London Film Festival 2025 – Dreamers ★★★★

Released: 5 December 2025

Director: Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor

Starring: Ann Akinjirin, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́

Dreams of a better life might often be the impetus to leave one’s home country. Dreamers turns this concept on its head by portraying the perspective of those women forced to leave their own country, in a desperate bid to avoid being vilified or persecuted, only to wind up on British soils facing another form of persecution within life in a detention centre. Whilst this premise sounds bleak, Dreamers offers a different portrayal with a colourful exposé within a grim institution where friendships are given space to flourish.  

Despite its sterile location, which is akin to a prison with its rules, rituals and rites of passage, Dreamers presents a poetic reverie. Assisted by the vibrancy of incongruous colours on the walls of the insipid concrete walls, and the hope that continues to spring eternal for some of the residents refusing to be institutionalised whilst maintaining their determination for those dreams of a life outside. 

However, flashbacks from main character Isio, an undocumented Nigerian migrant, in an emotional and sympathetic performance by Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ reveal that her dreams do not portray a rosy livelihood but are plagued by some sinister reveries from a haunted past. Adékọluẹ́jọ́’s expressions convey that haunted sense with her expressive eyes and director Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s decision, within this directorial debut, to frame her face, in close ups, ensures that the full scale of her hope and despair creates that level of honesty with the audience to empathise with her plight. 

Her burgeoning friendship with roommate Farah (Ann Akinjirin) forewarns her of pitfalls, within Hatchworth Removal Centre, and where to place her trust. It is compelling viewing watching Isio’s journey as she takes that advice on board and transform from naivety to empowerment.  The code switches from her early days at the centre become less frequent and are replaced by a refusal to provide submissive deference to any institution or person in uniform. This transformation also exposes the systemic barriers in place for marginalised persons such as Isio that arrive in foreign lands out of necessity but continually face prejudices when they are not conforming to societal expectations. 

Rather than dwell on these limitations, Gharoro-Akpojotor focuses on the ways that the women learn to circumnavigate the system whilst ultimately remaining true to themselves and their cultural values. 

It is within these cultural glimpses that Dreamers truly shines despite the jarring decision to change tack and ultimately chart a more predictable course for the inmates’ desire to retrieve their freedom. Insights into the importance of culture sharing via food provide heart warming and comedic moments and a jollof rice battle will resonate with many. Gharoro-Akpojotor’s decision to allow the women’s personalities to be amplified through heartfelt moments is equally powerful and will endear viewers to the women, who are fleshed out characters despite their unfortunate circumstances. Dreamers emphasises that living for the moment and cherishing family, alongside the family that we create, are key elements to survive such situations that exist beyond our control. As such, when the system decides to exert its force, the sensation of opportunities lost hits hard. 

Dreamers’ preference to present a rich tapestry of literature and poetry provides that dreamy, positive intermission as Carol Ann Duffy poems are recited. Again, these moments highlight the confident directorial decisions to emphasise  the humanity of those living in similarly inhumane circumstances.  The systems, institutions and rigid requirements for individuals subject to an uncompromising regime are all laid bare for audiences to create their own interpretation under Gharoro-Akpojotor’s subtle but omnipresent critique.  Yet, by permitting the slow unveiling of their back stories, the actors are trusted to captivate the audiences on an emotional level by highlighting the desperate measures sought by the women facing a lack of choice when the full brunt of systemic barriers bears down on them.  

On these occasions, audiences will be pleased to be able to cling on to the positive chemistry exuded between the characters with superb performances. Overall, the storyline is well written to illustrate that camaraderie can exist between disparate, powerless individuals in distressed situations. 

Dreamers is a bold, assured debut that unabashedly holds a mirror up to systemic prejudices and subverts expectations. It is an eye-opening, immersive tale that leaves an emotional imprint. However, given the film’s initial promise and the underlying political commentary reverberating throughout Dreamers, its rushed denouement feels puzzling and is ultimately a let down for such a strong character arc.