George White talks to writer Milly James and producer Sophia Ramcharan about We’re All Black Down Here, a short film exploring the story of an African-Caribbean miner in the East Midlands...
The extensive influence of the mining industry on Nottingham’s rich, layered culture is well-documented. Yet there is one area of the region’s deep mining history that has often been overlooked – the vital role of migrants. This is something that We’re All Black Down Here, a short drama telling the story of an African-Caribbean miner in the East Midlands, is hoping to address.
“The film is important as it places black men, African-Caribbean men, in an industry where little has been recorded about the part they played,” says writer Milly James. “I think one of the reasons their role has been overlooked is that there’s a lack of specific documentation. We see so many historical accounts of British mining where there is so little mention of the contribution made by immigrants.”
Based on the life of her own father, Milly admits this is a story that feels particularly important to tell. “I have tried to imbue an essence of his experience into the main character, Morris,” she says. “The whole process has been quite exciting for me. I couldn’t wait to get my teeth into it.”
Recent events in the UK and abroad only strengthened Milly’s determination to make the movie. The issues faced by migrants such as her father are still alarmingly present today, making public conversations about racism as crucial as ever.
When we look deeper and examine the issues of racial intolerance and hatred that our parents faced in England, it is still the same as those experienced by us and younger generations
“The most pertinent theme of the film is race. It was staggering to witness the killing of George Floyd and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests all over the planet, including the UK. This all came shortly after the Windrush Scandal. For us as black people it felt like nothing had changed,” she admits. “When we look deeper and examine the issues of racial intolerance and hatred that our parents faced in England, it is still the same as those experienced by us and younger generations.”
Filming at local locations including Mansfield’s Pleasley Pit Mining Museum, We’re All Black Down Here is making the most of Nottingham’s impressive filmmaking potential to tell its powerful story. Milly herself is from the area, as is producer Sophia Ramcharan and several other members of the crew.
For Sophia, the success of the movie depends on its authenticity. “It’s really important to the production to have local representation on screen with Nottingham locations and crew,” she explains. “We’re not cheating here, we will be filming the story underground in a real mining location, providing an immersive and genuine experience for the audience.”
Expected to start shooting in January, after the second lockdown, We’re All Black Down Here will premiere with a special online screening for cast, crew and supporters. If that goes well, Milly is hoping to take her project even further.
“There are so many aspects that I really wanted to cover, but we couldn’t do that in a short film. We’d love to develop this into a feature so we can explore them more thoroughly.”
Find out more about the film at the We're all Black Down Here Facebook page
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