
♪ Oh yeah
♪ It's just the way every day
♪ I get that feeling
♪ Oh
♪ It's just these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind of Brooklyn
♪ It's just these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
- Always nice to see Big Ben.
- You ever spoken to him?
- Yeah, I've tried but
it's a bit hard, he's
a bit scatterbrained.
- Do you know anything
about him?
- Well legend has it that
during the riots
he took a knock to the head.
- I thought that was a myth.
- No, it's real, he's
proper old school Brixton.
You know what, I'm really
liking what you're doing here.
It might even work for
the pop up exhibition
that I'm having.
- Seriously?
- Yeah.
Nothing concrete yet but,
this is what we should
be talking about, right?
- Thanks.
It's great.
Yeah, I'm happy
with what we've got.
- Me too.
I'm gonna talk to
Dionne again.
- Why?
You think she was
too hard on you?
- No.
What?
What?
Let's have a look at
these shots you've got.
Spielberg.
- This is a lady that
runs a cafe down the road.
- Oh really, which one?
- Art Nouveau?
- Okay, yeah, I know the place.
- Yeah, I was just walking past
and I went in and I
managed to speak to her
and I think she talks about some
really interesting things that
you might be interested in.
- Sure, okay.
Do I just press?
- Yeah, you just.
My name is
Betty Almahari.
I'm East African, Eritrea.
I'm a single mum with two boys,
and my relationship with
Brixton started
10 years ago when I moved in
to the Guinness Trust of
Somerlayton road.
I don't want, you know,
a big business,
or medium business
to come in there and gentrify
the Atlantic Road more.
I'd rather just keep it
as it is.
And continue to fight.
So the battle's not over.
You have to be down and out,
and completely kind of like,
having nothing for the system
to help you.
And if you try and do
and create something
and make something
out of your life,
then they do every single thing
to make sure you don't succeed.
This is not a coincidence,
this is like a plan, and
even, Lambas called it,
the master plan.
It's a plan to completely
change an area, okay?
Why are you changing the shops?
And you're getting
rid of local people
and building luxury flats.
My relationship with Brixton
will end.
Since I've moved from
Guinness Trust,
I'm not able to go back to
where I used to live.
Because it has so much memory.
And it's quite painful,
yeah, so it'll be the end.
- So?
- Yeah, I mean it's,
it's quite poignant, how did you
get her
to kind of do this
sort of interview?
- Well, I just went
into the cafe,
told her a bit about the project
and what I'm hoping to do and
yeah, I was really surprised
that she
was so willing to share with me
and I
was really happy.
- Oh, so she just kind
of was open and just
answered all your questions?
Yeah, yeah.
- That's really...
Nothing too
controversial please.
- No.
I'll make sure you
feel comfortable--
That laugh
sounds ominous.
- I just want the truth.
Right, cool.
Don't we all?
- Right.
You ready?
- Ready.
On your marks.
Sit up straight.
Will do, sorry.
Sorry Miss.
Okay.
Name.
Mickey Roland.
Occupation.
- Actor.
And you may have
recognized me from
films such as, don't laugh!
I'm actually gonna
do it to camera.
You may recognize me
from films such as
The Engines of Fury 5,
the Iron Will,
or more recently,
the Engines of Fury 6:
The Thunder Road.
- Nice.
I don't even
want you to cut that,
that's good material.
- Right, okay.
I'd like to ask you about your
relationship with
gentrification.
- Yeah, sure, okay.
Well, I'm from Bermondsey in
South London.
I grew up on an estate there.
Born and bred, normal
working class family.
What part of
Bermondsey?
- Spa Road, do you know it?
Right, well it's, I
went to secondary school
just off the old Kent Road.
Which is near there.
I suppose my relationship
with gentrification
started there really.
I started to notice
a few arty types, a bit
like you, popping up,
and then they were followed by
the more affluent people.
The quinoa and kale brigade.
Definitely cut that.
My manager will kill me if he
finds out.
He loves quinoa.
- Okay!
All right, just focus.
Sorry, sorry.
- Can you talk about why
you bought property in Brixton?
- Right, I suppose I'll
tell you a bit about,
came round to that, I,
fast forward a few years,
and I suppose I'm lucky enough
to be in a position
with the films and that
to be able to look an
buying some property,
and other friends
and people I knew
were kind of talking
about Brixton,
and Elephant and Castle as
places to,
that were good to invest to buy
a flat.
What do you think was
attracting people to Brixton?
- Transport links, a vibrant
community, all the rest.
Do you spend
much time in Brixton?
- Yeah, but like years ago.
- What do you think of the
term "social cleansing"?
- Well, it's not really
a good thing, is it?
Well, certain
members of the community
think that's what's
happening here.
What do you think about that?
- Okay.
Well
I can see, right, why some
people may think that,
but I don't think that is the
full picture
about what's happening
round here.
I'm not sure what
you're quite trying
to get me to say,
but I don't think
that it's rich people trying
to displace poor people.
Think about crazy London
property prices,
for example,
that affects everyone.
- And yet many poor people
can't afford
to live in their own
communities anymore.
Do you visit your old
community in Bermondsey?
- I haven't been there
in a while.
There's not that much
there for me anymore.
- So Bermondsey as you
knew it no longer exists.
I guess not.
- Let's talk about race.
Okay, cut it.
- What?
- Are you joking, cut it.
I thought this was supposed
to be a conversation.
It is!
- Yeah, well it feels a bit
more like an interrogation
at the moment, actually.
What are you gonna
ask me about next?
What my bank statements
look like?
Where I do my grocery shopping?
I don't think so, cut it!
And I wanna have a
look at that edit
before you do anything with it.
- Do you want this date or not?
Unbelievable.
Yeah, that's great, thanks.
- Oh, don't wanna party?
It's too early.
- It's not!
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
So have all
your interviews ended
in a bust up?
- Well.
You're my first diva actor so.
Right?
- Yeah!
Diva actor?
Yeah.
- Look, I do appreciate
what you're
trying to do with the project.
- You get it, do you?
- Course I do.
I just don't wanna be
made to look like an idiot.
Like a diva actor.
- Well, maybe don't act like
one then.
Anyway, I don't wanna
talk about work.
- Okay, well let's talk about
you then,
when do you move here
from Shoreditch?
- I don't wanna talk about
that either.
Oh, goodness me,
what do you--
- I wanna do something,
I wanna do something fun!
Like what?
- I dunno.
Oh, this is your date, by the
way, so.
Oh, is it?
- Yeah.
- You sprung that on me.
Well.
- You're good at that,
aren't you?
Springing things on people.
Enjoy it
while it lasts.
- Right.
Well, we could go for dinner.
We could go dancing.
- Let's have a dance-off.
- I haven't had a dance-off
since I was about 14.
I heard you were a
professional dancer.
- Oh really?
Who told you that?
- It was on your Spotlight--
- Because it's true.
- It was on your Spotlight CV!
It's a shame you can't be
in the film.
