A WAY OF LIFE

Year: 2004
UK: Verve Pictures
Cast: Stephanie James, Gary Sheppeard, Nathan Jones, Dean Wong, Sara Gregory, Oliver Haden, Brenda Blethyn, Eli Williams, Darcy Williams, Lynsey Richards, Victoria Pugh, Amy Morgan, Gareth Gethin Evans, Philip Howe, Ri Richards, Nick McGaughey, Karen Elli, Marlene Griffiths, Trystan Gravelle, Marged Esli, Christine Pritchard, Lynsey France, Stephen Scott, Matthew Jenkins, Lindsey Williams, Siriol Jenkins, Claire Isaac, Lynne Seymour, Tony Squire, Michael Conway, Rhys Pettican Reh, Rhys Jones
Director: Amma Asante
Country: UK
UK: 91 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language, sex, violence and racist language
UK Release Date: 12 November 2004
UK Distributor

Synopsis

A WAY OF LIFE is a teenage tragedy which offers a chilling insight into racism whilst connecting us with the lives of five children struggling to cling to their dreams. The film centres around teenage mother, Leigh-Anne Williams (Stephanie James) and her three friends: Robbie (Gary Sheppeard), a seventeen year old, determined to move beyond his dead-end community; Gavin (Nathan Jones), a seventeen year old, desperately chasing love; and Stephen (Dean Wong), a fifteen year old, yearning for a Welsh identity.

All of them operate along the margins of society... until one day, paranoia, boredom, frustration and anger form a lethal combination. When her baby girl's future appears threatened, Leigh-Anne's Turkish Muslim neighbour (Oliver Haden), becomes the target of her pent up anger and humiliation. A ferocious murder takes place which is seemingly driven by racial hatred, and in a moment, the four teenagers seal their fate. This is a touching story of a young mother, her child, of teenage romance and friendship, which draws you in slowly, until you find yourself in a world of poverty, love, tenderness and hurt.