Bukky Bakray, Kosar Ali, D’angelou Osei Kissiedu, Shaneigha-Monik Greyson, Ruby Stokes, Tawheda Begum
Following its World Premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Rocks is Sarah Gavron’s highly anticipated third feature following Brick Lane and Suffragette, reuniting her with BAFTA-nominated producer Faye Ward (Stan & Ollie, Wild Rose).
It’s the story of a teenage girl growing up in a multi-ethnic community in East London. Rocks (Bukky Bakray) has big dreams for the future, loyal friends and an adoring younger brother, Emmanuel (D’angelou Osei Kissiedu). But when her unstable mother leaves home, her world turns upside down, and the days that follow become the most defining of her life.
Based on a script by award-winning playwright Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson (Little Drummer Girl), Rocks was developed through extensive workshops led by Gavron, with its dynamic, largely female cast – Kosar Ali, Shaneigha Greyson, and Sarah Niles alongside Bukky Bakray – discovered through casting sessions at schools, and the resulting performances shot by a predominantly female crew. The result is one of the most critically acclaimed films to come out of Toronto and LFF, a joyous film full of resilience and spirit that movingly celebrates the power of female friendship.
