evaluation 2

So I'm here with Christie Waku who plays 'Cali' in the new urban drama myHOOD. Hi Cali, thanks for coming. I really enjoyed the film and for those who haven’t seen the film, tell us a little bit about it.

It’s the story of a girl called Cali from Hackney. She comes from a broken home, her mother is in and out of her life, and she mostly cares for herself. The film follows her through a journey and a moral dilemma of whether to carry on selling drugs, or to take up the opportunity of a scholarship. She’s a really bright girl who is unfortunately caught up in some very dodgy stuff. On the outside she is this really tough girl, who has to fend for herself, but on the inside she is vulnerable and craves a stable life.

I think the director Amber Smith did a great job of telling the story of girl gangs, rather than the normal story of boys involved in crime. What was your idea when you were coming into the film, what made you want to get involved?

Well I wanted to get involved because I thought it was a really original representation of not only gangs and crime, because that has been told before, but rather that of the story of gender. And I thought it was really interesting to explore that

So it is a hard, gritty film to watch, especially for people who live in poorer areas such as Hackney.  How did you think Amber kept the authenticity and the realism but not glamorise it?

I think Amber did a really good job of showing the reality of a tough and gritty reality of life in Hackney but at the same time she doesn’t promote and glamorise drugs and crime. I also think it is important to discuss the representation of the character. To show that Cali is troubled, she doesn’t want to necessarily be involved in what she’s involved in, but it’s what she has to do to survive. I recently watched the finished product and I think that it is edited really well. The jump cuts between shots keep in theme of a fast paced, urban environment. And in the opening sequence the shots of Cali getting ready are blended with shots of street signs and Hackney landmarks, which symbolise Cali’s integration to her environment, and how she is affiliated with Hackney itself.

With the recent London Riots demonizing of teenagers and young adults is more engrained into the media than ever. What are your thoughts on this?

I think the most important thing to take away from myHOOD is that Cali is where she is out of necessity, and she strives to make a better life for herself. I think especially in the aftermath of the riots, when people hear Hackney they think of crime, and people in hoodies. They don’t see the amazing diverse culture, the art galleries, and the markets. There is almost a stigma against it. But myHOOD takes the audience on a literal and metaphorical journey with Cali, and her aspirations exceed the limitations of people’s expectations. I tried to contrast the intimidating image of teenagers that is created with Cali’s fragile personality.

How did you bring ‘Cali’ to life?

(laughs) Firstly I brought out the chains. I worked with the wardrobe department and told them what I would wear when I was growing up. I talked about bandanas, tracksuits, and the big gold hoop earrings and everything! I even changed my voice. I listened to grime music more and started to watch films like Kidulthood and Adulthood, just to perfect the urban, street dialect of East London teenagers.

The soundtrack to the film was all UK grime; do you think that was intentional?

Yes I definitely think that was intentional. I think what Amber did in the film was really clever. The representation that that kind of music creates is perfect for the character of Cali and her surroundings. The atmosphere is harsh and in your face just like the music and I think that works really well.

Did you find playing Cali rewarding?

This was the film role that I played where I could be myself, I could talk like I talked when I was growing up. I related to Cali, I mean not with the drugs but with living in a poorer area and growing up I never saw that on TV. So to me it was really rewarding to play a role that represented this particular social group that is often demonized in the media.

Thanks Christie it’s been great talking to you.

words by Sheena Murray

photograph by Edward Oudwire