Raging Grace: The horror film inspired by Britain’s mistreated migrant workers
An award-winning horror with a small h, Raging Grace is filmmaker Paris Zarcilla’s response to the “micro and macro aggressions of racism” that Britain’s undocumented workers endure.
It’s a film that uses all the tropes of horror to explore what life is like for those working in the UK illegally.
The story centres around Joy, a young Filipino mother, who finds herself caring for a terminally ill man in order to support her British-born daughter Grace.
“Unfortunately, so many experiences of undocumented workers, immigrants, children of the diaspora, are often horrific,” Zarcilla explains.
“My mum, who was a domestic worker when she first came here, worked for rich families and would clean for them, look after their kids.
“They’re often invisible to society, they’re an invisible pillar, and I wanted to be able to show a very specific lived experience that often receives the micro and macro aggressions of racism in our society.”
The film focuses on the story of Joy…
From rage to page
Zarcilla told Sky News the idea came about in response to what he witnessed around him during the pandemic.
“It was a reaction to a year of great racial chaos, especially over here in the UK, where we were experiencing open aggression towards East and Southeast Asians,” Zarcilla says.
“The very kinds of immigrants that were supporting a very beleaguered NHS.
“Filipino nurses and doctors who were dying on the frontline to protect the British public.
“I was so enraged by it that I needed to put that on a page somewhere.”
…and her British-born daughter Grace
No UK funding a ‘deep shame’
But when it came to finding funding, he had to look overseas.
“We went to every single funding body in the UK, and they said no,” Zarcilla reveals.
“I thought I had written something that was true to an experience, a British experience, but it didn’t quite fit with people’s idea of what that was.
“So we actually ended up finding the money in America, which is such a deep shame because I’m deeply proud to be a British Filipino filmmaker.”
And that US investment paid off. Earlier in the year, Raging Grace was the first ever British winner of the prestigious Grand Jury prize at the South By Southwest film festival.
Read more from Sky News:
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Of course, its release in UK cinemas now comes at a time when immigration is a contentious political talking point: the government promising to clamp down on people smuggling, a majority of the public wanting the UK to control who crosses into its own borders.
“I’m filled with shame and incandescent rage for a government who are so inhumane,” Zarcilla says
“We have seen such disdain for humanity, disdain for the working class and the general public, and honestly, this is what this film is about, you know, finding ways to rebel.”
Raging Grace is in cinemas from 29 December.
Entertainment
Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter substantiated, including one of unwanted physical contact
An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found that more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.
MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.
The report also said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.
The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants.
There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were substantiated. All were related to MasterChef.
While the majority of the substantiated allegations related to inappropriate sexual language and humour, a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated.
One allegation of unwanted physical contact was substantiated.
Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place post-2018.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.
Additionally, the report summary found that there were also 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. Those people were not named in the summary.
The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures prior to 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.
While the investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.
Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace for contact today.
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