Documentary, Short

00:28:00

United Kingdom

Ewa Abana

Synopsis:

ROOTS and WINGS is an interview-driven documentary which explores the lives of four migrant women, each of whom represents a distinct cultural background—The Netherlands, the Caribbean, Poland, and Russia.
Every participant shares their own vision of success, detailing how their understanding has changed since moving to the UK —or remained steadfast—throughout their lives.
Abana, director and producer is herself a migrant from Poland who relocated to the UK in 2004. Coming from a family of contrasting values, she has developed her own vision of success however it was significantly challenged by migration and served as a major source of inspiration for this project.
Unlike narratives centred on refugees, the women in this film are migrants who came to the UK for diverse reasons—marriage, economic opportunity, love, study or the pursuit of a better life. Abana’s own migration was driven by the need to escape the racism prevalent in Poland at the time, enabling her to live with her foreign husband in a safe environment.
The uniqueness of this documentary lies in its experimental approach. As a neurodivergent filmmaker, Abana intentionally avoids the use of music in the film and its trailer. This creative choice allows viewers the space to listen to the participants’ stories without emotional manipulation.
Filmed in Abana’s garage studio on a minimal budget and runs for 28 minutes. Archival photographs, though not always of high technical quality, enrich the film with authenticity.

DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY

Born in Poland in 1969 and currently based in London, Ewa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Photography (2020) and a Master of Arts in Filmmaking (2024).
Her journey in photography and filmmaking began as a documentary photographer, dedicating herself to documenting XR London protests. This work resulted in her first documentary, Two Weeks That Shook London (2019), which was released in 2023. She went on to produce her first award-winning documentary, Mieszko (2023), and has since worked on several fiction projects, including Choices (dir. Aline Jewell, 2024), Popi (dir. Kadir Arichi, 2024), and Crown of Four Fingers (dir. Ankita Sharma, 2024).
Ewa is currently developing a new documentary focused on women migrants in the UK and experimental flaneur production.