How Milly is making her dad into movie star
WRITER SCRIPTS SHORT FILM BASED ON AUBREY’S LIFE
A WRITER who grew up in Nottingham has written a script for a short film about a black miner who came to the UK as part of the Windrush generation.
The film is based on the experiences of Milly James’ father, Aubrey Abraham James, who came to the UK in the 1950s from Trinidad.
He worked at Clifton Colliery and Milly – who grew up around Hyson Green – has said filming is expected to begin in January at locations including Pleasley Colliery, near Mansfield.
The film – We’re All Black Down Here – has been funded with help from the British Film Institute. Milly says it touches on some of the social issues black men faced in the 1950s.
Milly, who now lives in Berlin, added: “My dad was born in Grenada and grew up in Trinidad. He came to UK in the 1950s and eventually worked at Clifton Colliery after training in Doncaster.
“My dad wrote about his experiences and I didn’t just want to hand over his memories. I wrote a script myself with the aim of making a film from it.
“We eventually got funding from the BFI and will be filming at Pleasley Colliery in January and some other locations in the Midlands.
“This is an idea I’ve had since 2018 when I came back to Nottingham to see a friend. I wanted to explore what it was like for black men in the 1950s.
“When men were down the pits, you couldn’t tell who was black and who was white, That’s what my father would say.
“In the film, the main character is subject to little digs of racism and a lot of that is based on my dad’s experience.”
The film - which will have a running time of around 15 minutes – will be released next year.
Its central character Morris is inspired by Milly’s father, who died in 2003.
Sophia Ramcharan, a Nottinghambased producer also working on the film, said: “I’m very proud as a producer with Jamaican heritage to have the opportunity to produce this important historical and poignant story in the Midlands and to work with our excellent local cast and crew to bring to life the mining legacy of the Windrush generation.
“We have some wonderful partners with Derbyshire’s Peak District Lead Mining Museum and Pleasely Colliery near Mansfield and look forward to audiences being able to see this film on a big screen next year.”
Director Daniel Alexander added: “I’m honoured to be able to direct such an important story, that I feel transcends the time in which it is set and carries many messages in which are so prevalent and important today.”
When men were down the pits, you couldn’t tell who was black and who was white
Milly James