18. Hostile; movie review

 

 

HOSTILE

Cert 12A

97 mins

BBFC advice: Contains racism, images of real dead bodies, moderate violence, strong language

Aren't we all simply citizens of planet earth?

Britain's creation of a Hostile Environment always sounded horrible to me. Sonita Gale's film shows how it has caused law-abiding people to be isolated, frightened or even destitute. 

Surely, that can't have been its aim, can it?

The Hostile Environment was intended to cut off undocumented migrants from access to any public services, including healthcare while the government pushed to make working or renting a safe place to live impossible for migrants without adequate paperwork.

The policy has resulted in persecution of people who have contributed to the state.

Hostile probes the fall-out on international students, members of the Windrush generation, community organisers and even the 'highly skilled' migrants who have been deemed as desirable.

The cases are heartbreaking, especially that of Farrukh, an IT engineer for the NHS who has lived in the UK for the best part of 20 years.

He decided to stay after studying here, has an important role in the health service, has never taken a penny out of the system and yet has had to spend tens of thousands of pounds to earn his right to stay.

Both he and his wife are distraught - living from day to day, not knowing whether they will be deported.

Hostile combines current interviews with archive footage which highlights how the establishments attitude towards immigration has changed.

This is particularly true of that towards the Windrush generation who were invited in and have now found themselves potentially being thrown out after decades of hard work and making the UK a home for them and their families.

Meanwhile, international students found themselves without the prospect of hospitality work during the pandemic and consequently couldn't pay universities or landlords and are now destitute.

Gale's film, which is on the longlist for a BAFTA award, also throws the spotlight on the stunning work of selfless volunteers who are trying to help feed those who cannot pay their bills.

Incredibly, they have their own battle to keep their premises.

Hostile, which has really high production standards despite its low budget, touches on Brexit and the history of the British Empire but the individual stories give most food for thought.

It is a movie which has been crafted with passion and love and should make us all feel a little bit ashamed.

Reasons to watch: An insight into a Britain seldom seen

Reasons to avoid: Upsetting stories

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 8/10

Did you know? According to government figures, Iranians were the most common nationality entering detention in the year, up to March 2021 accounting for 14% of the total, or 1,835 entrants.

The final word. "The more I filmed, the more I learned about the Hostile Environment, a term used by the government in 2012 to illustrate an atmosphere the government wanted to create for migrants in the country, to make life here as inhospitable as possible, so they would choose to leave on their own accord – or be deported."

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