Jess Ingleby and I had only quarter of an hour to sort out our initial ideas for the Portrait of Place project, we checked out the internet and had a quick brainstorm.
We found a site, http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.uk/edalewalk.htm, that looked like it might be the correct walk we were suggested to use.

Here are Jess' quit jottings:

And my scribblings:

Skin Deep

Skin Deep by Yusaf Ali Khan (2001)



The Films main focus is Romo (real name Rashid) who is a mixed race teenage boy, half English, half Pakistani. He lives in an all-white neighbourhood in the early 1980s, in order to belong he feels he must deny his Asian side. The film follows him on the day he starts a new job and attempts to blend in with his NF workmates, as part of this he joins them in intimidating a yound asian boy on the estate.

The main themes of the film are racism and identity, Khan is trying to highlight how difficult it is for mixed race children, particularly teenagers, to develop a sense of identity when the two cultures seem to conflict dramatically.
The scene of Romo shouting and screaming abuse and racial slurrs at himself in the mirror, mixed with flashbacks of being tormented and beaten by similar NF people throughout his childhood, is particularly uncomfortable to watch, its brought about by a mixture of guilt at his actions during the day and a confusion of identity. The scene becomes almost unbarable when he starts shaving his hair off, in an attempt to give himself a skinhead, and is literally hacking into his scalp.

However, as uncomfortable to watch as it is, I found myself unable to look away, I think this shocking way of covering the story is the only real way to deal with the subject matter. This issue should make the viewer feel uncomfortable.
The use of colour (mainly faded blues and greys), as well as helping set the scene in the 1980s, gives the scenes a cold, dark and lonely feel, which i think was how Romo felt the outside world was to him.
When he's looking at himself in the mirror, the mirror highlights the two different sides to himself. He feels white but looks asian, two different contradicting cultures and identities.

I really like this film, I particularly favour films that make you feel slightly uncomfortable for good reason, as they deal with difficult issues, and this film does it very well.