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Windrush75: Forging Ahead

Windrush75: Forging Ahead is a documentary which features three young London based creatives of Caribbean heritage speaking about their lives, artistic expressions and visions for the way ahead.

Their thoughts are woven with the stories of their families' earlier generations, those who immigrated to the UK from the Caribbean including Barbados. It highlights their aspirations and determination for a new life in Britain along with their experiences of racism, resilience and strong community bonds.

Windrush75: Forging Ahead concludes on a note of optimism for a brighter future.

  • r.
    Director
    Dèyè do bon dié (behind god’s back )
  • Maureen A Salmon
    Producer
  • Jeremy Williams
    Producer
    Consulting Producer
  • Dionne Walker
    Producer
    Consulting Producer
  • Moses Quiquine Nicholls
    Key Cast
  • Noa Sabi
    Key Cast
  • Jono Thompson
    Key Cast
  • Rashid Nicholls
    Key Cast
  • Chantal Quiquine
    Key Cast
  • Ian Grant
    Key Cast
  • Norma Grant
    Key Cast
  • Yolanda Thompson
    Key Cast
  • Eldrige Thompson
    Key Cast
  • Joshua Thompson
    Key Cast
  • Khizra Ahmed
    Assistant Director
  • Ali Mohammed
    Director of Photography
  • Cesar Motta
    Director of Photography
  • Yves Salmon
    Unit Photography
  • Karine Sebatware
    Research and inteview
  • Melanie Qovop Castel
    Music Composition
  • Mike Williams
    Music Engineer
  • Pearl Gerald
    Graphic and Animation
  • Emmanuel Benjamin
    Colour Grader
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Completion Date:
    October 10, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Caribbean Windrush Film Festival 2024
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 22, 2024
    Windrush 75: Forging Ahead 2023 Stream online as part of Windrush Caribbean Film Festival June2024 https://wcff24.eventive.org/films/665f424a5cc3ac005727c311
    Documentary
Director Biography - r.

r. is a graduate from
the MA Documentary Film
at the University of the Arts
London.
Narratively, he is interested
in the concept of identity,
and particularly in exploring
and documenting the process of building one’s
identity, both at the individual level and at the
societal level. He endeavours to explore the subject
with both a compassionate and cinematic lens:
one that takes the time required, one that seeks
to understand the contributors and their decisions
rather than judge, one that believes in nuance,
texture and contradiction.
Born and raised in Martinique, he is now based
between London (UK) and Toulouse (France) by
way of Boston, New-York, Mumbai, and Paris.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My journey to discovering the history of the
Windrush generation began in 2021 when I
immigrated to the UK. Through my friendship
with lawyers, I was surrounded by conversations
exploring the legalities of how some of the
Windrush Generation had been unjustly stripped of
what was effectively the lives they built in the UK.
It was during these discussions that I first became
aware of their story, a story of hardship.
As a person of French Caribbean descent, the story
of the Windrush generation resonated strongly with
my own family’s history. Between 1963 and 1981,
my mother and many of her generation were called
upon by France to come from the former colonies to
help (re)build the country. The stories that have been
passed down through my family over the years have
always been ones of resilience and strength in the
face of adversity.
However, it wasn’t until I began the MA
Documentary Film at London College ofCommunication, that I truly learned about the
legacy of Windrush. It was there that I was able to
connect with fellow students of Windrush heritage.
Through their stories, I gained insight into the
hardships that the Windrush generation faced, as
well as the societal and individual progress that they
made through their tireless efforts. Above all, the
stories I heard from my peers were ones of resilience
and Love.
I was fortunate to be a part of the Windrush 75
celebrations ‘Reimagining Our Future’ led by Maureen Salmon, the commissioner and producer of Windrush75: Forging Ahead.
I firmly believe that by sharing the stories of
the Windrush generation, we can inspire future
generations to continue the fight for equality and
justice. Their legacy is a testament to the power of
resilience, love, and community, and I am honoured
to be a small part of it.