Project Detail

Babymother

Synopsis

Anita's got attitude and ambition. She plans to be a DJ, dancehall diva, dropping sweet lyrics to wind up the dancefloor. She has a style to make bodies wind... for she is Princess Neeta... 'Mistress of the Mic'... if it wasn't for.... her two kids, if it wasn't for Byron, the kid's father - a singerman himself, who ain't around that much but thinks his babymother should be at home looking after his children. If it wasn't that her mother loves the church so much and disapproves of the dancehall.

Babymother is Anita's story. At first a woman-child, selfish yet naive, street-smart yet vulnerable. A girl as yet unable to face the responsibilities of her children or her life. A girl travelling along the bumpy road to adulthood, through the tough, deeply male world of reggae music. Set against a backdrop of Harlesden's tenement housing, Babymother is a journey into the explosion of colour, passion and style that is the dancehall!

Details

Year
1998
Type of project
Features
Format
35mm Kodak
Director
Julian Henriques
Producer
Parminder Vir OBE
Co-Producer
Arts Council of England (National Lottery)
Executive Producer
Margaret Matheson
Director of Photography
Chris Seager
Principal cast
Anjela Lauren-Smith, Wil Johnson, Caroline Chikezie, Jocelyn Eison, Don Warrington
Screen Writer
Julian Henriques

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Parminder Vir OBE

Producer
34, Heber Road
London NW2 6AA

Tel: +447767757546

Sales Company

Film Four International

76-78 Charlotte Street
London W1P 1LX
UK

T +44 (0)20 7868 7700

Page updates

This page was last updated on 12th May 2025. Please let us know if we need to make any amendments or request edit access by clicking below.

See also

You may also be interested in other relevant projects in the database.

Pheasant Pheasant

Director: Claire Molloy

Year: 2026

A drama set in rural England amidst the backdrop of World War II exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the impact of war on personal lives - highlighting the human capacity for both empathy and cruelty in times of crisis. Martha, an 11-year-old mixed-race girl, is evacuated from London to the northern English countryside. Martha finds herself in the care of a gruff gamekeeper and his family. Feeling isolated and rejected due to her racial background and the community’s war-induced tensions, she tries to adapt to her new life, becoming captivated by the natural beauty of the countryside. Martha forms a secret friendship with Enzo, an Italian POW, whose gentle demeanour and shared sense of displacement draw them together. Martha also navigates a complex relationship with George, the gamekeeper's son, who is torn between his familial prejudices and his growing fondness for Martha.

A wide shot image of a boy sitting in a field with his back to the camera, reading a magazine. In the distance behind him is a tangle of pylons and industrial buildings Gowk

Director: Ryan Pollock

Year: 2025

Set in the decaying housing estate of Gowkthrapple and based on a true story, Gowk follows a young boy as he begins to uncover a painful family secret. His mother’s sudden absence casts a shadow over the household, while his father, unable to express his own suppressed pain, keeps the truth of the incident buried. As the boy begins to realise the emotional weight of his family’s past and the fragility of its present, he navigates a world of unspoken truths and generational wounds. The film explores the cyclical nature of family bonds, the struggle to connect across generations, the impact of inherited trauma, and the beginnings of a premature loss of innocence.

A young boy stands in a domestic doorway Grandboy

Director: Eva Edo

Year: 2026

A poignant drama exploring young carers, dementia, and the power of intergenerational love. Set over one day, 13-year-old Ezra secretly cares for his grandmother Agnes after his mother disappears. As Agnes’s dementia worsens and their home slips into chaos, Ezra struggles to cope and keep the truth from everyone. When Agnes’s medication runs out, Ezra’s forced beyond the safety of the house, dodging a watchful neighbour, a concerned friend, and police conducting door-to-door enquiries. Pressure mounts when Agnes’s agitation spirals and the knock at the door becomes unavoidable. Under police questioning, Ezra’s secret unravels, prompting a fleeting moment of recognition from Agnes. To protect them both, Ezra must decide whether to accept help, even if it means losing the person he loves most.