Home from Home

Caroline Irby's original photo-journalism project for the Guardian/Observer newspaper group/Channel 4 TV appeared as four (disappointingly) short (3+ minutes) documentary programmes on television earlier this month under the above title.

Each of the episodes has a theme - Arrival, Finding my Feet, Looking Back, The Future.

Basically, a collage of her still photos - each child (187 nationalities resident in the UK of the 192 nationalities in the world) was shown - with excerpts from her interviews with some of the children. Jaime appeared for about 30 ms as many other children -and only those whose interviews were quoted had their countries of origin named - a shame.

Even though there was not time to produce the audio from all of Caroline's interviews many of the children/young adults, it seems each got a soundbite.

Jaime's, (which I missed the first time round) ... "It was busy and dark and cold".

Another favourite quote from an unidentified source in the first episode "When I first arrived, there were so many white people!"

My favourite interviews from the four episodes are those from the first episode with two Liberian and Mongolian young adults. They are eloquent and intelligent. All these young people have much to offer the UK, their own countries and UK foreign relations.

So many of the soundbites speak with the regional accents of the area of the UK in which the child resides - I have certainly noticed that as Jaime has been learning English it is with a Rochdale accent!

I speak the language of my adopted country fluently, incorrectly and with a decidedly British accent. Speaking English to non-UK colleagues (including Americans), as opposed to drinking companions at the local pub in Rochdale (even though I was brought up in the south rather than the north), I codeswitch (a Linguistics term) to Standard English and "Received Pronunciation" rather than "ain't" and double negatives - "I ain't got no money" - which are perfectly understood in Rochdale.

The nationals of my adopted country codeswitch all the time between the official colonially-imposed language and various creoles (hmm ... another future post on this subject) .

I digress ...

Unfortunately, I cannot show you the programme ... copyright! Nrgggh!

Home from Home

Just received this message ... watch out for Jaime!

Dear children, parents, schools, embassies, refugee groups, and anyone else who helped make this project possible,

Last year, or before, you helped photographer Caroline Irby in her search for a child from every country in the world now living in the UK. As you know, this work was published in the Guardian magazine and on their website a few months ago.

Caroline is currently away on a new photographic expedition in Africa but has asked us here at Eleven Film to inform you that she has made a new series of four short films, using the photographs and interviews she collected. The series, titled 'Home from Home' will air on Channel 4 at 7.55pm on Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th, Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March 2009.

Whereas in the Guardian magazine only some of the children/nationalities could be shown, a child from every country will appear in this TV series.

Thank you again for your help and participation. We hope you enjoy the films.

Very best

Joe Murray
pp Caroline Irby

Joe Murray
Eleven Film
3-4 Portland Mews
Off d'Arblay Street
London