almost adult
Almost Adult was co-financed by Screen WM in 2006, and is the first feature film from the award-winning shorts director Yousaf Ali Khan (Talking with Angels, and Skin Deep).
Almost Adult follows the stories of two unaccompanied child asylum seekers on their journey to remain in Britain together. The two girls are from different countries and speak different languages, but form an amazing bond through their shared need of family support, and a history of abuse.
Aged 17 Mamie (Victoire Milandu) arrives in the UK with no passport or documentation, unaware of the whereabouts of her family, and having been abused by traffickers. Although almost an adult, she is legally viewed as a child, so is granted a temporary right to remain in Britain, but is given none of the protection that this status should provide. Mamie is moved to Birmingham where she meets the younger Shiku (Ann Warungu) from Kenya, who she adopts as her younger sister.
The film progresses to show their experiences as outsiders who only have one another for support. This film gains an air of credibility not just due to the research conducted by writer Rona Munro, but also because of the casting undertaken. Mamie and Shiku are played by non-actors from within the refugee community who give impressive and touchingly honest performances, drawn from their own experiences of the British immigration system.