- Huh?
It's a shame
you can't be in my film.
- Who says I'm not?
Well you said--
- I don't wanna talk about work!
Oh God, right.
- Why do you keep trying
- Well put some music on then
- To talk about work?
- And let's dance.
- Yes, let's dance, come on.
- All I'm saying,
is that it needs to go
further, we need to push it.
'Cause what them guys
put together
weren't no protest, man,
it was a street party.
- No, there were
a lot a positives.
Positives like what?
- No-one's saying
it was perfect.
- But we need to take
the lead now.
They've had their event,
there's momentum,
but we need to do something.
- I think we need to focus more
on people on the front lines,
and there are people battling
eviction as we speak,
we need to make sure
we've got the
money to pay for their campaign.
- Yeah, but then we're gonna
lose momentum
and all that's gonna happen
is that Reclaim
are gonna throw another
fucking party.
It's much
more than that.
- Sorry, what?
- Well, I found Reclaim
really useful.
And I met a lot of people
that felt the same.
- Sorry, who are you again?
- I'm making a project about
the changes in the area.
- What kind of project?
- It's a mixture of things.
- So what's the angle?
I haven't decided
that yet.
- That's why she's here,
to get a full range of opinions.
- Reclaim Brixton was
anti-black,
and anti-working class.
Seriously?
- I had my friends
messaging me telling me,
who are all these middle-class
white folk
protesting against
gentrification?
Am I the only one that
can see the irony here?
- Some of the organizers
are black!
- So what, black people
can't be anti-black?
Reclaim was a joke!
- It wasn't a joke, there were
all kinds of people there.
Isn't that what it's about?
Bringing people together.
- No, no it's not.
It's about stopping
the social cleansing
of working class people,
so we're not overrun
by these bougie elites.
Now this is a serious
point for your project.
Yeah, it's working class people,
especially working class
black people
who are suffering the most here.
And if you aren't
down with that,
then you can never understand
the full scale of the problem.
So what's this project?
- I don't know yet,
I'm still researching.
Is it some kind of
film, yeah?
- Ahmed, chill.
- Nah, I just wanna know, innit.
Is it some kind of media, right?
- Something like that.
- Something like that?
Let me tell you something.
Them kinda projects,
they don't mean shit.
Yeah, not to real people.
- What, why the fuck
are you banging?
- Well, where were you?
- Sorry!
Sorry.
How was your performance?
It was fine,
not much going on.
You filming today?
- Nah, I think I'm gonna
take a break.
- What do you mean?
- Don't feel like doing
it anymore.
- Why?
I saw the pills.
- What pills?
- In your bathroom.
I know what you're
going through.
I've been there myself.
Nina.
If you ever wanna talk,
you know I'm here for you.
- I just need a break from it.
- Nina, what does that
even mean?
- I'm tired of it
and I need a break.
- And I have to find out
through Ayo
that you need to take a break?
- Do I have to notify you?
- Yeah, I'd appreciate it
when we've
been working on it for so long.
- You haven't been
at the meetings
with people like fucking
Ahmed telling you,
"Your work's shit, it
doesn't mean anything."
I'm tired so I'm taking a break.
- Nina, you're gonna get people
who are gonna through this shit
at you,
I mean, are you just gonna
give up at the first hurdle?
- Me, give up?
That is fucking rich
coming from you, Isha!
- What do you mean by that?
- How long since we last spoke?
Before I told you I was
coming here,
how long has it been?
- Yeah--
- Fucking months ago, Isha!
Months ago.
- And, why do you think I was?
Was it me who was running
round town
with a bunch of fucking yuppies?
- Then don't fucking blame
it on me,
"Oh, I was hanging out
with whoever."
No, Isha, you were not
here for me!
Your suicidal friend got
too fucking much for you!
Yeah, so just say it!
- Fuck you, Nina.
- Next time we should
punch it out or something.
- You'd get fucked up.
No, really.
- This is meant to be Brixton,
this is meant to be
where I'm from.
Where are all these people
coming from?
Where you can't even
walk the streets.
It looks like I'm the stranger,
how am I the stranger?
Hey, I'm allowed where I want.
- Listen, how many times do
we have to go through this?
- It's not about how many times.
- Please.
- How many times, listen man.
You must be--
- Look, look, calm down.
Can we just take a walk?
- Why are you touching me, man?
- Look, I don't wanna touch you,
just step back please.
- Let me come through.
- You cannot come through.
- Listen man.
- You can't come through.
- It's always you,
it's always the
ones like you isn't it?
- I'm not gonna tell you again.
- Fuck!
All right, all right, all right!
All right, all right!
Stop,
you're hurting him!
- My arm, my arm!
What you doing?
- I'm fucking up, ah!
My arm!
Whoa, why my fucking arm, man?
- Don't fidget.
Just hold still.
Hiya.
I'll have that please.
Thank you,
I'll have a yellow one.
Thanks.
Thank you.
- Send me your videos.
I wanna create a space where
people worldwide can post
their stories and videos.
- Like a network or something?
- Well I think they can
even discuss tactics.
See how to combat it
in their area.
- Okay, but what does that do?
- Well, it would bring
people from
not just London,
but New York, Berlin,
worldwide together on this.
- Hi Nina.
- Hey Nina.
- Hi Nina.
Gentrification in Bed-Stuy,
Brooklyn
looks like skyrocketing
rent rates.
- First of all, rents in Harlem
have gone up literally 200 %.
- Berlin is known to be hip,
chic,
and multicultural, perfect
recipe for gentrification.
It starts off with young,
broke artists
like myself moving to the city.
Of course this somewhat
individual decision
comes with a price for a
local community, right?
- With the increase of
upper-middle class white people,
particularly younger
white folks who
consider themselves artists,
comes a great deal of
infrastructure, one would say.
So you have your shops,
your boutiques,
your coffee places,
your restaurants.
- Cultures that have taken over
the world
have been invented
here literally.
Hip-hop, in part, was born here.
The black arts movement
in part was born here.
Jazz, in part, was born here.
- But what's interesting
is is that
not everyone gets to take part
in all of this
quote/unquote progress.
Some people get left behind.
- If neighborhood's are not
multi-class,
and do not have class
and racial diversity,
they, urban culture
will cease to flourish,
and it literally will all become
a kind of Manhattan mini-mall.
- So gentrification looks
a lot like uncertainty
to us here in Bed-Stuy.
- Once the public housing
goes, Harlem goes.
At that point, I don't know what
to say.
- What do you think?
- Yeah, so we've got
this group coming
down next week Monday.
- Okay
- potentially interested
in hiring out the venue.
That's gonna be next Monday at
around 6 p.m.
- Monday.
- They're gonna confirm that
with me,
but it'd be really cool, Di,
if you could be down
here as well.
- Oh no, definitely, yeah I'll
be there.
Does anyone else want to come?
Just extra support.
So, can we move on
to the fundraiser
for the people of
Cressingtons Legal Support?
