DREAMERS
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Isio, a Nigerian migrant, has been living in the United Kingdom for two years when she is arrested for working without papers. Placed in the Hatchworth deportation centre, she hopes that one of her appeals for asylum will be successful. There, she forms a strong bond with her roommate, Farah, who introduces her to the rules of this hostile environment. DREAMERS depicts the strength of the budding love between Isio and Farah in the face of adversity. In her first feature film, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor denounces the absurdity of European immigration policies and creates an ode to freedom and love.
Presented by: Black & Queer NRW
In cooperation with Filmpalette Köln
Cooperation: Rubicon/Baraka
DREAMERS Direction: Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor, DCP, OmeU, 78 min
Guest
Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor is a London based producer and writer-director born in Nigeria. She founded Joi Productions in 2016. In 2019, she produced BLUE STORY, which became the highest-grossing film of its genre. That same year, she was recognised as a Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a BAFTA Breakthrough. In 2021, she produced Aml Ameen’s rom-com debut BOXING DAY, the UK’s first all-Black Christmas film. In 2022 Joy produced CHAMPION for BBC and Netflix. In 2024, she made her debut as a writer-director with DREAMERS, backed by BBC Film. The film premiered at the 75th Berlinale Film Festival in 2025, earning a Teddy Award nomination for Best Feature Film.