Last month I attended BFI Future Film Presents....SCENE, a free monthly event showcasing short films from young filmmakers. The films were all unique, ranging from exploring the horror of killing an innocent, to a separated couple grappling with the suicide of their mutual best friend.
My personal favourite was ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ by Skye Mcleod. This short personal essay documentary captured the essence of dual identity in today's multicultural society.
The theme of Identity can be a very personal and difficult subject to explore in a film, but ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ balanced those uncomfortable truths with moments of joy and for a short film very skillfully created a space where as the audience, you could address your own cultural identity without feeling overwhelmed.
The narrative resonates with my experience and exploration of my dual-identity as a Black British female and took me on a journey of acceptance with being from two distinctly different cultures. Particularly, during the final seconds of the film, Mcleod created this feeling of peace and self-acceptance with a series of shots of both Jamaica and London, which were grounded in family and friends and everyday life.
Bringing the film to a close, Mcleod’s narration challenges that feeling of not belonging where you’ve grown up nor where your family heritage is and leaves the audience with a positive outlook on identity.
