Wayfinder

I watched this with 6 others at Cell B, Blaenau Ffestiniog's small independent cinema. Everyone watched the film and the final credits.

Wayfinder is a film seemingly without a narrative, like a sketch, or a journal (journey) of ideas. The score, largely by Larry Achiampong himself is mournful and sombre but really heightened the ambiance.

I have to admit that I had no idea what Wayfinder would be like, the opening chapter 'The North' was the least narratorial - which leads me to believe that the creators either didn't understand the north of the country, or its' silence and plenitude was fairly reflected on screen. Also, Scotland and Wales were completely overlooked!

The plot, if there is one, follows an unnamed, Ghanaian young woman as she silently interacts with the landscape and a smattering of people on a journey from the north of England to the south east. It's a portrayal of the struggle we all face to feel at home in the place we're born into. In London Larry asks us, the audience, to take a look in the mirror and see the other history of Britain; it's not entirely comfortable, the audience at Cell B were all white.

Wayfinder's parting shot is a seeming complaint about being displaced from London by gentrification coupled with a yearning(?) to be east, across the sea. Or maybe it was just the act of looking across the sea whilst being firmly planted on this small island we call home.