Having fled systemic discrimination and persecution in their home countries, Roma migrants from central Europe thought they had reached a safe haven in the UK – only to find their futures rendered uncertain by the dual upheavals of Brexit and Covid. Shot during this turbulent period, Mira Erdevicki’s heartfelt documentary paints a powerful picture of collective solidarity in the face of unprecedented calamity.
Foregrounding the fostering of a supportive environment for an ethnic diaspora, the film follows three Roma settlers who tirelessly work to help create a sense of community among the displaced. Denisa was the first in her family to obtain a mainstream education, as Roma children in the Czech Republic, where she originally came from, are routinely sent to special needs schools. First working as a cleaner in the UK, Denisa became the first Roma British lawyer, which allowed her to aid other migrants to obtain the necessary documentation to remain in the UK. Victim of skinhead violence in the Czech Republic, Petr was awarded an MBE for his community outreach work as a police officer in Peterborough, while Ondrej thrived as a student at Babington academy in Leicester, inspiring him to study psychology in higher education.
Their accomplishments were made possible by welcoming immigration policies, which grew more constricted in the aftermath of Brexit. Under Covid restrictions, much of the footage was shot by Denisa, Petr, and Ondrej themselves, deftly juxtaposing their activism with intimate everyday events, such as a Christmas celebration or a lockdown wedding. It’s this affecting stylistic touch that enables the subjects to tell their own stories rather than coming across like an ethnographic study.
• Leaving to Remain is released on 28 April in UK cinemas.
