A collective contradictory essay about the edge of England, told through the inner lives of a small town, where refugees cross everyday in small boats.
“Stop the boats” and “take back control” have defined UK politics for the last decade; thinly-veiled racism behind borders meant to protect a certain kind of Englishness. Jessi moves from London to Folkestone, a Brexit-voting small town built on the iconic White Cliffs. Refugees cross daily from France, and tensions rise between ‘woke’ progressives and a conservative set nostalgic for Empire and War heroics. Through moments of emotion, humour, and the everyday, the place and people shift from caricature to community, as she meets 6 characters embodying hope for a messy inclusive England. We enter their lives, echoing collective thoughts and dreams as the Coronation comes, wars begin, and Governments change, trying to work out who we really are amidst social and political chaos.
Followed by a discussion about bringing the divides in communities with the film team, participants, and community representatives