We've got Nina here,
and she's offered
to use some of her
contacts in art and media
to kind of push things along?
Yeah.
I think that
would be really cool.
- Yeah, I'm happy to
organize something
if you all agree.
Yeah.
- What I still feel like
the money
should come from us, really,
I mean, I don't like relying on
the media for anything.
- Yeah, I agree with you,
but it doesn't mean we
can't use them.
- Yeah, but it kinda sends
out the wrong message.
You know, they're a big
part of the problem here.
- Yeah, but so am I, right?
I'm part of the problem.
Me and the bougie elites?
- Yeah.
- But I'm here.
And you can use me.
- So on to the next event.
Jima, Born Free.
- Born Free.
Last Friday of this month.
- That's exciting.
I wanna see you
all there.
Also, maybe you can come
down and
like, you know, say something.
- Yeah, definitely.
I'm definitely there.
You, you should--
- Yeah, I'll speak up.
- Yeah, he's got a lot to say.
What we're doing,
yeah.
- Yeah, yeah okay, yeah.
Bring on Ahmed.
- How we doing?
- Really, really good.
I mean, better than I expected.
- Really?
- Yeah.
A certain actor brought
most of it.
He brought my favorite piece.
- Wow.
Thanks, I really appreciate it.
- It's a good cause.
Anyway, who was that guy
you was talking to earlier?
- He's a friend.
- Like a friend, friend?
- Yeah.
He's a friend.
- Cool.
So, if I was try to kiss you,
he wouldn't appear
out of thin air,
and try and stop me?
Oh, mate.
- Ayo.
- Mickey Roland.
- Ayo's a local artist.
And Mickey's--
- Oh, I know him.
Mr Angel Fury.
Thanks for gracing us
all with your presence
and helping us out with
such a worthy cause.
- Not a problem.
It's my area too now, so--
- Oh, you live in Brixton?
- Yeah, just moved in.
- Really, where?
21 questions.
- Huh.
- Rushcroft Road.
- Really, Rushcroft Road?
- Yeah, it's great.
- Yeah I know,
I used to live there,
until they kicked us out.
Kicked a load of our mates
out too.
Well, enjoy your purchase, mate.
See you about.
- This is fucking pretentious.
- You know nothing's
going on there.
- It's none of my business.
- Well you should know.
So your show tonight.
- Let me guess,
you didn't get it.
- No, I got it.
- Brixton!
Yeah that's right,
don't listen to me,
I don't exist, it's just like,
who is he, what is he?
I ain't get a chance.
I just had to carry on,
I had to fight through it,
10 of them,
12, all 'cause of these bloods,
not their bloods, my bloods.
I remember them laughing,
- Fuck you!
- laughing in my face,
spitting on me!
Fuck me, fuck you!
This is what, it's my life!
This is what I have to live,
this is what I have to fucking
go through.
That's what living is like.
That's what my life's like,
that's what I've had
to go through.
I gotta act like I'm not a
human being.
Just getting worried,
I haven't seen him for days.
- I mean, he's probably
just doing his thing,
I'm sure he'll turn up.
By the time they got him
to A & E, he was gone.
What do you wanna do?
- I'm not sure.
- I think it'll be a mistake if
we cancel.
People need to see
what you've captured.
Like, if you need a few more
weeks here,
Nigel's cool to give it to you.
- No.
No, tell him thanks, but
this isn't my home.
I'm just eating kale.
I can see that.
Why?
Just what I do all day.
After pilates and yoga
and a little trip to Pret.
We've lost that
cohesiveness in Brixton
because of, money, it's
changing the character.
What do you think was
attracting people to Brixton?
The transport links,
the vibrant community,
and all the rest.
They're the
real people,
the people that are
past of this community,
are being forced out.
What has been built here
over the last century
is so profound
and has gone on to
influence the world.
We were a part of
the riots,
we're part of that story of
the building up of Brixton.
Not
everyone gets to take part
in all of this "progress."
Some people get left behind.
How do you know
the people
you're not talking to don't,
or aren't effected by the
same things that you are?
I'm just hoping to
discover that.
Because it has
so much memory,
and it's quite painful.
- Thank you all for coming.
It's with great pleasure that I
introduce today's artist.
Nina Edwards.
- Hi.
I'd just like to get
something off my chest
before we go to questions.
Some of you might
recognize the face
and sounds of Benjamin Williams,
also known as Big Ben.
For those of you who don't know,
he recently passed away,
so I'd like to take a
minute's silence for him.
Okay to carry on?
Yeah.
Okay.
Do you ever think you'll
move back to Brixton?
I mean, properly.
- So, questions.
Right, drink?
Yeah, cool.
So how was your holiday?
- Oh yeah, it was so good.
I loved it, like, Istanbul
is pretty amazing.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
Especially 'cause I was working
for like
four weeks solid before I went.
- Yeah.
- So it was a really well
deserved break.
- I'd love to go,
it sounds amazing.
- Oh, I know,
we totally should, like--
- Hang on.
What happened to caff?
- Yeah, man, they had
to close down.
- What?
- Yeah.
- Last time I was here you said
they were doing all right.
- I think he's got some
kind of online thing going.
Let me go.
No.
You can't stop me
from leaving.
- I know.
- So let me go.
No, no, hang on, wait.
- Sorry.
- Sorry.
What's the problem?
- Well, it's basically rape,
isn't it?
I don't get your point.
- Well, one minute she's saying
let me go,
and he doesn't let her, and,
and then the next minute they're
having hot, rough sex
on the floor.
She doesn't know what
she wants.
- Well it seems like she wants
to leave.
That's what she says.
What she wants is to have
hot, rough sex on the floor.
- I'm having problems getting
from the no to the yes.
- Yeah, that's okay,
that's okay.
Just um...
just think about it.
Have you ever said something
but meant something else?
Not in a rape context,
no.
- Stop, stop calling it that.
- John.
Maybe we can take a break.
- Yeah, that's all well
and good but
will we have enough time
with 12 girls to see?
So what's it gonna be?
- Look, you don't have
to do it, it's fine.
- No, it's fine,
we'll try again.
- Good.
That's the spirit.
Let's take it from
"Let me go!"
I just wanna hear the
words of truth.
I like truth.
- Let me go!
- No.
- You have to let me go.
Whoa, whoa,
what's wrong?
- I just can't.
What the fuck, Mickey?
- Sorry.
She's fucking up
the vibe.
- It might be a script issue.
- I think we're done here.
- Okay, thank you.
- What you doing?
Hey!
Hey, hey!
Hang on a second.
- What?
- Look, he's just really tired.
I'm just not
feeling it.
- Look, will you give
me a second?
Look, you know I get to
have a bit
of a say about what happens
on this project, right?
- Yeah, I know you're famous.
- That's got nothing to
do with it, come back.
Let's workshop it, we
can make some changes,
I know that character
needs some work done on it.
- Yeah, it doesn't make
any sense.
- Well look, let's do it.
We've seen a load of girls
this week.
