BIB Reviews: Nanny (2022), coming to select cinemas Nov 25
We saw Nanny at the BFI London Film Festival back in October, but had the chance to see it again earlier this week thanks to the incredible team at Birds’ Eye View Film, a UK-wide charity with a mission to bring a broader perspective of the world through cinema. Do check out their #reclaimtheframe, which brings audiences together and builds community for films by women and non-binary filmmakers in cinemas across the UK.
Now onto the review: Water is weaved throughout the story, so beautifully; it’s cleverly foreshadowed and put together flawlessly, with all these clues it’s wow! A small detail in the beginning, the cousin says “he moves like water”, which later on means so much.
The film gave a view into the exploitation of African immigrant mothers and showed the struggles that nanny’s can go through, and how selfish actions from others can ripple. It showed a realistic view of a Black woman's world, something I don’t see on screen often.
Nanny is a horror but felt more of like a physiological thriller due to how grounded in reality the horrors were, for example. the microaggressions, the overfamiliarity Aisha (played by Anna Diop) boss had, just little things that happen that made it feel hyper real.
At the end, there was also a panel discussion which was engaging, hearing different thoughts about the film and what it meant to others. One of the panelists described the ending as “new beginning comes with sacrifices” and it kind of changed my perspective.
This was the first screening of any film I’ve been to which has had subtitles and even subtitles during the live panel. It was really lovely and refreshing to see as usually never done.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and watching it again for the second with a majority Black audience was just incredible. There were just bits we all collectively got, laughed at or just silently agreed/disagreed with.
Highly recommended watch; it comes out on 25th November in cinemas and later on Prime Video, Dec 16th.
Recommended reading:
Variety Article: ‘Nanny’ Director Nikyatu Jusu and the Filmmakers Behind the Horror Film on Making Sundance History By Angelique Jackson