Sixteen

A former child soldier in Congo, now living in London, witnesses a crime and is drawn into a violent world he'd hoped to leave behind.

Jumah is about to turn 16 and is already in need of a fresh start. Burdened with the shameful legacy of a past as a child soldier in the Congo, he lives with his adoptive mother in west London, where he struggles to keep a lid on his history of violence. One night, enjoying a rare carefree evening out with a new friend, Jumah witnesses something that draws him seemingly inescapably into his old ways...

Already a short filmmaker of some note, Rob Brown has assembled a strong British cast that he has directed with restraint and grace, remaining unafraid to confront the audience with his characters’ culpability and social responsibility. Actor Roger Jean Nsengiyumva's escaped Rwanda in the '90s, so his portrayal of a teenager scarred by war is utterly convincing. The resulting film is a beautifully realised and moving take on the British urban thriller.