Look, I shouldn't really
say it but
you've been the best by far.
We could meet up tomorrow.
Just you and me, we could have
a look at the script then.
Where are you based?
Brixton.
- Brixton.
Really?
I've literally just
moved into a flat there.
Rushcroft Road.
John's got your number, right?
Can I text you later?
- If I say yes
will you let me leave?
- Yes.
Then move.
Nice jacket,
by the way.
That's what
I remember.
I remember!
I remember getting stripped,
I remember getting beaten.
I remember them laughin',
laughin' in my face,
spittin' on me!
- So, how did it go?
- One character was called
Brown Vixen.
What?
- It's a step-up from Hood Girl.
- Yeah, I suppose.
Do we have to go out?
Yes, we have to.
- Why?
- Because I've set you up
on a date.
- What, you said we were going
to a gig.
- We are.
We're gonna see my mate
Ayo play.
- No!
Oh my God, Isha, why?
- It's not really a date.
It's more like two friends
hanging out
in a bar with drinks
and soft lighting.
- No.
- Come on.
No, no.
- One drink, Nina.
One drink, I promise.
And then we'll leave.
Please?
- One drink.
I can't believe you.
I can't believe you.
Let's do this.
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
♪ And it rang
- And then I finally picked up
the phone.
The end, show's over.
Thanks for coming, guys.
- Let's just go.
- No, no, let's go say hi!
Hey, homie!
- Hey!
Thanks for coming down.
- Of course.
- What you think?
- Yeah, it was good.
It was intense,
but what happened to your band?
- Fuckin' with the process,
I had to fire them.
Hey.
What'd you think?
- Oh, um ...
I didn't get it.
Really, what didn't
you get?
- Any of it?
- Well, were you listening?
- Guys, introductions.
Ayo, this is Nina, Nina,
this is Ayo.
As you both know, I'm
hooking you up tonight,
so how about we don't talk about
the show?
But I'll see you guys later
with babies!
- So what didn't you get?
I don't think we're
allowed to talk about that.
- Why, because you
weren't listening?
- No, no, I think I was,
that's how I figured out
that I didn't get it.
- I specifically asked Isha
for someone who's into art.
- So, because I didn't get
your show,
I'm not into art?
That's pretty pretentious.
Look, Isha set this up,
clearly neither of us
is interested,
but let's just humor her
and get a drink, shall we?
Alright.
What you do?
- She didn't say?
- She said you were talented.
- Really?
- Nah.
- You really can't take
criticism, can you?
I mean, when you were screaming,
"And it rang, and it rang"
like a fucking maniac,
who was ringing?
- God.
God?
- Yeah.
- And what did he want?
- He wanted me to pick up
the phone.
- Why, so he could tell
you to rehire your band?
Why did you fire them anyway?
- Creative differences,
I evolved, they didn't.
- Well, it takes some guts to
switch out like that, so ...
- Thanks.
So, Isha says you
live in Brixton.
- Mm-hmm.
You going to reclaim?
- Yeah, definitely.
- Cool.
Fuckin' hate what's going on
down there,
they kicked me out of my squat.
So, do you wanna
tour this place?
- What, now?
Yeah.
- Okay?
Look, run your
idea past me again.
- Look, I want my next project
to be about the changes
in Brixton.
- Why?
- Half the people we
used to know
don't live anymore, the shops
we used to go to when we
were kids,
they're all closing down.
I mean, you can tell,
there's this
weird atmosphere around
here now.
I just think that
this project is what
I've been looking for.
What?
- I just think it's a really
complex situation, Nina.
- Yes, but
do you remember how no-one
used to wanna come here?
How we would lie to people
at school
about where we live 'cause
we were so embarrassed.
I've seen those people
by the way,
and they live here now.
- You know how much I hated
that place,
but I mean,
why were we even there?
Why was everything we
were told to aspire to
as far away from this place
as possible?
Can we really be mad at
people for valuing it now?
- I think we can.
I mean, Reclaim has
5,000 people signing
up to attend the event.
I'm gonna go, film,
see what I can get.
- Look, cool.
What do you need?
Like, what kind of
project is it?
- Well, I haven't put a label
on it now,
but I, I'm gonna get some
interviews, and
I don't know, could you edit?
- Sure.
What's the budget?
- Bitch, please.
We need to
close down the prisons!
We need to erase people
from retention!
We need to support the
women on hunger strike!
All those scum are the ones ...
We take London,
and we take Brixton!
- Hiya.
Excuse me, I'm doing
a visual arts project.
And I was just wondering if
you'd like
to do an interview.
- So, which organization
are you from?
It's just me.
It's kind of like a
visual arts project.
It's my own thing where I'm just
exploring the subject and
what reclaiming Brixton
means to you.
What do you think?
It's just two questions.
- Go on then.
Cool.
All right so, if you just
stand there.
Yeah, we'll get your sign
as well, that's cool.
- The reason why Brixton
is so popular
is because it's so diverse.
Anything that you want to buy,
you can come to Brixton
and you can get it.
It doesn't matter where
you are in the world,
you can come to Brixton
and you can find it.
- We were a part of the riots,
we are part of that story of
the building up of Brixton,
and so it's very, very important
for me to be here and
for me to show my presence,
and to support reclaim Brixton.
- Here in Brixton right now,
the real people, the people that
are part of this community
are being forced out.
This is years back in the 70's
and 80's,
there was wholesale
redevelopment,
whole communities were destroyed
and pushed out, it wasn't
so much about money,
but now these developers
don't give a flying fuck
about, they don't have
a social conscience.
They don't care about
these communities,
whether they be
social or living,
all they're interested in,
one thing,
and that is this, right?
It's how big this money is.
And they say, oh right,
we'll give you a new home,
you can go to Hastings,
you can go
halfway across the country.
It's destroying whole families,
and communities, and I
actually live in Peckham.
I live in Nunhead near Peckham.
Right, and people are saying,
oh,
Peckham's gonna become trendy,
and I say, for fuck's sake,
don't let Peckham become trendy!
Like Brixton has become.
Because the thing about Peckham
it's got the largest Nigerian
population in London.
It's down-to-earth, what
you see is what you get,
there's no Costa fucking Coffee,
or Foxtons, it's
straightforward, down-to-earth.
Please don't make Peckham
trendy like Brixton!
Thank you.
- These are the journals of God.
Therefore, our dearly
loved children.
The word can only attend these
if we live according to
the word of the Bible.
In the name of the Father
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
Live a life of love just
like Christ loved us,
he gave himself up for us.
And as a sacrifice to God.
And you have all the power,
the all-conquering all-merciful,
all graceful God.
You will have the power
when the holy spirit
comes unto you.
This is where you live?
- It's temporary.
- And it's just you here?
- Yeah, but it's just
for a couple of weeks
while I sort myself out.
- Sort yourself out?
- Yeah.
So what do you think of my plan?
- Your plan has one major flaw.
What's that?
- You.
- What?
You're essentially
gentrification.
