I AM SLAVE

This overwhelmingly sad and somewhat dispiriting movie’s powerful narrative about an African slave is actually based on a true story.  Twelve year old Malia is abducted from her mountain village in Sudan by Arab militia and sold into slavery to a vile woman in Khartoum who treats her inhumanly and even beats her for actually touching her daughter.  After 6 years the woman gets exasperated by Malia and arranges for her to be shipped off to London to her cousin who is married to a Diplomat.  Her new ‘owner’ is equally cruel and after taking Malia’s passport tells her that if she dares to ever leave the house or disobey her in any way her father back in Sudan will be killed.

The telling of this compelling and depressing story succeeds so well due to the convincing portrayal of Malia by Wunmi Mosaku who, with very words to stay, coveys all the anguish and pain with her eyes.  The story is reality at its fiercest, and a dispiriting indictment of society today that scenarios like this still happen.  Malia’s has a happy ending, but as the credits roll, there is reminder that Agencies suspect that there are still some 5000 slave workers in London today.