POP-Corn presents: Rocks (+ Q&A with Purple Moon Drama)

For our Women in Focus 2021 series, POP-Corn presents an online screening of Sarah Gavron’s, Rocks, a film about the resilience and spirit of girlhood. The screening will be followed by a Q&A hosted by the young women from Purple Moon Drama.

About the film

Rocks (played by Bukky Bakray) is a popular teenager with big dreams for the future, brilliant friends and an adoring little brother, Emmanuel (played by D’angelou Osei Kissiedu). But her world is turned upside down when her mother suddenly leaves. Determined to stick with her brother and avoid being taken into care against all odds, Rocks leaves her home and hides around East London with the help of her loyal – or maybe not so loyal – friends.

Q&A panellists include:

Jessica Mensah

Jessica Mensah is a Director, Writer & Speaker. In 2019, she graduated with a BA in Theatre & Performance, from the University of Surrey, Guildford School of Acting. She trained as a director on Stonecrabs Young Directors Training Programme and through the Young Vic’s Introduction to Directing Course and took part in an RTYDS placement at tiata fahodzi as part of the Artistic Directors Leadership programme in 2019. In 2017, she embarked on a year-long placement with Kiln Theatre, working within the creative learning department, where she got to interview Daniel Kaluyaa for a Q&A event at Kiln theatre. Jessica is the Chair for Purple Moon Drama’s Digital Youth Board and a previous Trustee for Metroland Culture.

Direction includes: ‘Tales from the Frontline’ with Talawa – part 4 starring Ann Akin, ‘Beyond the Canon Monologues’ at RADA, ‘I Stand Proud’ by Jessica Mensah, ‘Signed, Sealed Delivered’ with national e theatre, ‘ROADKILL’ at Theatre503.

Naomi Denny

Naomi is an actor and writer based in London and Brighton. She graduated from Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company, where she was awarded the Stage Scholarship 2017. She will next be seen on screen in the cast of Misnomer, a short film due to be released this year. Her last stage project was ‘Paper Straws’ with PearShaped theatre Company as a part of Vault Festival 2020, which won Vault festival’s Origins Award for week 4. As a writer, Naomi’s first play, ‘Essentially Black’ was performed at the Pleasance Theatre as a part of Pleasance LABS 2020, and her second play, ‘All The Happy Things’ was shortlisted for Soho Theatre’s Tony Craze Award 2020. Naomi has also written for Rikki Beadle – Blair’s latest anthologies, ‘Lit’ and ‘Fierce’, which are due for release in 2021.

Layla Jalaei

Layla graduated from Court Theatre Training Company in 2018 with a BA in Acting, and has since gone on to
create and be a part of thought provoking work. In early 2020 she began working with The Presence Theatre reading group, and later joined Purple Moon Drama’s Digital Youth Board where she has been able to develop creative outlets such as writing and producing.

Having worked previously for Poplar Union’s ‘Outside In’ Festival last year, she’s thrilled to be on their panel for the showing of Rocks.

Aaliyah Mckay

Aaliyah is a young theatre graduate and multi-disciplinary writer, director and actor. With experience in theatre, screen, poetry and short stories, Aaliyah prides herself on providing content that not only entertains various audiences but also educates them. Aaliyah is also represented by Break a Leg Management and has had excellent theatre training in renowned establishments such as Drama centre and MN academy. Alongside this, last January Aaliyah’s play “ The History On The Road” had its first debut in front of an audience at The Brockley Jack studio theatre, where it received a phenomenal amount of positive feedback and is currently in works to gain a long run in the near future. Additionally, Aaliyah has written for Rikki Beadle – Blair’s latest book, ‘Lit’ , which is due for release this year, a monologue book dedicated to actors of colour. Currently, Aaliyah holds a position on the youth board of Purple Moon Drama, where she has developed as an artist/creative rapidly alongside taking on new skills such as producing and project management.

Reviews:

“This film is such a rush of vitality. It rocks.” –  Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

“This potent work about stolen childhood deserves attention because of the freshness of the cast and because it confirms that Gavron is a director to watch.“  – Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter

This event is supported by East End Community Foundation