I grew up here.
- Look, you might have grew
up here back in the day,
but things have changed.
And now you're occupying space,
like this.
- It's a favor, it's just for a
few weeks.
- I wanna help.
I fucking hate what's
going on here
with people like you.
I joke.
I don't hate you.
But if you wanna
do this project,
you seriously have
to acknowledge
your part in all this.
- My part?
- I'd say the thing to Isha.
- Wake up Brixton.
Wake up, this isn't Thorston,
this isn't Shoreditch.
It's not all about
wheat-free, gluten-free,
frappuccinos, yeah, yeah,
you drink your coffee,
but you understand that we're
still here,
the real Brixton is still
here that we need to respect,
we need to be recognized,
we need to be understood.
It's all the same to you,
isn't it?
You just ignore,
but we're still here,
we're still part of this place.
You try and buy us out,
you try and beat us out,
but we might just have to
burn it down.
- These developers--
So what do you think?
- I'm gonna need some more time.
- No, about him blaming
us for gentrification.
- Don't you have to be white to
do that?
- Just 90 % of the time.
- I was born and raised here,
I think it's bull to
put me in that bracket.
- Exactly.
- But he has a point with you.
- What?
- I mean, you left.
You left for a while,
to make it worse
you went to East London.
Everyone knows that's ground
zero for
the hipster apocalypse.
- It's not my fault
my mum was uppity,
you know what she's like.
You got me this place.
At a rate
I couldn't afford.
- So what, do you think I look
fucking stupid doing this?
- Look, just acknowledge it in
the work.
Your new
home, you can go to--
Okay.
What are you doing there?
- I'm just eating kale.
I can see that.
Why?
- Just what I do all day.
After pilates and yoga, and
a little trip to Pret.
Couldn't you
get a little bit of a
protein or carb with that?
I mean, nobody just eats kale
like that.
- How would you know?
I don't.
- Sure you don't dabble?
Absolutely not.
I don't even touch foods with
the letter O in them in case
it's organic.
- Very deep of you.
I know.
Taste good?
- I put so much seasoning on it.
I'm gonna gag.
I don't even know
how you can eat that stuff.
I'm more of a spinach girl.
- I get what you think of me,
and I accept it, I've spoken to
Isha, and
I wanna approach
this in a sensitive way.
I wanna meet people, I
want to get their stories,
I wanna see how they feel,
and I think that you
are the person
that is gonna bring me
to those people.
- Let me think about it.
- What is there to think about?
- They're my people.
It's not just putting
you in contact,
it's vouching for you.
- So vouch for me!
- Well let me think about it.
So, I was thinking.
I want someone to record
my next performance.
- Oh really?
- Yes, really.
- I guess I'll think about it.
So what is
your next performance?
You've had a call from God,
you've resurrected Christ.
What's next, bum-raped by Satan?
- Do you know,
I don't think you're engaging
with my work.
- I guess ...
I think that you hide behind it.
I mean, yeah,
it's a big spectacle,
but I ...
I guess I struggle to see
what it's all about, really.
- I think I could say
the same thing about you.
I think it's really
important to figure out
why you're trying to
create this project.
Is that cool?
- Yeah.
I don't think it'll make
the final edit though,
'cause ...
I just don't feel
that comfortable
with sharing that side.
That's fine, but
I think it'll be really
good for your own records,
and it'll help.
- Okay.
So tell me about your
experiences of depression.
- I've struggled with
depression since I was a teen.
What does it look like?
For you.
- I don't think I wanna
say much more than
that to be honest.
I think that's fine, like.
I think it's important.
If you want people to
share themselves with you,
I think it's important for you
to share yourself with them.
- Yeah, but we're talking about
a subject, a very
specific subject.
I wanna talk ...
Just, just stick to ...
I think it's
relevant to the subject,
I mean, we're talking
about gentrification here,
and the changes, you know.
How do you know the people
that you're not talking to
don't, or aren't affected by
the same things that you are?
- I'm just hoping to
discover that.
Look, just stop asking me, okay?
I don't really wanna go
much further with that,
I've given you as much of
an answer as I wanna give.
Yeah, but I think
your depression's important
to why you're doing
this project.
- Isha, you've never asked me
this before,
and you're asking me now.
With a camera there.
That's okay.
I'm being honest with you now.
- You're sick!
What are you doing?
Just leave it!
I'm just trying
to work out
why you're trying to
create this project.
I'm trying to get to know
- Yeah, but--
Where you're at.
- That, it doesn't have
anything to do with it.
It doesn't have anything
to do with it, okay?
I was looking for something.
I get my inspiration from
the street, that's it.
It clearly bothers you,
so I think it's important.
Can we stop?
What's this project
about then?
- It's just about Brixton
and how much it's changed.
I've been away
for a few years, and
when I came back it was just
don't know, it was a shock.
- So the point still stands.
You wouldn't be in my film, but
you want me to be in yours.
- It's not really a film.
- Right.
Well, I haven't got anything
interesting to say about it.
Still a good investment,
that's it.
- That's the point, years ago,
that wouldn't have happened.
- Yeah, because I never
had any money.
- And because someone
in your position
wouldn't have wanted
to come here.
- Oh, right, so you wanna
class me as the villain now?
- Look, I'm trying to show
all sides of the argument.
Think about it.
It'd be great to have someone
with your profile involved.
- Right, if I do it, I'm gonna
want something in return.
- Like what?
- Wouldn't you like to know?
- So you're a filmmaker?
- Yeah, well this is more
of a visual art project.
But I'm really excited about it,
and I'm so happy that Ayo
put us in touch.
- Is that how you met,
through film?
- No, we were introduced
by a mutual friend.
- Cool, have you been filming
for long?
- A few years now.
But this project is
really fresh.
- Okay, so in a nutshell, what,
what are you trying to
achieve here?
- Well, Ayo said you
work in the community,
holding discussions
and protests,
and I was hoping to film
some of these,
or interview some
people involved.
- Yeah, I know that but
I think my question is why?
- I wanna address the changes.
- And what does that
really mean?
I don't get your politics.
I'm interested in how the
old community
gets sort of pushed
out and sterilized.
And all we've got left are
gourmet-fried chicken shops
and Bob Marley hats
but no black people,
you know what I mean?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I get you.
But, I don't think this
is just about race.
- Well, we're in Brixton,
there's no
real separating this from
race anymore.
I mean, take a good
look at what's going on.
- I am.
- You want to make this
piece of art, I get it,
you wanna make a difference, but
I need to protect the people I
work with,
and make sure
they're not exploited.
- Mmm.
I'm not trying to
exploit anyone,
I'm just trying to help.
- Help who?
Look, my advice,
do some research.
- Well, I mean,
this would definitely
be part of it, and I am,
I'm walking the streets,
I'm really observing what's
around me,
and to meet the people you know
would just be the next step,
it would be so helpful.
- Okay, but have you
done any groundwork,
like have you looked at sort of,
I don't know, case histories or
Brixton in the past,
photographs.
