ABOUT

Following its world premiere at the 2022 BFI London Film Festival and international premiere at Hot Docs, Toronto 2023, BFI Distribution will release the inspirational award winning documentary NAME ME LAWAND, written and directed by Edward Lovelace (co-director of THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS), in UK and Irish cinemas on 7 July 2023.

Previews of the film will take place during Refugee Week (19-25 June) including a preview + Q&A at BFI Southbank on World Refugee Day, 20 June, in partnership with Counterpoint Arts.

Lawand is a young Kurdish boy, deaf since birth. At five years old, his future in Iraq looks destined to be limited and lonely. In desperate search of a better life in a world where he can communicate, his family decide to leave their home. After a treacherous journey and a year in a refugee camp, the help of a deaf volunteer brings them to Derby where Lawand joins the Royal School for the Deaf. As he grows older, the film follows his dramatic progress learning British Sign Language, revealing a bright, charismatic and inquisitive boy, who discovers friendship and a new way to express himself. But just as Lawand is joyfully finding his place in the world, the family face deportation from the UK.

Employing a striking lyrical and observational visual style, writer/director Edward Lovelace spent four years filming Lawand, learning British Sign Language himself. In this moving and inspiring portrait, we follow Lawand’s evolution from extreme isolation to becoming able to be his true self. This is a story about the strength that language gives us, whatever form it takes, and of the power of friendship and community.

Edward Lovelace is best known for THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS, co-directed with James Hall. Nominated for a BIFA and Grierson Award, the 2014 documentary followed singer Edwyn Collins and his slow return to health after a devastating stroke.

NAME ME LAWAND is a Pulse Films production with support from BFI Doc Society Fund (awarding National Lottery funding) and Electric Shadow Company, produced by Fleur Nieddu Lovelace, Sam Arnold, Beyan Taher, Neil Andrews, Marisa Clifford and Edward Lovelace. Executive Producers are Thomas Benski, Tim O'Shea, Diene Petterle, Lisa Marie Russo, Kwesi Dickson and Isabel Freer.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

I came across Lawand and his brother Rawa through an image taken by a photographer who had visited the family when they first arrived in Derby. On learning more about their incredible story, I visited Lawand’s school, The Royal School for the Deaf Derby, and met Lawand and his family early in 2019. I discovered that Lawand has had other people speak for him, representing him, for most of his life and I could see that he was desperate to communicate himself, in a language that truly represented him. I saw that he had a huge personality that was ready to burst out; he was so sharp and funny, he could make me laugh just by giving me a certain look. He was curious about everything; I remember how intrigued he was by my stills camera – he wanted to know how it worked. I could see he was sociable and wanted to interact with other people. This was his greatest frustration – he desperately wanted to communicate to the world who he is, in his own way. For Lawand it is simple – when he communicates in British Sign Language, he is the real Lawand.

We quickly bonded as I started to learn British Sign Language and we began to build our film team with a Kurdish and a deaf producer.

The film’s goal is to show the world what can happen when someone is given the freedom to express themselves in their language of choice, in a place they feel they can be celebrated as their true self.

I wanted to build trust and a strong foundation, so I spent most of 2019 being present at Lawand’s school, talking to teachers and forging bonds. They saw that I felt inspired just to be there.

I thought ‘what kind of film would Lawand want to tell his story? What would make him most proud?’ For him, it would be a film in the style of a classic friendship narrative, films like Stand By Me and Good Will Hunting, films which deal with big themes but are rooted in friendship, in the bond and connection that true friends bring…. That’s the type of story that Lawand would say most represents him and his journey. Once I realised that, I could see the end of the film, see where we needed to get to thematically. The film would be a celebration of finding your people and finding your place in the world.

Our connection with the family has been something we have been so proud of. We have assisted them on their visits to court and helped in various ways in their Home Office case. Possibly, the most notable moment was a segment from the film showcasing Lawand’s fluency in British Sign Language, which became a pivotal moment in the Home Office’s understanding of the importance of this language to Lawand.

To become a part of Lawand's journey, however small, is one of my proudest achievements. I want the film to celebrate the light that shines from Lawand.

Edward Lovelace - 2023

MEET THE FILM TEAM

Edward Lovelace

Director

Edward Lovelace is known for his critically acclaimed work, including his award-winning third feature film co-directed with James Hall, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS (2014 – SXSW, BFI London Film Festival) and their VOLVO x SKY ATLANTIC documentary series Human Made Stories (Cannes Lions, Tribeca Film Festival 2020). His previous work also includes A SONG STILL INSIDE (2020 – short narrative), KATY PERRY: PART OF ME (2012 – feature documentary) and WEREWOLVES ACROSS AMERICA (2010 – feature documentary). His most recent feature film NAME ME LAWAND (2022) won Best International Film at HotDocs 2023, received a Grierson Award 'Best Feature Documentary' nomination at BFI London Film Festival 2022 and has been nominated for a One World Media 'Refugee Reporting' Award. NAME ME LAWAND is being released by BFI Distribution in June 2023 across the UK & Ireland. He is currently developing a fiction feature with BBC Film and is in development for his next feature documentary.