Headingley LitFest: The plight of the refugee - Leave to Remain

Wednesday 11 March 2015

The plight of the refugee - Leave to Remain - film

Kate Baldwin writes:

There are so many clichés I could use to describe Leave to Remain, all as the highest compliment: an emotional rollercoaster, an absolute eye-opener, and more. I found myself laughing, crying and feeling a warmth in my heart during a wonderful depiction of a group of teenage refugees in the UK.

The moment when Zizidi saw snow for the first time was a heartwarming end to a thought-provoking and gritty film that tackled an issue particularly close to home for the Headingley community. I thought the theme was handled very sensitively but with the honesty required to bring the real stories the film was based on to life before our eyes.

The coupling of insightful camerawork (particularly during Abdul's attacks of PTSD) and an emotive soundtrack (interestingly composed by ALT-J) caused Leave to Remain to exercise the viewer's mind very cleverly while appealing to the senses. A very successful film in both content and style.

See the film's trailer here - http://leave2remainthefilm.com/trailer

Audience comments:

Heartbreaking stories but so representative. Well organised event. Thank you for organising this brilliant film and bringing the community groups to be a part (JS)

Targeted this film because I used to work with refugees and asylum seekers in Bradford. Appreciated the LitFest ‘wrapper’ with reading suggestions, and introduction from local RAS support groups. Film itself portrayed complexity of this often misunderstood subject. (HA)

It was thought-provoking (L C-M)

Separated from my family by the state in Britain because they are w rongly accused of keeping me as a slave. I am fighting to get justice for them and to be reunited with them. I have been refused any contact with them! (JH)

Excellent choice (GR)

It was good – keep it up. I enjoyed the movie. (KP)

Well made film. Important to screen it. Thank you. (D)

Excellent film. Good to be reminded what agony asylum-seekers have to go through. (SW)

Thought-provoking film challenging misconceptions about asylum seekers (could do with cushions on seats!) (TJ)

Good venue, enjoyed the film (HB)

Brill!! (JK)

Enjoyed it very much! (VS)

Jane Williams brought the film to our attention and we were happy to support this truly independent British film. (T)

No comments:

LITERARY HEADINGLEY

Headingley is just the place for it! Don't expect a big circus with marquees, though: we're not at that stage yet. We're all volunteers as well.

Our venues include the HEART Centre on Bennett Road, the New Headingley Club on St Michael's Road, friendly cafés, historic local cinemas, Headingley Library, people's houses and the historic Leeds Library in Commercial Street, city centre.

Headingley's Literary Links

Headingley has strong connections with many writers:

Arthur Ransome was born in Headingley, J R R Tolkien lived at 5 Holly Bank and also at 2 Darnley Road, West Park when he was reader in English Language at the University of Leeds 1920 - 25, Alan Bennett lived over a butcher's shop opposite the Three Horseshoes, now Royale Dry Cleaners.

Lucy Newlyn has published poetry about her early life in Headingley, George Orwell stayed at 21 Estcourt Avenue with his sister Marjorie and her husband Humphrey 'Humpy' Dakin (with whom he visited the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth), T S Eliot used to visit his mother-in-law in Weetwood Lane, William Fryer Harvey was brought up in Spring Bank, Trevor Griffiths lived just off Victoria Road on Winstanley Terrace, Jon Silkin's first office of STAND magazine was his flat at 144 Otley Road, Sir Geoffrey Hill lived in Shire Oak Road, Peter Redgrove lived in Headingley between 1962 and 1965 when he was Gregory Fellow of Poetry at the University of Leeds, and playwright Kay Mellor still lives near The Hollies in Far Headingley.

Wilson Barrett, the charismatic first manager of the Grand Theatre, Leeds (a prolific playwright as well), lived in Beech Grove Terrace, Woodhouse in the 1870s. His house was a meeting place for many writers, artists and visitors to Leeds - such as W. S. Gilbert, George Grossmith and Atkinson Grimshaw.

Headingley LitFest 2020 was the thirteenth. The fourteenth will take place from March 2021 and will be adapted to the rules of the Covid pandemic. We are now a proud part of the annual Leeds Lit Fest.