- No, but that's a great idea.
I really wanna explore
that route.
And you know, I'm from Brixton,
I'm from the area, I
feel very attached to it,
so yeah, I think I can
bring a really honest
and sensitive portrayal.
- So is it from your viewpoint,
or is it--
- Yeah, I wanna talk
about gentrification.
- Okay well, it sounds, dunno,
it sounds really interesting,
it sounds like an
interesting project.
- Cool.
♪ Past this street,
quarter to three ♪
♪ Heading to the all night
Turkish grocery ♪
♪ Girl in front of me
once she grabbed ♪
♪ Made me flash right
back to flap mou-chaff ♪
♪ Just the bowl of Brooklyn be
♪ Funny how little things
♪ Take you right back there
♪ Coming out Subway
at about 5 a.m., ♪
♪ Memory of this little jam
♪ Who's a veritable sign
in a crosshats sights ♪
♪ Makes my Wednesday evening
dream of Wednesday night ♪
♪ Came the Camberwell
from the pubs ♪
♪ Lost a little reserve
♪ Strutting like it's really in
the spug ♪
♪ The hipsters slop
the bathing ♪
♪ Talk to mates
and stay the walk ♪
♪ Swear I was in East New York
♪ East New York
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Jesus turned water into wine
♪ A plane ticket right
now would do just fine ♪
♪ Down the road in Dulwich
♪ They be living up nice
♪ Kinda life for me
♪ There's always two sides
♪ Things are changing anything
in Peckham ♪
♪ Not just the gangs,
normal buses ♪
♪ Bend it like Beckham
♪ Now be cage some blue,
some red ♪
♪ Both eat jerk chicken hard
dough bread ♪
♪ It's like a fountain
of an unf ♪
♪ When my spaceship hit
planet Brooklyn's turf ♪
♪ And I they welcome me
there too ♪
♪ Totem and bush with my
feedback soon ♪
♪ But it's June turn into June
♪ I can't lie,
some more Brixton held ♪
♪ And Crown Heights,
but sister Rasta ♪
♪ Still got the same vibes
♪ Oh my, sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ They just designed
all the time ♪
♪ In the people on
♪ Ain't just because
and the drugs ♪
♪ And the dealers
♪ Uh oh
♪ Aint just the bus put
your mind into a fever ♪
♪ Oh yeah
♪ It's just the way every day
♪ I get that feeling
♪ Oh
♪ It's just these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind of Brooklyn
♪ It's just these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
♪ Sometimes these
Southland streets ♪
♪ Remind me of Brooklyn
- Always nice to see Big Ben.
- You ever spoken to him?
- Yeah, I've tried but
it's a bit hard, he's
a bit scatterbrained.
- Do you know anything
about him?
- Well legend has it that
during the riots
he took a knock to the head.
- I thought that was a myth.
- No, it's real, he's
proper old school Brixton.
You know what, I'm really
liking what you're doing here.
It might even work for
the pop up exhibition
that I'm having.
- Seriously?
- Yeah.
Nothing concrete yet but,
this is what we should
be talking about, right?
- Thanks.
It's great.
Yeah, I'm happy
with what we've got.
- Me too.
I'm gonna talk to
Dionne again.
- Why?
You think she was
too hard on you?
- No.
What?
What?
Let's have a look at
these shots you've got.
Spielberg.
- This is a lady that
runs a cafe down the road.
- Oh really, which one?
- Art Nouveau?
- Okay, yeah, I know the place.
- Yeah, I was just walking past
and I went in and I
managed to speak to her
and I think she talks about some
really interesting things that
you might be interested in.
- Sure, okay.
Do I just press?
- Yeah, you just.
My name is
Betty Almahari.
I'm East African, Eritrea.
I'm a single mum with two boys,
and my relationship with
Brixton started
10 years ago when I moved in
to the Guinness Trust of
Somerlayton road.
I don't want, you know,
a big business,
or medium business
to come in there and gentrify
the Atlantic Road more.
I'd rather just keep it
as it is.
And continue to fight.
So the battle's not over.
You have to be down and out,
and completely kind of like,
having nothing for the system
to help you.
And if you try and do
and create something
and make something
out of your life,
then they do every single thing
to make sure you don't succeed.
This is not a coincidence,
this is like a plan, and
even, Lambas called it,
the master plan.
It's a plan to completely
change an area, okay?
Why are you changing the shops?
And you're getting
rid of local people
and building luxury flats.
My relationship with Brixton
will end.
Since I've moved from
Guinness Trust,
I'm not able to go back to
where I used to live.
Because it has so much memory.
And it's quite painful,
yeah, so it'll be the end.
- So?
- Yeah, I mean it's,
it's quite poignant, how did you
get her
to kind of do this
sort of interview?
- Well, I just went
into the cafe,
told her a bit about the project
and what I'm hoping to do and
yeah, I was really surprised
that she
was so willing to share with me
and I
was really happy.
- Oh, so she just kind
of was open and just
answered all your questions?
Yeah, yeah.
- That's really...
Nothing too
controversial please.
- No.
I'll make sure you
feel comfortable--
That laugh
sounds ominous.
- I just want the truth.
Right, cool.
Don't we all?
- Right.
You ready?
- Ready.
On your marks.
Sit up straight.
Will do, sorry.
Sorry Miss.
Okay.
Name.
Mickey Roland.
Occupation.
- Actor.
And you may have
recognized me from
films such as, don't laugh!
I'm actually gonna
do it to camera.
You may recognize me
from films such as
The Engines of Fury 5,
the Iron Will,
or more recently,
the Engines of Fury 6:
The Thunder Road.
- Nice.
I don't even
want you to cut that,
that's good material.
- Right, okay.
I'd like to ask you about your
relationship with
gentrification.
- Yeah, sure, okay.
Well, I'm from Bermondsey in
South London.
I grew up on an estate there.
Born and bred, normal
working class family.
What part of
Bermondsey?
- Spa Road, do you know it?
Right, well it's, I
went to secondary school
just off the old Kent Road.
Which is near there.
I suppose my relationship
with gentrification
started there really.
I started to notice
a few arty types, a bit
like you, popping up,
and then they were followed by
the more affluent people.
The quinoa and kale brigade.
Definitely cut that.
My manager will kill me if he
finds out.
He loves quinoa.
- Okay!
All right, just focus.
Sorry, sorry.
- Can you talk about why
you bought property in Brixton?
- Right, I suppose I'll
tell you a bit about,
came round to that, I,
fast forward a few years,
and I suppose I'm lucky enough
to be in a position
with the films and that
to be able to look an
buying some property,
and other friends
and people I knew
were kind of talking
about Brixton,
and Elephant and Castle as
places to,
that were good to invest to buy
a flat.
What do you think was
attracting people to Brixton?
- Transport links, a vibrant
community, all the rest.
Do you spend
much time in Brixton?
- Yeah, but like years ago.
- What do you think of the
term "social cleansing"?
