Alien Culture

Filmmaker's note

‘Alien Culture’ is a late coming of age story about a second-generation British Asian man who learns to cope with new filial responsibilities that’s pushed upon him by questioning his own insular views about the world in which he occupies.

The story takes place in a period of English history that is steeped with complex incident and provocation. That Britain seems so different to the one I grew up in, yet, unfortunately it seems that the themes in the film are relevant to what’s happening in the world today with the advent of extreme right wing groups, and the formation of dangerous perceptions. For Lucky, discovering who his younger brother really is, challenges his own narrow ideals about race relations in the UK and inadvertently makes him re-think his priorities at home.

I think there’s hope in finding inclusivity in the unlikeliest of places, and this pertains to the films subtle message about the power of co-existence. Audiences should be reminded of London’s degree of multicultural unity and cohesion. Breaking down barriers between communities is important to me, and the story offers a microcosmic view of that larger picture.