Rocks, released in 2019, is a film that encapsulates the struggles of impoverished teenage girls in London. Directed by Sarah Gavron and written by Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson, Rocks makes a clear effort to represent the underrepresented. Despite the film’s critical success at the time of release, Rocks did not break into mainstream consumption. This is perhaps indebted to decreased cinema attendance during COVID and the increase in streaming services. While Rocks never truly entered the spotlight, it is certainly a film deserving of attention.
Rather than dwelling upon their poverty, the film explores the strong relationships that scaffold these girls’ lives. When Shola ‘Rocks’ (Bukky Bakray) and her eight-year-old brother Emmanuel (D’angelou Osei Kissiedu) are abandoned by their mother, Rocks immediately adopts the maternal role. Despite obstacles, her spirit is indomitable, and she finds strength and support from her group of friends, in particular, from Sumaya (Kosar Ali).
Casting director Lucy Pardee worked with girls from schools and youth clubs across London for a year before casting this film, an investment resulting in electric, effortless performances. Viewers are immersed in the girls’ lives, in a way that is enchanting and reminiscent of Ken Loach’s debut, Poor Cow. Whilst Loach’s film was shot on estates around Battersea and Gavron was shooting over fifty years later in Hackney, like Loach, Gavron has managed to create a truly engaging and believable window into the lives of these girls.
Oppositely Poor Cow was adapted from a novel, while Gavron’s film springs directly from the lived experiences of the young women who contributed to the making of her film. This participatory structure enabled her to capture the untamed vivacity of youth and reject the standard poverty and crime tropes, as her ethnic cast is so clearly, at this point in their lives, empowered. Despite being a white filmmaker, Gavron skilfully avoids any possible accusation of cultural tourism and provides a striking insight into the challenges faced by these young people.
This participatory structure enabled her to capture the untamed vivacity of youth and reject the standard poverty and crime tropes, as her ethnic cast is so clearly, at this point in their lives, empowered.
As the credits roll, the audience is left to question whether there is hope for these girls. Whilst episodes of conflict and struggle are balanced with moments of spontaneous joy, it is evident that the energy of these girls will not be harnessed post-school, and their vivacity might be crushed by contemporary society. It is part of the strength of this film that the audience can retain some hope, that with the support of powerful bonds of friendship, these girls can progress to fulfil their very evident potential.
It is part of the strength of this film that the audience can retain some hope, that with the support of powerful bonds of friendship, these girls can progress to fulfil their very evident potential.
Rocks, unlike many contemporary features, provides viewers with the space to generate their own questions about inequality and their own independent conclusions. The film is a colourful but true portrayal of the importance of the female community in London, which could not be more relevant today.