- Well, it's not really
a good thing, is it?
Well, certain
members of the community
think that's what's
happening here.
What do you think about that?
- Okay.
Well
I can see, right, why some
people may think that,
but I don't think that is the
full picture
about what's happening
round here.
I'm not sure what
you're quite trying
to get me to say,
but I don't think
that it's rich people trying
to displace poor people.
Think about crazy London
property prices,
for example,
that affects everyone.
- And yet many poor people
can't afford
to live in their own
communities anymore.
Do you visit your old
community in Bermondsey?
- I haven't been there
in a while.
There's not that much
there for me anymore.
- So Bermondsey as you
knew it no longer exists.
I guess not.
- Let's talk about race.
Okay, cut it.
- What?
- Are you joking, cut it.
I thought this was supposed
to be a conversation.
It is!
- Yeah, well it feels a bit
more like an interrogation
at the moment, actually.
What are you gonna
ask me about next?
What my bank statements
look like?
Where I do my grocery shopping?
I don't think so, cut it!
And I wanna have a
look at that edit
before you do anything with it.
- Do you want this date or not?
Unbelievable.
Yeah, that's great, thanks.
- Oh, don't wanna party?
It's too early.
- It's not!
- Cheers.
- Cheers.
So have all
your interviews ended
in a bust up?
- Well.
You're my first diva actor so.
Right?
- Yeah!
Diva actor?
Yeah.
- Look, I do appreciate
what you're
trying to do with the project.
- You get it, do you?
- Course I do.
I just don't wanna be
made to look like an idiot.
Like a diva actor.
- Well, maybe don't act like
one then.
Anyway, I don't wanna
talk about work.
- Okay, well let's talk about
you then,
when do you move here
from Shoreditch?
- I don't wanna talk about
that either.
Oh, goodness me,
what do you--
- I wanna do something,
I wanna do something fun!
Like what?
- I dunno.
Oh, this is your date, by the
way, so.
Oh, is it?
- Yeah.
- You sprung that on me.
Well.
- You're good at that,
aren't you?
Springing things on people.
Enjoy it
while it lasts.
- Right.
Well, we could go for dinner.
We could go dancing.
- Let's have a dance-off.
- I haven't had a dance-off
since I was about 14.
I heard you were a
professional dancer.
- Oh really?
Who told you that?
- It was on your Spotlight--
- Because it's true.
- It was on your Spotlight CV!
It's a shame you can't be
in the film.
- Huh?
It's a shame
you can't be in my film.
- Who says I'm not?
Well you said--
- I don't wanna talk about work!
Oh God, right.
- Why do you keep trying
- Well put some music on then
- To talk about work?
- And let's dance.
- Yes, let's dance, come on.
- All I'm saying,
is that it needs to go
further, we need to push it.
'Cause what them guys
put together
weren't no protest, man,
it was a street party.
- No, there were
a lot a positives.
Positives like what?
- No-one's saying
it was perfect.
- But we need to take
the lead now.
They've had their event,
there's momentum,
but we need to do something.
- I think we need to focus more
on people on the front lines,
and there are people battling
eviction as we speak,
we need to make sure
we've got the
money to pay for their campaign.
- Yeah, but then we're gonna
lose momentum
and all that's gonna happen
is that Reclaim
are gonna throw another
fucking party.
It's much
more than that.
- Sorry, what?
- Well, I found Reclaim
really useful.
And I met a lot of people
that felt the same.
- Sorry, who are you again?
- I'm making a project about
the changes in the area.
- What kind of project?
- It's a mixture of things.
- So what's the angle?
I haven't decided
that yet.
- That's why she's here,
to get a full range of opinions.
- Reclaim Brixton was
anti-black,
and anti-working class.
Seriously?
- I had my friends
messaging me telling me,
who are all these middle-class
white folk
protesting against
gentrification?
Am I the only one that
can see the irony here?
- Some of the organizers
are black!
- So what, black people
can't be anti-black?
Reclaim was a joke!
- It wasn't a joke, there were
all kinds of people there.
Isn't that what it's about?
Bringing people together.
- No, no it's not.
It's about stopping
the social cleansing
of working class people,
so we're not overrun
by these bougie elites.
Now this is a serious
point for your project.
Yeah, it's working class people,
especially working class
black people
who are suffering the most here.
And if you aren't
down with that,
then you can never understand
the full scale of the problem.
So what's this project?
- I don't know yet,
I'm still researching.
Is it some kind of
film, yeah?
- Ahmed, chill.
- Nah, I just wanna know, innit.
Is it some kind of media, right?
- Something like that.
- Something like that?
Let me tell you something.
Them kinda projects,
they don't mean shit.
Yeah, not to real people.
- What, why the fuck
are you banging?
- Well, where were you?
- Sorry!
Sorry.
How was your performance?
It was fine,
not much going on.
You filming today?
- Nah, I think I'm gonna
take a break.
- What do you mean?
- Don't feel like doing
it anymore.
- Why?
I saw the pills.
- What pills?
- In your bathroom.
I know what you're
going through.
I've been there myself.
Nina.
If you ever wanna talk,
you know I'm here for you.
- I just need a break from it.
- Nina, what does that
even mean?
- I'm tired of it
and I need a break.
- And I have to find out
through Ayo
that you need to take a break?
- Do I have to notify you?
- Yeah, I'd appreciate it
when we've
been working on it for so long.
- You haven't been
at the meetings
with people like fucking
Ahmed telling you,
"Your work's shit, it
doesn't mean anything."
I'm tired so I'm taking a break.
- Nina, you're gonna get people
who are gonna through this shit
at you,
I mean, are you just gonna
give up at the first hurdle?
- Me, give up?
That is fucking rich
coming from you, Isha!
- What do you mean by that?
- How long since we last spoke?
Before I told you I was
coming here,
how long has it been?
- Yeah--
- Fucking months ago, Isha!
Months ago.
- And, why do you think I was?
Was it me who was running
round town
with a bunch of fucking yuppies?
- Then don't fucking blame
it on me,
"Oh, I was hanging out
with whoever."
No, Isha, you were not
here for me!
Your suicidal friend got
too fucking much for you!
Yeah, so just say it!
- Fuck you, Nina.
- Next time we should
punch it out or something.
- You'd get fucked up.
No, really.
- This is meant to be Brixton,
this is meant to be
where I'm from.
Where are all these people
coming from?
Where you can't even
walk the streets.
It looks like I'm the stranger,
how am I the stranger?
Hey, I'm allowed where I want.
- Listen, how many times do
we have to go through this?
- It's not about how many times.
- Please.
- How many times, listen man.
You must be--
- Look, look, calm down.
Can we just take a walk?
- Why are you touching me, man?
- Look, I don't wanna touch you,
just step back please.
- Let me come through.
- You cannot come through.
- Listen man.
- You can't come through.
- It's always you,
it's always the
ones like you isn't it?
- I'm not gonna tell you again.
- Fuck!
All right, all right, all right!
All right, all right!
Stop,
you're hurting him!
- My arm, my arm!
What you doing?
- I'm fucking up, ah!
My arm!
Whoa, why my fucking arm, man?
- Don't fidget.
Just hold still.
Hiya.
I'll have that please.
Thank you,
I'll have a yellow one.
Thanks.
Thank you.
- Send me your videos.
I wanna create a space where
people worldwide can post
their stories and videos.
- Like a network or something?
- Well I think they can
even discuss tactics.
See how to combat it
in their area.
- Okay, but what does that do?
- Well, it would bring
people from
not just London,
but New York, Berlin,
worldwide together on this.
- Hi Nina.
- Hey Nina.
- Hi Nina.
Gentrification in Bed-Stuy,
Brooklyn
looks like skyrocketing
rent rates.
- First of all, rents in Harlem
have gone up literally 200 %.
- Berlin is known to be hip,
chic,
and multicultural, perfect
recipe for gentrification.
It starts off with young,
broke artists
like myself moving to the city.
Of course this somewhat
individual decision
comes with a price for a
local community, right?
- With the increase of
upper-middle class white people,
particularly younger
white folks who
consider themselves artists,
comes a great deal of
infrastructure, one would say.
So you have your shops,
your boutiques,
your coffee places,
your restaurants.
- Cultures that have taken over
the world
have been invented
here literally.
Hip-hop, in part, was born here.
The black arts movement
in part was born here.
Jazz, in part, was born here.
- But what's interesting
is is that
not everyone gets to take part
in all of this
quote/unquote progress.
Some people get left behind.
- If neighborhood's are not
multi-class,
and do not have class
and racial diversity,
they, urban culture
will cease to flourish,
and it literally will all become
a kind of Manhattan mini-mall.
- So gentrification looks
a lot like uncertainty
to us here in Bed-Stuy.
- Once the public housing
goes, Harlem goes.
At that point, I don't know what
to say.
- What do you think?
- Yeah, so we've got
this group coming
down next week Monday.
- Okay
- potentially interested
in hiring out the venue.
That's gonna be next Monday at
around 6 p.m.
- Monday.
- They're gonna confirm that
with me,
but it'd be really cool, Di,
if you could be down
here as well.
- Oh no, definitely, yeah I'll
be there.
Does anyone else want to come?
Just extra support.
So, can we move on
to the fundraiser
for the people of
Cressingtons Legal Support?
We've got Nina here,
and she's offered
to use some of her
contacts in art and media
to kind of push things along?
Yeah.
I think that
would be really cool.
- Yeah, I'm happy to
organize something
if you all agree.
Yeah.
- What I still feel like
the money
should come from us, really,
I mean, I don't like relying on
the media for anything.
- Yeah, I agree with you,
but it doesn't mean we
can't use them.
- Yeah, but it kinda sends
out the wrong message.
You know, they're a big
part of the problem here.
- Yeah, but so am I, right?
I'm part of the problem.
Me and the bougie elites?
- Yeah.
- But I'm here.
And you can use me.
- So on to the next event.
Jima, Born Free.
- Born Free.
Last Friday of this month.
- That's exciting.
I wanna see you
all there.
Also, maybe you can come
down and
like, you know, say something.
- Yeah, definitely.
I'm definitely there.
You, you should--
- Yeah, I'll speak up.
- Yeah, he's got a lot to say.
What we're doing,
yeah.
- Yeah, yeah okay, yeah.
Bring on Ahmed.
- How we doing?
- Really, really good.
I mean, better than I expected.
- Really?
- Yeah.
A certain actor brought
most of it.
He brought my favorite piece.
- Wow.
Thanks, I really appreciate it.
- It's a good cause.
Anyway, who was that guy
you was talking to earlier?
- He's a friend.
- Like a friend, friend?
- Yeah.
He's a friend.
- Cool.
So, if I was try to kiss you,
he wouldn't appear
out of thin air,
and try and stop me?
Oh, mate.
- Ayo.
- Mickey Roland.
- Ayo's a local artist.
And Mickey's--
- Oh, I know him.
Mr Angel Fury.
Thanks for gracing us
all with your presence
and helping us out with
such a worthy cause.
- Not a problem.
It's my area too now, so--
- Oh, you live in Brixton?
- Yeah, just moved in.
- Really, where?
21 questions.
- Huh.
- Rushcroft Road.
- Really, Rushcroft Road?
- Yeah, it's great.
- Yeah I know,
I used to live there,
until they kicked us out.
Kicked a load of our mates
out too.
Well, enjoy your purchase, mate.
See you about.
- This is fucking pretentious.
- You know nothing's
going on there.
- It's none of my business.
- Well you should know.
So your show tonight.
- Let me guess,
you didn't get it.
- No, I got it.
- Brixton!
Yeah that's right,
don't listen to me,
I don't exist, it's just like,
who is he, what is he?
I ain't get a chance.
I just had to carry on,
I had to fight through it,
10 of them,
12, all 'cause of these bloods,
not their bloods, my bloods.
I remember them laughing,
- Fuck you!
- laughing in my face,
spitting on me!
Fuck me, fuck you!
This is what, it's my life!
This is what I have to live,
this is what I have to fucking
go through.
That's what living is like.
That's what my life's like,
that's what I've had
to go through.
I gotta act like I'm not a
human being.
Just getting worried,
I haven't seen him for days.
- I mean, he's probably
just doing his thing,
I'm sure he'll turn up.
By the time they got him
to A & E, he was gone.
What do you wanna do?
- I'm not sure.
- I think it'll be a mistake if
we cancel.
People need to see
what you've captured.
Like, if you need a few more
weeks here,
Nigel's cool to give it to you.
- No.
No, tell him thanks, but
this isn't my home.
I'm just eating kale.
I can see that.
Why?
Just what I do all day.
After pilates and yoga
and a little trip to Pret.
We've lost that
cohesiveness in Brixton
because of, money, it's
changing the character.
What do you think was
attracting people to Brixton?
The transport links,
the vibrant community,
and all the rest.
They're the
real people,
the people that are
past of this community,
are being forced out.
What has been built here
over the last century
is so profound
and has gone on to
influence the world.
We were a part of
the riots,
we're part of that story of
the building up of Brixton.
Not
everyone gets to take part
in all of this "progress."
Some people get left behind.
How do you know
the people
you're not talking to don't,
or aren't effected by the
same things that you are?
I'm just hoping to
discover that.
Because it has
so much memory,
and it's quite painful.
- Thank you all for coming.
It's with great pleasure that I
introduce today's artist.
Nina Edwards.
- Hi.
I'd just like to get
something off my chest
before we go to questions.
Some of you might
recognize the face
and sounds of Benjamin Williams,
also known as Big Ben.
For those of you who don't know,
he recently passed away,
so I'd like to take a
minute's silence for him.
Okay to carry on?
Yeah.
Okay.
Do you ever think you'll
move back to Brixton?
I mean, properly.
- So, questions.